4B - Monday, January 8, 2007

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Subs
pick up
starters
slack
By DAN FELDMAN
Daily Sports Writer
Two players who would've
seemed like big contributors for
the Wolverines yesterday didn't
log many minutes.
Michigan
center Krista NOTEBOOK
Phillips was
a dominat-
ing presence at the beginning of
yesterday's game. In the first eight
minutes of play, she scored three
points, grabbed six rebounds (two
offensive), blocked a shot and
recorded a steal. Although Phillips
shot just 1-of-4, she got inside and
took quality shots.
But after missing consecutive
layups, Phillips committed a frus-
tration foul on the rebounder, the
Penn State's Kamela Gissendan-
ner. It was Phillips's third foul,
and she sat for the rest of the half.
But the Wolverines didn't miss a
beat, and outscoring Penn State
19-14 until the break.
"I know (junior) Ta'Shia (Walk-
er) is going to go in there and do
a great job on the offensive end,"
senior forward Kelly Helvey said.
"And she did a really great job in
post defense. And Carly played a
heck of a game as well. If one goes
down, we've got an army on the
bench."
Phillips started the second half
and scored in the post for Michi-
gan's first points of the period. But
on the next Wolverine possession,
she picked up an offensive foul and
sat the rest of the half, save for a
30-second stint with just mbre
than five minutes to go.
But even in that limited action,
she made her presence felt, getting
a steal and hitting a free throw
after being fouled while getting an
offensive rebound.
Junior guard Janelle Cooper,
who didn't start for the first time
in 40 games, played even less than
Phillips's 11 minutes. Michigan's
leading scorer played just two
minutes in the middle of the sec-
ond half, missed her only shot (a
3-pointer) and traveled while try-

0

EMMANOLAN-ABRAHAMIAN/Daily
Freshman Krista Phillips was limited by foul trouble, but contributed when possible.


AP PHOTO
Forward Andrew Cogliano's only goal in the IIHF World Junior Champioships helped Canada defeat Russia in the gold-medal game.
Coglianos goal helps
Canaa grab gl

ing to catch a fast-break pass from
Helvey.
GRITTY: Sophomore forward
Carly Benson didn't have her best
shooting outing; she was just 3-
for-13 from the floor and 1-for-5 on
3-pointers. But she still turned in a
positive performance.
Benson led the team in minutes
(38) and rebounds (nine) and was a
big factor on the defensive end.
"I thought Carly Benson gut-
ted her way though a whole lot of
minutes," Michigan coach Cheryl
Burnett said. "She played a tre-
mendous what we call a 'help-side'
ball game. If anybody was dribble
penetrating the rim or any post
was catching, Carly was there.
She was guarding the paint for us,
regardless of what was going on."
In the later stages of the first
half, sophomore forward Melinda
Queen was an active body and
seemed to be playing faster than
the rest of the players on the
court.
With 2:38 remaining, Queen
converted an old-fashioned 3-
point play, putting in a Michigan
miss.
On the next Wolverine pos-
session, she ran in untouched to
cleanly lay back in another Michi-
gan miss.
Six seconds later, she took a
charge on the defensive end.
"I always like to call Melinda a
hustler," Walker said. "But-Melin-

da, hey, that's her game, and it
shouldn't be a surprise that she
had all those great plays because
that's her game. She's the best at
it. That's why she was recruited
here."
Queen even took care of the
small stuff while not in action on
the court. During a stoppage with
22 seconds remaining in the half,
she was out in the middle of the
courtwiping up a spot of blood.
HARD KNOCKS: The victory
came against a traditional wom-
en's basketball power that has
fallen on tough times. Last season,
Penn State had a losing record, its
first since 1973 and just its third
in program history. Sitting at 8-9,
the fourth could be on its way this
year.
Untillastseason, theLadyLions
had made seven straight NCAA
tournaments, including the Final
Four in 2000.
Michigan had not beaten Penn
State since 2001.
And the Lady Lions have had
trouble off the court, too.
Starting guard Adrienne Squire
left the team just more than a
week ago. She had been averaging
almost 12 points per game.
Penn State has also faced con-
tinuing controversy about coach
Rene Portland allegedly discrimi-
nating against a former player on
the basis of sexual orientation and
race.

0

Jack Johnson may have lit the
lamp more than his Michigan
teammate Andrew Cogliano at the
IIHF World Junior Champion-
ships, but goals don't equal gold.
Cogliano scored just one goal
in the tournament, but it was the
first goal in Canada's 4-2 win over
Russia in the gold-medal game.
Johnson scored three times and
the Americans won bronze, but it
all could've been different had a
shootout gone the other way.
In arguably the tournament's
most exciting game, the North
American neighbors met in a
semifinal matchup. Though Can-
ada easily dispatched the United
States 6-3, during pool play, this
win was not to come so easily. The
game went to a shootout, with the
winner earning a chance to play

for the gold medal.
Both Michigan players shone
brightest in the intensity of the
shootout.
Cogliano scored for Canada in
the shootout's sixth round. Twice,
Johnson was in the pressure posi-
tion of scoring or losing the game,
and both times he lit the lamp.
But in the end, the United States
couldn't keep up, and Canada won
the game after seven shootout
rounds when goalie Carey Price
stopped Peter Mueller's attempt.
Canada beat Russia, 4-2, in the
gold-medal game. It's the third-
straight gold medal for Canada.
The United States faced Swe-
den again in the bronze-medal
game. Even though the game was
played in front of Sweden's home
crowd, the Americans pulled out a

2-1 win.
It's the fifth time the United
States has medaled in the compe-
tition, and the first since 2004.
For the tournament, Johnson
had a 3-0-3 line and a plus-one
rating. Cogliano's line was 1-2-
3, and he went plus-three for the
tournament.
NATE SANDALS
EXCITED FOR
FOOTBALL SEASON
TO FINALLY BE
OVER? SO ARE WE.
DAILY SPORTS.


LADY LIONS
From page 1B
we kept our trainer Mark busy. I
think he was just trying to get some
floor time."
After struggling to dribble-pen-
etrate consistently throughout the
season, Michigan (1-3 Big Ten, 8-
9 overall) stormed to the basket
all afternoon, drawing a slue of
Lady Lion fouls. Freshman Kalyn
McPherson setthe tone for the Wol-
verines' aggressiveness.
In her first career start, McPher-
son found a comfort level that had
escaped her earlier in the season.
Even though McPherson struggled
to finish to the basket (just 2-for-
10 from the field), the Traverse
City native found lanes in the Penn
State defense almost every time she
touched the ball.
McPherson's added offensive
threat seemed to loosen the Wol-

verines' offense, and they executed
more effectively than most games
this season.
The Wolverines slowed the
game's pace down and found easy
passes when Penn State's defense
broke down. Junior Ta'Shia Walk-
er came off the bench to provide a
spark in the post, finding ways to
get open inside throughout the sec-
ond half.
"We worked a lot in practice on
screening and trying to get people
open, and it just so happened that I
got open a lot of times," Walker said.
"Other people got open, too, and just
hit shots, and that's what we need to
do to win ball games."
The offensive gameplan looked
smooth, but open shots weren't
always falling. Even though the
Wolverines shot an underwhelming'
30.4 percent from the field, Michi-
gan's stout defense made up for its
shooting woes.
"A lot of times (the Lady Lions)

don't like pressure," Helvey said.
"They don't like physical contact.
We're aphysicalteam, andifwejust
keep in people's britches, we'll win
games."
The Wolverines proved their
aggressiveness early on, forcing
tough shots on Penn State's first
four attempts. Michigancreditedits
defensive effort to extensive prac-
tice in post defense. The Wolverines
also boxed out well. The Lady Lions
(1-3, 8-9) had just three second-
chance points the entire game.
"We just had some blue collar,
good work going on out there," Bur-
nett said. "We defended well early,
and that hasn't always been the
case. When you defend well, you
gain a lot of confidence."
Although it must be a huge relief
to have that weight-lifted from their
shoulders, the Wolverines won't
admitto it.
"We alwaysgo out to winthenext
ball game," Burnett said. "That's it."

I
6


PRIDE tinue to get better," Tan-
From page 1B nenbaum said. "After
Central Michigan, we
were just kind of flat. But
we were in agood position now we've had some real-
to win. But again, those ly good practices, and we
guys came back strong came out strong today."
after the intermission and Said Todd: "I think that
fought their way back into one big thing was the rest
meter dash, the match." we were able to get over
urdles, long Despite its collapse Christmasbreak.Wewere
200-meter after the intermission, the able to getthe momentum
Michigan wrestling team going after Christmas,
'track event was still able to come and that's been really
the Wolver- away knowing it wrestled good for us. As a team,
not emerge much better than it had our bodies are healthier,
as the 400- in its last match - a loss and we definitely had
h. Michigan to Central Michigan a more snap today. We're
ur of the five month ago. hoping to keep improving
at the meet. "I think we'll just con- on that."
Whet vour appetite...ln a three-session exploration.
offers a modern, Rte swish perspective on
living intoda licatedworld.
Classs are held at Temle *tlKtb in
ltla anvit ebrary
Open t eginner, Je s rNoL
Conta .e at- ii e ter. et org
or 134-66-474t egister.
Co-sponsored by tb trio for:Reform Judaism
William and Lottie Daniel Commissi o Outreach and Synagogue Comomnity

I

Double your MCAT* Prep - for free!
up to a $1,749 value
Not sure which of the 19 MCAT dates is right for you?
Enroll in an MCAT course in January and prepare for
any 2007 test date. You'll have unlimited access to online
resources and can take a second course - FREE!?
Enroll by January 31st! Mt4, C
1-800-KAP-TEST I kaptest.com/mcat ThO*yec0
6MCA0026* MCAT is registered trademark of the Association of American Medical Colleges.t Must enroll in an MCAt Classroom, Class +5, or Online
Course, Or 15-, 25-, Or 35-hour tutoring program between January 1 and January 31, 2007 in the United States, Puerto Rico, or Canada. Tutoring students
may repeatthe classroom course only. Cannot be combined with any other offer, rebate, discount, or promotion. ** Conditions and restrictionsapply.
For complete guarantee eligibility requirements, visit kaptest.comhsg.
KAPLAN STUDENTS RECEIVE UNLIMITED ACCESS T ALL 8 AAM EXAMS.

4

i