*1 2B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - January 28. 2002 CLUBSPORTsWEEKLY - Edited by Kareem Copeland and Jim Weber M' hits the ski slopes against the state's best AleTEOFHEBa WE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK A Who: Casey Kerney Hometown: Severna Park, Md. Sport: Water Polo Year: Freshman By Maria Sprow Daily Sports Writer Some students don't just pray for snow, Michigan's alpine ski team actu- ally travels to it. In a single season, the team has any- where from four to six competitions it travels to - usually at Crystal or Schuss Mountains, both northern Michigan. Though members said their main reason for going isn't to win, it's just to enjoy the slopes. "There's not really a lot of stress on how people do individually," co-captain Dave Whipp said. "For a lot of people, it's just a way to get out of town." For other team members, joining the team was a way to stay in shape during college and meet new people. "Its just a good experience to contin- ue in the sport," said co-captain Ryan Ahlberg. "The ski team mixes having fun while you're in college and staying involved in athletics." Although the team cannot practice year round, members get to know one another through team events such as ultimate frisbee sessions. The team competes in the Michigan Division of the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association. Their biggest rivals are the 80-member teams from Western Michigan and Michigan State. Grand Valley State, Notre Dame, Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech also compete in the division. During competition, the team is divided into men's and women's teams. Skiers race according to their level of expertise, with some having almost no previous racing experience. "It doesn't really matter if you've raced before or not - we have such a wide variety of skiers," Whipp said, adding that a few team members pre- pare to race after only their fourth or fifth skiing experience. Members of the team then get to compete in two races: The slalom, which is based off technique, and the giant slalom, which is faster and longer. Even though they didn't get a lot of practice time, the men's and women's teams finished third in their Jan. 12 meet, the first of the season. At a three-day invitational in Ohio last weekend, members of the team came in first and second in the slalom and second and third in the giant slalom. Though winning is nice, Ahlberg said the most important part of being on the team is representing Michigan through sportsmanship. "It's competitive but it's not too com- petitive," he said. "I'm just proud to be able to represent the University in an organization that lets students be ath- letes." What: With 10 goals in four games, Kerney made an impressive debut for the Wolverines in the Michigan Invitational. In the final game of the four- team invitational, Kerney recorded her second hat-trick of the weekend in a 10-9 comeback victory over Indiana yesterday. Her other hat-trick came on Saturday in a 9-6 loss to Cal-Santa Barbara. The Wolverines were 2-2 on the weekend with their other win against Michigan State's club team. Kerney t AP PHOTO In his third year as New England's coach, Bill Belichick is doused by formes Michigan cornerback Ty Law (24) after the Patriots beat Pittsburgh 24-17 in the AFC title game. SenioritiS Even though the college football season is officially over, there are still plenty of games to be played by seniors and other underclassmen preparing for the NFL Draft in April. Here are some of the Wolverines who have and will participate in these bowls. Senior Bowl (Saturday) Marquise Walker, WR: Walker caught five passes for 66 yards en route to being named the North's M.V.P. He is thought to be a second-round pick, possibly higher should his 40-yard dash time improve. Hayden Epstein, K: Epstein connected on 20- and 45-yard field goals and had two extra points in the North's 41-26 loss to the South. Larry Foote, LB: Big Ten Defensive'Player of the Year. Gridiron Classic (Saturday) Kurt Anderson, C and Todd Howard, CB: Both played for Team USA and lost to Team Florida 42-13. Hula Bowl Maui All-Star Classic (Feb. 2) Bill Seymour, TE; Eric Brackins, LB and Jonathon Goodwin, OL Wednesday, Jan. 30 W Tennis vs. Notre Dame, 5 p.m. M Basketball at Michigan State, 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31 W Basketball vs. Iowa, 7 p.m. Hockey at Lake Superior State 7:05 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1 W Swim/Diving vs. Northwestern, 4 p.m. Wrestling vs. Illinois, 7 p.m. W Gymnastics vs. Florida, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2 M Tennis vs. Tulsa, 12 p.m. BRET M Swim/Diving at Ohio State, 1 p.m. The Wolverines face W Swim/Diving vs. Notre Dame, 3 Hockey vs. Lake Superior State (Detroit), 7:35 p.m. M Basketball vs. Wisconsin, 8 p.m. M Gymnastics at Oklahoma, vs. Nebraska, 8 p.m. M Track/Field at George Mason Patriot Games, 11 a.m. W Track/Field at George Mason Patriot Games, 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 3 M Tennis vs. Pennsylvania, 12 p.m. W Basketball vs. Northwestern, 2 p.m. W Gymnastics at State of Michigan Classic (Ypsilanti), 2 p.m. DAILYSCOAREOARD I MUUNTIN/Daly Pennsylvania nd at home. a Q ROAD TO EW RLEANS *f R' xk, 1d'' NBA 'STAND]1 SINGS NHL STANDINGS 1VLL7 il1C11VLil il7il Bledsoe to the rescue 24as Brady PITTSBURGH (AP) - Picking a starting quarterback is not supposed to be this hard. Not when you're headed to the Super Bowl, and especially not when your team is on the hook for $900,000 to one guy and $103 million to the other. But after New England put the finishing touches on yester- day's 24-17 upset of the Steelers, a full-blown quarterback controversy was staring Patriots coach Bill Belichick in the face - for the second time this season, no less. Former Michigan quarterback Tom Brady, the bargain- basement passer who stepped in when veteran Drew Bledsoe was injured after the second game of the regular season, gave roes down 17 way to Bledsoe after rolling his ankle just before halftime. For the first time since a vicious hit by the Jets' Mo Lewis four months ago sheared a blood vessel in his chest, Bledsoe stepped onto a field with something on the line. To no one's surprise, he was masterful. "You don't give a guy $100 million if you don't think he can be a championship quarterback," Pittsburgh safety Lee Flowers said. "Nobody on our sideline was celebrating when Brady went out." Brady was still waiting for his chance to wrap his hands around the AFC Championship trophy when someone asked him how the ankle felt. Rams return to big show again ST. LOUIS (AP) - The St. Louis Rams can be held down for just so long before Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce take over. When they did in the second half of the NFC championship game, the Rams earned their second trip to the Super Bowl in three years. Their 29-24 victory yesterday over the Philadelphia Eagles sent the' Rams to New Orleans to meet the surprising New Eng- land Patriots. Two years ago, St. Louis beat Tennessee for its first Super Bowl title. The trip south did- n't look likely early in the game, as the Eagles' stingy defense kept the Rams off-. balance. But in the _ second half, Warner, A the league's MVP; Faulk, a three-time Offensive Player of the Year; and Bruce, Warner's favorite receiver, were too much. Faulk set a career playoff high with 159 yards rushing , his 84 at halftime was a personal mark - and Bruce had eight receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. Warner finished 22-of-33 passing for 212 yards and one touchdown. EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W New Jersey2 Boston 2 Orlando 2 Philadelphia 2 Washington 2: New York 1 Miami Central Division W Milwaukee 2 Toronto 2 Detroit 21 Indiana 2 Charlotte Atlanta 14 Cleveland 13 Chicago 9 WESTERN CONFERENCE Midwest Division W Dallas Minnesota. San Antonio 29 Utah 22 Houston 14 Denver 1 Memphis1 Pacific Division W Sacramento 3 LA Lakers 29 Seattle2 Portland 22 LA Clippers 2 PhoenixS21 Golden State 14 L PCT GB PF ! 14 .674- 95.6 ! 17 .605 3 96.2 !3 22 .513 7 100.4 21 .5127 90.4 l 20 .512 7 91.2 .25 .405 11.5 90.4 .527 .357 13.5 85.5 VL PCT GB PF 1 16 .619- 98:3 !19 .578 1.5 92.5 L20 .512 4.5 94.2 3 23 .500 5 96.6 !23 .465 6.5 94.4 .29 .326 12.5 94.3 .330 .302 13.5 91.8 133 .214 17 85.3 PA 91.6 93.7 97.2 88.8 92.2 93.9 88.6 PA 96.8 92.1 93.2 96.7 95.2 100.8 97.3 94.5 EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W' Philadelphia 30 NY Islanders 25 NY Rangers 25 New Jersey 21 Pittsburgh 22 Northeast Division Boston Ottawa Toronto Montreal Buffalo Southeast Division Carolina Washington Tampa Bay Florida Atlanta W 27 26 26 22 22 W 21 20 18 16 13 L T OTL Pts GF GA 136 2 68160116 175 3 58143137 214 3 57 152 160 207 3 52 126 127 225 2 51 121 140 L T OTL Pts GF GA 153 7 64 152 129 176 3 61 160 129 175 4 61 149 132 218 2 54 140 142 254 1 49 139 136 L T OTL Pts GF GA 199 5 58 148 162 258 1 49 146 167 265 2 431001240 2943 39 106156 296 4 36 125.184 L PCT GB PF PA Q12 .727- 104.5100.1 112 .721.5 101.8 95.6 413 .6902 98.2 92.5 !22 .500 10 96.1 96.2 .30 .318 18 92.3 96.6 3 29 .310 18 92.9 97.5 .31 .279 19.5 90.6 98.4 VL PCT GB PF PA 13 10 .767 - 104.2 96.4 !12 .707 3 102.0 92.5 3 20 .535 10 97.8 96.4 !20 .524 10.5 95.4 93.3 !22 .500 11.5 95.4 95.8 !22 .488 12 98.3 97.3 .28 .333 18.5 95.0 99.3 WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division Detroit Chicago St. Louis Nashville Columbus Nofthviwest Division Colorado Edmonton Vancouver Calary Minnesota" Pacific Division San Jose Dallas Los Angeles Phoenix Anaheim W 36 30 28 19 14 L T OTL 95 2 159 0 146 3 249 0 297 1 W L T OTL 30 16 6 1 25 20 7 2 25 244 1 20 21,8 2 17 22'9 4 Pts GF GA 79 166 112 69 152 140 65 147 116 47 130 137 36 104 143 Pts GF GA 67 135 105 59 139 128 55 159 143 50 119,.134,; 47 1 4'151 Saturday's games MIAMI 90, New Jersey 77 NY Knicks 129, MILWAUKEE 127 (20T) Sacramento 114, UTAH 90 Houston 111, CHARLOTTE 104 (OT) Boston 108, CLEVELAND 101 Yesterday's games PHILADELPHIA 93, LA Lakers 87 TORONTO 106, Orlando 97 Today's games LA Clippers at MEMPHIS, 8 P.M. Miami at UTAH, 9 P.M. Tomorrow's games Minnesota at CLEVEIAND, 7 P.M. Detroit at WASHINGTON, 7 P.M. LA Lakers at ATLANTA, 7:30 P.M. Philadelphia at NY KNIcKS, 7:30 P.M. LA Clippers at DALLAS, 8 P.M. Boston at MILWAUKEE, 8 P.M. Golden State at HOUSTON, 8:30 P.M. Charlotte at SAN ANTONIO, 8:30 P.M. Miami at DENVER, 9 P.M. Chicago at PHOENIX, 9 P.M. Portland at SEATTLE, 10 P.M. W 25 23 23 21 17 L T OTL Pts GF GA 16 7 3 60 146 128 186 4 56 137 138 197 2 55 135 118 197 4 53 124 133 296 3 43 121138 Yesterday's games MONTREAL 3, San Jose 1 Buffalo 3, WASHINGTON 2 Today's games Chicago at BOsToN, 7 P.M. Tampa Bay at NY RANGERS, 7 P.M. Phoenix at ATLANTA, 7:30 P.M. Anaheim at ST. Louis, 8 P.M. Calgary at MINNESOTA, 8 P.M. Columbus at DALLAS, 8:30 P.M. Detroit at EDMONTON, 9 P.M. Los Angeles at CoLoRADO, 9 P.M. Nashville at VANCoUvER, 10:30 P.M. Tomorrow's games Buffalo at CAROLINA, 7 P.M. New Jersey at NY ISLANDERS, 7 P.M. Pittsburgh at PHILADELPHIA, 7 P.M. San Jose at TORONTO, 7:30 P.M. 0 0 0 :a~ieh o) $50 nin LA tnc~g. I Alh m a m a I ___