8B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - September 13, 2004 'M'runs Out o Steam 1n OT By James V. Dowd Daily Sports Writer Whenever you introduce a ball into a game, you can never be sure which way it might bounce. Game-to-game, even half-to-half, the bounces it takes for the Michigan field hockey team seem to be as predictable as Michi- gan weather. When Syracuse and Old Domin- ion visited Ocker Field on Friday and Saturday, respectively, first-half scor- ing droughts turned into second-half shootouts as shots that had been just missing began to find their way into the back of the goal. After a scoreless first half on Sat- urday, Old Dominion (2-1 overall) edged the Wolverines 3-2 in over- time, just one day after Michigan (3- 3) had scored four second-half goals to beat Syracuse 4-0 on Friday. The Wolverines started strong against the Monarchs on Saturday, forcing Old Dominion goalkeeper Mary Cate Gordon to make five first- half saves. Though the teams fought back and forth through the first 20 minutes, Michigan sophomore Mary Fox created the first great chance of the game with just under 12 min- utes to go in the first half, but Old Dominion's defense was able to snuff out the threat. Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz used her deep bench to bring in sub- stitutes. This also gave her an oppor- tunity to consult with starters on the Wolverines' strategy. She knew a change was needed to have a shot to win the game. "We had a lot of chances," Pan- kratz said of the first half against Old Dominion. "If we had been able to finish them early, we would have had a couple of goals, and we would have won. It takes a while to get the attack going and hopefully we can start fin- ishing our chances." After halftime, the Wolverines came out determined to make sure the bounces went their way, and, just 47 seconds into the second half, junior Katie Morris slid one past a sprawling Gordon for the first goal Heaton nets two in Blue victory By Matt Singer Daily Sports Writer We finally put it together." The words of women's soccer coach Debbie Radem- acher resonated after playing three close games against overmatched opponents, The Wolverines broke through in a big way yesterday, blanking No. 22 Boston Uni- versity 3-0 at the Varsity Soccer Field. Junior Therese Heaton led the Wolverines (3-2-1) with two goals, while sophomore Megan Tuura made six saves en route to her first shutout of the year. "We've dominated so much and have had a hard time putting the ball away," freshman Melissa Dobbyn said. "This was really good for us, especially since the Big Ten (season) starts next weekend." The Wolverines wasted little time taking it to the Terriers (4-1-0). Midway through the first half, Michi- gan coach Debbie Rademacher substituted in senior Liz Dosa, who had an immediate impact. Just a minute after entering the game, Dosa went at the keeper and fed a charging Heaton, who easily rolled the ball into the left side of the net. "(Dosa's) been sick or injured recently," Rademacher said. "She's healthy today - she did a good job." Michigan didn't stop there. Less than five minutes later, Dobbyn fought off a Boston defender and boomed a monster kick from outside the 18-yard box. The frozen rope found the right corner of the net, giving Michigan its first 2-0 lead of the season. "We felt like we needed to get a third goal, because 2-0 is kind of a scary score," Rademacher said. "Teams kind of get complacent when they're up two goals." But it was the Terriers who applied more pressure in the second half, outshooting the Wolverines 9-4. Boston's best chance came in the last five minutes of the game, when junior forward Melissa Shulman freed herself in front of the net and let loose a powerful shot. Tuura exploded to her left and snagged the ball, pre- serving the shutout. The Wolverines put the game away soon after. Dob- byn sneaked a perfect pass to Heaton, who outraced two defenders and put the ball in the net for her second goal of the game. Dobbyn and Heaton have scored 10 of Michigan's 1I goals this season. On Friday. Michigan faced Syracuse (3-1-1). The Wolverines dominated the first half, but couldn't capi- talize and went into the break scoreless. Early in the second half, after freshman Jamie Artsis collided with the Syracuse keeper and the ball trickled free, allowing Heaton to put it into the empty net to give Michigan the lead. But Syracuse netted the equalizer 15 minutes later. Two overtimes failed to decide anything., and Michigan was forced to settle for a demoralizing 1-1 tie. "It's disappointing to put that much pressure on a team and dominate in stats but not be able to come out with a win," Rademacher said. Friday's problems were nowhere to be found when the Wolverines took the field yesterday. "It got real chaotic on Friday," Rademacher said. "We couldn't settle the ball. I think scoring two goals in the first half (against Boston), we really needed that. That's the difference, we finished where we didn't fin- ish on Friday." a JOEL FRIEDMAN/Daily Michigan senior Jessica Blake scored to put the Wolverines up by two against Old Dominion. Michigan lost 3-2 in overtime. of the game. Fox brought the ball into the circle and took a shot that appeared to be going wide. But Mor- ris swooped in from the backside and knocked the ball into the upper left corner. Michigan senior Jessica Blake put Michigan up by two just five minutes later, but suddenly Old Dominion began to fight back. In the 59th minute, Old Dominion sophomore Dana Sensenig brought the Monarchs within one. And soph- omore Carolina Nichols tied it up 10 minutes later on a free hit just outside the circle. Old Dominion junior Jen- nifer Angat passed the ball across the circle, and Nichols was there to put it in. Just two minutes remained after the equalizer, and neither team could muster a serious threat, so the game went to overtime. Like the NHL, NCAA field hockey rules call for sud- den-death overtime with a reduced number of players on the field. Pankratz looked to her bench for her fittest players, but even they were no match for a dedicated Old Domin- ion team. After coming from behind, the Monarchs were determined to win the game. And in the 13th minute of extra time, Angat scored, sending a shot across the goal, apparently off of a Michigan defender, and past sopho- more goalkeeper Beth Riley. "We just got tired in the last in the last 10 minutes," Pankratz said. "We lost the game because we were too tired to play with them." The first half of Friday's game against Syracuse (1-3) also started slowly - the Wolverines' offense generated seven shots, but could not score. The second half brought an onslaught of 26 Michigan shots which led to four goals. Senior Adri- enne Hortillosa scored her fourth and fifth goals of the season, while Blake added a goal and an assist. Morris closed out Michigan's scoring with an unassisted goal. Michigan will return to action next weekend to face Central Michigan on Friday and Northeastern on Sunday - both at Ocker Field. TOMMASO GOMEZ/Daily Freshman Melissa Dobbyn scored a goal and added an assist yesterday for the Wolverines. v. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Federer takes third major of year NEW YORK (AP) - Roger Federer is at his best against the best, when it counts the most, and he was pretty much perfect in the U.S. Open final. Federer became the first man since 1988 to win three majors in a year, thor- oughly outclassing Lleyton Hewitt 6-0, 7-6 (3), 6-0 yesterday to add the Ameri- can Grand Slam title to those he took at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. There hadn't been two shutout sets in the event's championship match since 1884. "It was a perfect start," Federer said. "Tough for Lleyton, obviously, but for me, a great start." And here's what was particularly remarkable: The top-ranked Federer's opponent was no pushover. Federer dominated every facet againstpugna- cious, backward-cap wearing, "Come on!"-yelling, fist-pumping Hewitt, a former No. 1 and owner of two major titles'includingthe 2001 U.S.Opeii. Federer led the fourth-seeded Hewitt ple probably realize how hard it is." in winners (40-12), aces (11-1) and ser- With his fluid, all-court game, cool vice breaks (7-1), and won the point on demeanor and win-the-big-ones deter- 31 of 35 trips to the net. mination, Federer already is inspiring And now there are all sorts of other talk about whether he can challenge impressive numbers Federer can lay Sampras' record of 14 major titles. claim to. No one had won Wimble- Sampras got his fourth at age 22; Feder- don and the U.S. Open back-to-back er turned 23 last month. since Pete Sampras in 1995. Including "Roger is a complete player. He has Wimbledon in 2003, Federer is 4-0 the ability to change his game slightly in major finals - the first man in the as to what his opponent's doing to him," Open era to start a career by winning said 1946-47 U.S. Open winner Jack his first four. He's won 11 straight Kramer, inducted yesterday into the tournament finals overall, and he's tournament's Court of Champions. won 17 straight matches against play- "He's so good on the defense and ers ranked in the top 10. so good at the return of serve that he's There's more: No man had captured forcing the other player mentally to get consecutive major titles since Andre a little bit of scaredeness: I've got to Agassi won the 1999 U.S. Open and serve a little better or Roger's going to 2000 Australian Open. The18 Slamsw"inek it by me.' I've got to make a bet- since then was the longest drought in ter approach shot or he's going to pass the Open era. me.' He's getting errors because of the "It's an incredible effort,,what he._,eat of his skills. That's why he's the done," Hewitt said. "I don't think peo- champ." 4 STUDENTS & EDUCATORS: i save up to I 'U