12A - The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 11, 2002
Week in Hoosier State will
pose challenge for Blue
Michigan looks to retain
coveted Big Bear trophy
By Eric Chan
Daily Sports Writer
Must win. That's the attitude the No. 9
Michigan women's soccer team is taking
into today's game against No. 20 Purdue.
The Wolverines took the lead in the Big
Ten after two huge conference wins this
past week against former top-runner Penn
State and Ohio State.
The Boilermakers are hot on Michi-
gan's tail after jumping out to the best
start in the program's five-year history.
Purdue is coming off a 3-1 win in South
Bend, Ind. against Notre Dame. The win
was only the second time in 10 years that
Purdue has won against the Irish on their
turf.
And the Michigan staff is well aware
of the pressure that comes with its first
place standing in the Big Ten.
"Our motivation is that every win we
get, we're one step closer to that Big Ten
title," said Michigan head coach Debbie
Rademacher. "We know we can't afford to
lose one more in the conference."
The Purdue team that Michigan (5-1
Big Ten, 10-2 overall) will face this
weekend is deep. Offensive production on
the Boilermakers (3-1-1, 8-2-1) has been
balanced, with junior forwards Jenni
Moppert and Annette Kent leading the
way. While Purdue's leading scorers may
pale in statistical comparison to Michigan
forward Abby Crumpton's nine goals this
season, but don't be mistaken. The Boil-
By Gennaro Filice
Daily Sports Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE AND BLOOMINGTON
Who: No. 9 Michigan (10-2 overall, 5-1 Big Ten) vs.
No. 20 Purdue (8-2-1, 3-1-1)
When: 3 p.m. today, 4 p.m. Sunday.
Latest: Coming off a big weekend, Michigan looks to
defend its place atop the Big Ten standings this
weekend.
ermakers may not score many goals, but
they don't let that many in either - Pur-
due's opponents have managed a mere
nine goals in 10 games. Much of the cred-
it for that solid defense should be given
to Purdue's senior goalkeeper, Jocelyn
Cavalier, who has allowed only five of the
team's nine goals. Purdue's depth, and its
ability to keep fresh players on the field
should give Michigan some problems.
"We're really going to have to put a lot
of pressure on them," Rademacher said.
"They're a hardworking, solid team. They
are also very high-tempo team. They
make lots of substitutions. We have to
match their tempo with enthusiasm."
Michigan's offensive leaders -
Crumpton, Therese Heaton and Amy Sul-
livant - got some unlikely help this past
weekend from defender Andrea Kayal.
Kayal is coming off a dazzling week in
which she was named Big Ten Offensive
Player of the Week because of her two
game-winning goals against Penn State,
and Ohio State.
"Andrea had a great weekend. She had
those two big goals, and didn't make any
It all began three years ago in northern Michi-
gan, with a brisk summer drive through a small,
aptly named village.
During the first summer of the millennium,
Michigan coach Steve Burns was enjoying some
quality rest and relaxation in Topin-
abee, when he coasted through the
small, eerily titled town, Wolverine.
Having recently been named coach
of the first men's varsity soccer team
at Michigan, thoughts other then a
vacation's typical contemplations
plagued Burns' recess.
"After I was named head coach, I
made an agreement with Michigan
State head coach Joe Baum that he
would go in 'half-sies' with me to
MICHIGAN
FIEL
Who: Michigan
all, 0-2 Big Ten)
gan State (2-2)
When: 2 p.m. S
Latest: Michiga
to earn their firs
tory over Michii
maize and blue eye. Ecstatic with the finding,
Burns handed Bunker $50, and the "Big Bear"
was born.
But, Michigan's possession of the "Big Bear"
was short-lived when Michigan State won the
inaugural rivalry match, 2-1 in 2000. In 2001
Michigan lost round-two, 4-2, and the "Big
Bear" once again settled in at its East Lansing
dwelling.
Rumors of the "Big Bear's"
SOCCER accommodations in the last two
1-I years have caught the attention of its
(4-5-1 over- original owner.
) vs. Michi- "I've heard stories of what's hap-
pening to the trophy," Burns said.
unday "Sitting in players' apartments with
n is hoping raucous party hats, and sunglasses,
st series vic- and Hawaiian lays around its neck."
gan State. On Sunday, the trophy that was
conceived in Wolverine, but has
been living in Spartan-land, is back up for grabs.
With the rivalry returning to the friendly con-
fines of Michigan Soccer Field, the prospect for
bringing an old friend back home excites the
Wolverines.
"We want to get the trophy back to its rightful
home of Ann Arbor, so we can get it cleaned up
and put on a base, and get a plaque put on the
bottom so we know who has won it each year,"
Burns said.
So, the prize is set, and although its got a few
years to catch up to the famous "Little Brown
Jug," the "Big Bear" looks to be around for gen-
erations to come.
"We want fix it up so we can keep this thing
around for a good hundred years," Burns said.
DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily
Senior Abby Crumpton leads the Wolverines
with nine goals this season.
mistakes," Rademacher said.
Michigan goalie Suzie Grech earned
the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week
award with two shutouts over the week-
end.
After Friday's game at Purdue, Michi-
gan will stay in Indiana and travel to
Bloomington to face the Hoosiers on
Sunday at 4 p.m.
buy a traveling trophy if I could find something
that would be significant toward our rivalry,"
Burns said.
The coach's yearning to find an icon appropri-
ate for bragging rights was quickly satisfied.
Burns cruised by the yard of chainsaw artist,
Keith Bunker, and was awestruck by the pieces
on display.
"He had all his stuff out on the front yard, and
the back yard, and all over the place, and I told
my wife there's got to be something in there,"
Burns said.
After stopping and looking around for 45
minutes, his prophecy came true; Burns discov-
ered a two-foot tree stump carved into the shape
of a bear, with one green and white eye, and one
0
Momentum to carry spikers on the road
By Jake Rosenwasser
For the Daily
The Michigan volleyball team will go
into Penn State riding a three game winning
streak; three wins that were anything but
easy to attain. After beating Indiana in four
and a 4-0 conference record to lead the Big
Ten. Their only defeat was at the hands of the
then-No. 3 Florida Gators. Penn State also
has the very dangerous Cara Smith, who
leads the nation in hitting percentage.
"They're a very talented team," Rosen
said. "You can't just focus on Smith
games, the Wolverines
swept matches against
two ranked conference
opponents: No. 16 Ohio
State and No. 18 Michi-
gan State, which leaves
them third in the Big Ten.
"We're playing really
well right now," coach
Mark Rosen said. "We've
got a lot of momentum."
STATE COLLEGE
Who: Michigan (9-5 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) at
No. 9 Penn State (14-1, 4-0)
When: 7 p.m.
Latest: After defeating two ranked teams in
a row at Cliff Keen Arena, Michigan looks
to continue the trend on the road.
because so many of them
are good."
Penn State has an all-
time record of 22-2 against
the Wolverines, but power
in the series may be shift-
ing. Last season, Michigan
swept the Nittany Lions at
home and took them to a
fifth game in State College
The win at home had been
Rosen said.
Michigan has been flawless at home this
year, but its record indicates that it is not the
same team on the road. All of its losses have
come away from Cliff Keen Arena.
"I'm not concerned about that," Rosen
said. "It's easier to play at home, but we
played well in Iowa and in Minnesota."
Michigan ended up beating Iowa in four
games, but lost to the eigth-ranked Golden
Gophers in three tight games.
It would seem that Michigan, if it can
pull out a win against Penn State, should
be considered for a national ranking. This
will be the third-straight match in which
Michigan goes up against a ranked oppo-
nent. Some coaches would prefer a sched-
ule with a few "gimmes," but coach Rosen
likes the challenge.
"It's great," he said. "We want to play these
ranked teams because eventually we want to
be on their level."
With the week that they have had it looks
like the team is already there.
NIAGRA
Continued from Page 1A
and Helminen so (Helminen's) looked good."
The line debuts against a Niagara team that
lost to Bowling Green and beat Air Force at
the Lefty McFadden Invitational in Dayton,
Ohio last weekend.
"They're a pretty good skating team, so
they're going to come after us and be fairly
aggressive," Pearson said. "I think they're
going to keep the game simple, keep the
game fow-scoring, and try to stay (away
fron) penalties all game."
In the second day of the tournament,
Michigan will see either No. 13 North Dakota
or Canisius, which face off this afternoon.
Berenson will miss Saturday's game to cele-
brate his father's 90th birthday in
Saskatchewan.
This weekend will be Michigan's first taste
of official competition, and after facing each
other for three weeks, the Wolverines are
more than ready for a change.
"I can't wait," Nystrom said. "This is what
we wait all summer for. Last year our season
ended a day early. Hopefully, this year we can
take it all the way to the end."
S
t
before losing.
Michigan though, will have to raise the
level of its game to beat a talented Penn State
squad. The Nittany Lions are the No. 9 team
in the country and they too are coming into
the match with consecutive sweeps (Illinois
and Purdue). They boast a 14-1 record overall
Michigan's first in the series since 1995.
With five of Michigan's six starters return-
ing from last year, Penn State may have
something to worry about.
"I think the experience we have is one of
the real reasons this team is surging now,"
TOM FELDKAMP/Daiiy
Senior John Shounyia will not be on the ice this weekend in
Buffallo because he broke his hand last weekend.
PALESTINIANS CELEBRATED IN LEBANON
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