10 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, March 11, 2005
Icers refuse to look past visiting Irish
By Gabe Edelson
Daily Sports Writer
29-6.
If all the Michigan hockey team's games against
Notre Dame this year were rolled into one, this would be
have to start from scratch. (Notre Dame) is no longer in
last place. The only thing they have is a chance to sal-
vage their season. They have nothing to lose and every-
thing to gain. We have everything to lose."
To play the type of winning hockey that Berenson has
emphasized all year, Nystrom knows that any and all
the final score. But despite the fact that the
fourth-ranked Wolverines (23-3-2 CCHA,
26-7-3 overall) thoroughly outplayed the
Fighting Irish (3-20-5, 5-25-6) during
the regular season, Michigan players and
coaches are not taking Notre Dame lightly
entering the teams' best-of-three first-
round CCHA playoff series this weekend
at Yost Ice Arena. Michigan is the No. 1
seed in the conference tournament, while
last-place Notre Dame is slotted twelfth.
"I think (Notre Dame) is a sleeping
::,;;f%::: " po.. N c s3' ::if:
improvements the Wolverines make will
have to start on the defensive end.
"I think we can play better defen-
sively and limit the chances (Notre
Dame) gets," Nystrom said. "We defi-
nitely have the offensive firepower to
score goals. Everybody knows that. It's
us giving up goals that's a problem. We
really need to crack down defensively.
(Goalie) Al (Montoya) needs to play
well, our defense needs to play well,
and our forwards need to come back
giant," senior captain Eric Nystrom said. "I see them as
a real dangerous opponent."
Never mind the fact that a sweep by the Wolverines
would mean more Michigan wins against Notre Dame
this season than the Irish had against all their oppo-
nents this year (5). In the playoffs, anything can hap-
pen, and it often does.
"It doesn't matter how many goals you scored and
RYAN WEINER/Daily how many you gave up (in the regular season)," Michi-
Michigan will rely on senior Brandon Rogers and its defense to lead it to gan coach Red Berenson said. "It doesn't matter how
victory in its first-round matchup with Notre Dame In the CCHA playoffs. many points you had. It's playoff hockey now, and you
MEN S SWIMMING
Tar water aims for national tit
By Anne Uible
Daily Sports Writer
The first time coach Bob Bowman saw
junior Davis Tarwater swim was in the sum-
mer of 1999 at the Junior National swim meet
in Orlando, Fla. Tarwater was 15 years old,
and Bowman was coaching Michael Phelps at
the time.
"I remember him clearly because he won
the 1,500-meter freestyle and Michael came in
second," Bowman said. "I was very impressed
and knew he would have a bright future. I was
extremely excited when I got this coaching
position and knew I would be able to work with
his kind of talent."
Tarwater began swimming competitively for
Pilot Aquatic Club in Knoxville, Tenn., when
he was 11 years old. He quickly became one
of the top junior swimmers on the team and
worked his way onto the national scene.
When his senior year of high school rolled
around, Tarwater admitted that it was difficult
making the decision to leave the South and
attend school in Michigan.
"I sort of consider myself a native son of the
South," Tarwater said. "But Michigan was a
great opportunity, and I needed to see a new
part of the country."
Looking back, Tarwater couldn't more
pleased with choosing to swim for the Wol-
verines.
"I can't even describe in words how great of
an experience this has been," Tarwater said. "It
almost brings tears to my eyes to think about
the people I've met and just being able to have
the opportunity to represent this institution. It
has been an incredible honor."
In Tarwater's freshman year at Michigan,
former coach Jon Urbanchek began putting
the freestyler in butterfly events. Tarwater had
never really specialized in the stroke, but he
didn't fight the coach on the technicality.
"I was a distance freestyler in high school,
so I've only been doing butterfly seriously
since my freshman year here," Tarwater said.
"At first it was a difficult adjustment. But it was
what the team needed, and it let me contribute
as a freshman."
In retrospect, learning to specialize in the
butterfly and utilize his versatility became one
of the best decisions that Tarwater ever made.
Tarwater has quickly defined himself as the
top flyer on the team with team records in both
the 100- and 200-yard event. He has also had
the opportunity to compete in the events at the
World University Games, the Goodwill Games
and the Olympic trials.
When Bowman took over as coach this sea-
son, he was eager to work on Tarwater's events
and help him become an even faster swimmer.
Bowman changed Tarwater's training program
in hopes of developing different aspects of his
strengths.
"We've treated Davis with a little less mile-
age and more speed training," Bowman said.
"We've also put him through weight training,
and I think its been improving his speed. He
has a very strong work ethic and always wants
to improve. Instead of just getting in the pool
and doing what we tell him to do, hi
thinks about it and asks questions. H
know the theory behind what he's doir
a genuine interest in his training prog
Tarwater admitted that it was a
change to make at first. But he bel
he has responded better to Bowman's
than to any other training regimen h
in the past.
"There was a lot of wear and tear on
at first," Tarwater said. "But I've adju
seems to be working well."
Having already competed well a
Ten Championship meet - where hi
200-yard butterfly for the second yea
- Tarwater is focusing all of his tra
energy on the NCAA Championships
take place in two weeks. Bowman i
that Tarwater will have a great meet at
to label himself as one of the nation'
swimmers.
"My goal for him at NCAAs is for hi
a meet where he does all personal b
and where he feels like he has truly m
all of his training," Bowman said. "I
has a chance to make the World Char
team and the next Olympics, and I t
championship meet will help him do1
While Tarwater has those same
has one other goal in mind.
"Since I began swimming here at A
I've always wanted an NCAA Cham
title," Tarwater said. "Bowman has]
a place where I can do that, so I am
make a run this year."
and give our defense support. It's going to be a col-;
lective team defensive effort."
Michigan and Notre Dame had plenty of chances to;
become familiar with each other over the course of the
regular season. The Wolverines swept an early-Decem-
ber home-and-home series with 6-1 and 8-0 wins. Just
three weeks ago, Michigan racked up an impressive 9-21
win on neutral ice in Fort Wayne, Ind. before return-
ing to Ann Arbor for a more evenly played 6-3 victory
over the Irish the following night. With so many head-l
to-head matchups under each squad's belt, the teams
WILDCATS
tle Continued from page9
to tie the game after he missed the front
a one-and-one free-throw situation. But
e actually more Dion Harris could not convert forl
e wants to gan, missing the first of his two free thr
ng. He has the Wolverines' ensuing possession.
rram." "I was really confident when I came
difficult the free throw line," Harris said. "I t
ieves that that first one was good, but it came up s
program Trailing 55-54 with 9.9 seconds left
e has had game, Michigan found another wayt
its chances of catching the Wildcats.(
a my body inbounds play after Harris's second free
sted and it Parker snuck behind Michigan's def
received the pass around midcourt and st
t the Big toward the basket. Senior Dani Wohl wa
e won the ing Parker and attempted to foul him
r in a row layup, sending Parker to the ground. Wo
ining and immediately called for an intentional fo
s that will "I was just trying to slap his arm an
s hopeful sure he didn't make the shot," Woh
nd be able "Obviously, I wasn't trying to hurt the
s premier didn't want him to make the shot."
Parker converted one of his two freet
im to have to boost Northwestern's lead to two poi
)est times then hit two more free throws to ice the
aximized Parker finished with 15 points, 11 of
I think he came in the second half and helped the
npionship cats overcome a six-point halftime defic
think this "We just fell short," junior tri-captai
that." ham Brown said. "You got to give (Nor
hopes, he ern) credit. They got a 10-point lead oni
fought hard and got back and did whate
Michigan, could to get a victory here, but they capi
pionships on it."
put me in Yesterday's major swing came m
going to through the second half. A layup by
spurred a 12-0 run by Northwesterni
will be hard-pressed to create surprises or throw new
wrinkles into game plans for a competitive edge.
"(Notre Dame) knows exactly what we do - how
we like to (play) on our power play, penalty killing,
how we forecheck," senior forward Milan Gajic said.
"But then, it's playoff time. When you get to the play-
offs, everyone seizes up. It gets pretty tight. You have
to pull some things out of your hat, and it won't be any
different this week."
Nystrom is confident that Michigan has plenty of play-
ers on its roster who are capable of rising to the occasion
in the postseason. He also recognizes that playoff heroes
can be unexpected contributors whose regular-season
performances may have gone unnoticed.
"Whether you had your best season or your worst
season, it doesn't matter, because you could be the dif-
ference-maker in the playoffs," Nystrom said. "It could
be anybody any different night. It's amazing how some
guys just thrive on playing in the big games, and I think
we have some guys here who can really step up and play
great hockey."
Regardless of the weekend's outcome, one thing
remains clear: The upcoming games will be Mich-
igan's toughest tests of the season to this point. The
team recognizes that, from here on out, every game is
a must-win.
"(Regular season) games don't mean anything now,"
Berenson said. "They're really like exhibition games
compared to the games that count now."
under threesminutes, putting the Wolverines
on their heels.
"You can't give up a run like that," sopho-
end of more Brent Petway said. "We were in the lead,
sopho- we had control of the game and, the next thing
Michi- you know, they go on a 12-0 run like that. It's
ows on disheartening."
Michigan turned the ball over on three con-
e up to secutive possessions during that stretch, due
hought in part to Northwestern coach Bill Carmody's
hort." decision to press the Wolverines' ballhan-
in the dlers. Michigan had 19 turnovers in the losing
to kill effort.
On the "We had a lot of turnovers," Brown said. "I
throw, think I had quite a few myself. That's really
enders, hurtful to our team. We can't have those turn-
reaked overs and expect to win."
as trail- The Wolverines did manage a small come-
on the back in the final minutes of the game. Sopho-
hl was more Courtney Sims scored 12 points in the
)ul. final 12 minutes, anchoring Michigan's rally.
d make The center scored a career-high 25 points
i1 said. after posting a goose egg in Saturday's loss
kid. I to Iowa.
"I knew I had to come out and bring a lot of
throws energy to our team," Sims said. "I don't think I
nts. He did that last game, and that's what the problem
game. was."
which Yesterday's loss pushes Michigan's Big Ten
Wild- Tournament record to 3-7. Its 18 losses are also
cit. the most since the 2001-02 season, Amaker's
in Gra- first at Michigan.
thwest- "For me, personally, sometimes you need
us. We to take a step away and let things sink in and
,ver we enjoy things, and then you try and map out a
talized new plan," Amaker said. "You try to figure out
things of where we want to go and how we're
nidway going to get there. I like the nucleus of the kids
Parker we have, and I like the kids that we have com-
in just ing in."
a
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