6
Friday
November 15, 2002
michigandaily.com
sportsdesk@umich.edu
ahe icligan ailg
SPORTS
8A
M squeezes
past Wildcats
in first round
MEN'S SOCCER lIT N STATE COLLEGE
CONFERENCE
By Gennaro Filce
Daily Sports Writer
STATE COLLEGE - On Oct. 13, Michigan lost
to Michigan State 2-1 and dropped to 0-3 in confer-
ence play.
Since then, the Wolverines have not lost a game (6-
0-1). Their streak contin-
ued yesterday with a 1-0
victory over Northwestern MICHIGAN 1
in the first round of the Big NORTHWESTERN 0
Ten Tournament. _
At Jeffrey Field, No. 2
seed Michigan (10-6-2) squeaked out a victory over
the seventh-seeded Wildcats (8-12).
Michigan thoroughly dominated the first half of the
game. The Wolverines outshot Northwestern 6-3 and
held the ball for the majority of the half.
"In the first half, we did a good job in recognizing
how to go at Northwestern," Burns said. "We con-
trolled five-sixths of the game."
Michigan's most impressive drive came in the 25th
minute of the half, and resulted in the game's only
goal. The drive started when freshman Adam Bruh
gained a free-kick 15 yards out of the Northwestern
box. Bruh took the kick from the left side and lofted a
perfect ball into the box. Junior captain Mike White
snuck behind the defense, met the ball four yards out
and blasted a header into the goal. The score was
sweet redemption for White, who failed to convert on
a similar play minutes before.
"I expect Bruh to play a great ball, just like he did
the time before when I missed my opportunity,"
White said. "I expect him to play a great ball just
about every time, which he does. So it makes it pretty
easy to put it in when you get that many chances."
In the second half, the game evened out, and North-
Football Saturday
No. o12:Mihian
Wisconsm
TOMORROW, 12:05 M, ESPN2
DAVID KATZ/Daily
Michigan junior Kevin Taylor and the Wolverines advanced to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament with a 1-
0 win over Northwestern. They will face Michigan State - the last team to beat them this season.
western outshot Michigan 7-6.
The Wolverines saw an opening in the Wildcat
defense, but couldn't exploit it.
"In the second half, we looked at the fact that there
was a lot of spacing behind their defense, and that we
were going to be able to get in that space if we could
play into feet, lay off and then look for the third man
running," Burns said. "That's more of a rhythm game,
and to Northwestern's credit, I think they were really
destroying rhythm."
Although Michigan's offense was ineffective in the
second half, freshman keeper Peter Dzubay played
superbly, recording three saves.
With the win, the Wolverines earned a match in the
semifinals tonight against No. 6 seed Michigan State.
The Spartans handed Michigan its last loss eight
games ago. Although the game is obviously monu-
mental for every member of the Wolverines, this
match holds special significance for Dzubay.
"Growing up in Michigan, I know it's a big rival-
ry," Dzubay said. "I was sitting on the bench for the
last game, and if there was one thing I wanted, it was
to get in and try to make an impact on that game.
Tomorrow I can step up and try to do that."
Inside this edition of Football Saturday, you will find:
Emergency room - Michigan has been battling a
slew of injuries all year, but new talent has stepped up
time and time again. If the Wolverines are going to fin-
ish the season strong, its depth will be the reason why.
A changed man - With the help of his new quar-
terbacks coach, John Navarre has turned over a new
leaf. He is comfortable in the pocket and making the
plays needed to win games.
Smoker apologizes
Conference underdog
returns to Yost Arena
By Bob Hunt
Daily Sports Writer
When Lake Superior came into
Yost Ice Arena to play the Wolver-
ines in the first round of the CCHA
Tournament last March, it was the
ultimate David vs. Goliath battle.
Having just four wins and 38
goals in 28 conference
games, the Lakers were
only allowed into the YosT ICE
tournament because the Who: Michiga
league had expanded to Lake Superior:
allow all 12 teams to When:7:35p.
compete. So they were 7:35 p.m. tomc
given little chance Latest:TheWo
against Michigan, unbeaten in th
which had won nine°of games, which
its last 10. longest winni
But three minutes thenation.
into the contest, the
Lakers were up 2-0 and eventually
hung on for a 4-3 win despite taking
just 16 shots on goal. Michigan
went on to win the series in three
games, but the Lakers had left their
mark.
"They battled their hearts out,"
said sophomore forward Eric Nys-
trom, for whom the loss to the Lak-
ers was his first postseason
collegiate game. "Maybe we didn't
come ready to play. The same thing
could happen this year if we don't
come ready to battle."
Lake Superior returns to Yost for
a weekend series tonight.
Lake Superior used to be the class
of the CCHA, winning national
championships in 1988, 1992 and
1994. The Lakers finished third in
the CCHA in the 1999-2000 season,
but have since fallen on hard times,
EAST LANSING (AP) - Michigan
State quarterback Jeff Smoker apolo-
gized yesterday for the substance abuse
problems that led to his suspension, and
he shouldered some
of the blame for the
firing of coach
Bobby Williams.
Smoker was sus-
pended indefinitely
Oct. 24 for violating
team rules, and 10Y
days later his family
announced he was Smoker
seeking treatment
for abuse of an unspecified substance.
Smoker, who said he did not fail a
drug test, said he was suspended when
he told Williams he had a substance-
abuse problem and needed help. He said
he entered an "intensive" inpatient treat-
ment program and will continue to be
treated for his problem for at least a few
more months.
"It wasn't just one substance, and I
don't believe that saying the specific
substance is the issue," he said in his
first public comments since the suspen-
sion. "But I did abuse them, and it really
did affect me."
Smoker's absence only accelerated
Michigan State's deterioration on the
field. The Spartans (4-6, 2-4 Big Ten)
were ranked 15th after a 2-0 start, but
they lost six of their next seven games.
Smoker, a junior, hopes Michigan
State's next coach will drop his indefi-
nite suspension.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to
become a Spartan again," he said.
finishing
seasons.
E ARENA
n (6-1-1) vs.
State (3-7-0)
.m. today,
orrow
diverines are
hir last six
ranks as the
ng streak in
in last place the past two
But Frank Anzalone,
who led the program to
its 1988 national title,
was re-hired as head
coach last season in an
attempt to revitalize the
program.
The revival has yet to
occur, as the Lakers are
0-6 in CCHA play, their
worst start ever. The
Wolverines have nine
players that have accu-
Just do it; Wolverines
looking for revenge
mulated more points than the Lak-
ers' leading scorer, Chris Peterson,
and Lake Superior has scored just
16 goals in its first nine games.
But while the Lakers will not put
the puck in the net very often, they
make opponents work for every
opportunity they receive. The Lak-
ers have just a handful of players
under 6-foot-2.
"They recruit to play that kind of
style," Michigan assistant coach
Billy Powers said. "They like to be
a big, grinding, in your face team,
and then try to capitalize on any
JASON COOPER/Daily
Michigan's John Shouneyia is expected to return this weekend from injury, and
should help the Wolverines on the powerplay.
By Naweed Sikora
Daily Sports Editor
Much has changed since Michigan
fell to Nike Elite 79-71 last November.
Past wins have been forfeited, banners
have been removed from Crisler Arena,
and the postseason is lost. But for the
Michigan basketball team, the show
must go on.
With so much national attention
a question all year. But Amaker says
there are small things every player can
do for Michigan to become a better
rebounding team.
"It involves being in better position,
boxing out better and keeping our hands
up," Amaker said. "We also need our
guards to do a better job getting the long
rebounds and loose balls, and being
more active and alert out on the perime-
E
-r - .._ _ _ _._ _ __ _ i
chance that you give them."
One area that's going to be cru-
cial to the Wolverines' successes is
the powerplay. The Lakers are third
in the CCHA in penalty minutes per
game but are last in the league in
penalty killing percentage (.654).
Although the Wolverines penalty
kill has been a real strength so far
this season, their powerplay has
been lacking.
But with senior alternate captain
John Shouneyia fully recovered
from his injury, the forward, who
Michigan coach Red Berenson has
called the Wolverines' "Quarter-
back" on the powerplay, should
help Michigan take advantage of its
extra-man opportunities.
But Berenson does not want to
put too much pressure on Shouneyia
to turn around the unit.
"I just want to make sure that
Johnny doesn't carry the powerplay
by himself," Berenson said. "These
other teams know about John
Shouneyia so they're going to put
some pressure on him."
Sophomore forward Milan Gajic
- who returned to the ice Tuesday
after being suspended on Nov. 4
due to academic reasons - worked
out with the powerplay unit in prac-
tice today and could see some play-
ing time this weekend on the
Wolverines' fourth line.
Also Jason Ryznar may play on
Saturday night as he is almost fully
recovered from his second shoulder
injury this season. But no matter
what happens, this weekend should
be a grind.
"Everything's going to be a bat-
tle," Nystrom said. "In front of the
net is going to be a battle, in the
corner is going to be a battle, every
shot is going to be a battle."
swirling around the pro-
gram of late, Michigan
coach Tommy Amaker and
the Wolverines would like
nothing more than to begin
focusing on what needs to
be done on the court, even
if a tournament berth is
impossible.
Tonight, Michigan hosts
Nike Elite in its second
exhibition game of the sea-
son. It will be the Wolver-
CRISLER ARENA
Who: Michigan vs.Nike
Elite (exhibition)
When: 7 p.m.
Latest: This is Michigan's
last opportunity to tune-up
before the regular season
begins on Nov. 23 against
St. Bonaventure at the
Paradise Jam Tournament.
ter.
"Rebounding is a team
statistic. Your big guys
aren't the only ones that
need to get rebounds."
In Michigan's case, early
injuries to freshmen center
Chris Hunter and Graham
Brown, have kept the
Wolverines thin up front.
Amaker is still not sure
whether Brown, who
missed more than a week
ines' final chance to get the bugs out
before their regular season begins on
Nov. 23 against St. Bonaventure in the
Paradise Jam Tournament.
Even though they came away with a
win, the Wolverines don't have much to
build on from their last exhibition game
against Wayne State on Nov. 1. Instead,
Amaker is looking for his team to use
tonight's exhibition to correct the prob-
lems from that game.
Rebounding and turnovers were the
two main problematic areas. The
Wolverines committed 24 turnovers and
allowed Wayne State to snag 21 offen-
sive rebounds.
Due to a lack of depth and injuries at
the center position, rebounding has been
of practice with a lower back injury, will
play tonight. Hunter did start against
Wayne State, and will most probably be
called on again to start at center tonight.
When Michigan does corrall the
board, it needs to hang on to the ball.
While Amaker says he expects a few
turnovers to occur with the up-tempo
style of play he is trying to instill in his
team, he wants the players to remain
poised and in control out on the court.
"We are going to have some
turnovers," Amaker said. "But for us to
have 24 turnovers is not acceptable. I
didn't think we had any offensive flow
and that our production was very limited
and that was due to our lack of liability
to take care of the ball."
A