The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 9
' loose heading
into rivalry game
By SCOTT BELL Even Michigan coach Lloyd Carr
Daily Sports Editor joined in on the fun. When asked
about Dantonio's clock, he had a
If the pressure of a rivalry game reply similar to that of his players'.
is supposed to seep through, the "I think the only clock I'm con-
Michigan football team sure isn't cerned with is mine," Carr said.
showing it. The laughs weren't just at the
Five players faced questions expense of Spartans, though.
abouttheMichigan-MichiganState Senior defensive tackle Will
rivalry during the Johnson was pinpointed by all of
team's weekly NOTEBOOK his teammates as the person who
press conference most resembles the Paul Bunyan
yesterday, and all of them appeared Trophy.
more relaxed than usual. "It just looks like Will," senior
One-by-one, nearly every player wide receiver Adrian Arrington
had witty things to say both about said of the trophy. "We've been say-
MarkDantonio'sMichigan-focused ing that since we were freshmen.
clock and about the prize the two He doesn't think so, though."
intrastate rivals are competing for Carr came tohis player's defense,
- the Paul Bunyan Trophy. though.
When Dantonio was hired as "Will doesn't have a beard and
Michigan State's new coach fol- Paul Bunyan does," Carr said.
lowing John L. Smith's firing, one "Besides, Will's a lot tougher than
of the first things he did was put up Paul Bunyan. Smarter, too."
a clock that counted down the days One question later, the coach
to the Michigan-Michigan State jokingly backtracked from his
game for his players. Many com- statement.
pared this to what Ohio State coach "I shouldn't be saying all that.
Jim Tressel did 'when he took over I didn't know Paul Bunyan," Carr
the Buckeye program. said.
Don't expect Michigan players STRIKE A POSE?: When areport-
to line up for motivational tips from er asked All-American offensive
Dantonio just yet. lineman Jake Long about the possi-
"You can say it's weird, that's bility of him winning the Heisman
cool. We know when the game is Trophy, Long brushed off the mere
,though, so that's fine," junior cor- thought of it being anything close
nerback Morgan Trent said. to reality.
Most of Trent's teammates had "It's a skill-position trophy,"
similar things to say about the Long said of the Heisman. "Line-
clock, saying they don't need any men don't get recognition for a
extra motivation for this weekend's reason, I think. I don't think I've
game. done quite enough to be put in that
category."
His teammate, Mike Hart, was a
Heisman frontrunner before going
down with an ankle injury two
weeks ago.
Carr has a policy of usually not
commenting on individual players
and potential accolades for them.
But even though he didn't openly
endorse a Long for Heisman cam-
paign, the coach did give his two-
year captain quite an endorsement.
"I'll say this about Jake Long,
any discussion of the best football
players in this country, if it doesn't
include Jake Long, then I think
there's something missing from
that discussion," Carr said.
DEPTH CHART UPDATE: Both
Mike Hart and Chad Henne were
listed as starters on this week's
depth chart. That's good news for
Michigan fans, but it also shouldn't
be taken as the gospel truth - both
were listed as the starters last
week, too.
Carr gave his typical guarded
response when asked about the two
stars' status for the weekend.
"I have said from day one that
the nature is that daily they're get-
ting better," Carr said. "So every-
thing I say is interpreted one way
or the other, so I feel like it's better
I don't say anything. I think they're
both much better than they were,
and yet until we get on that practice
field this week, I can't tell you."
Hart told The Michigan Daily
after Saturday's game he would
play this weekend in East Lan-
sing.
Junior Adrian Arrington jo
it defensive tackle Will John!
oprty yesterday.
Streak snapped, but Big Tens loom Sauer shines in
By RYAN A. PODGES
For the Daily
After tearing through 11 straight
wins, the Michigan field hockey
team finally stumbled this week-
end, suffering its first loss to an
unranked opponent all year.
The Wolverines finished its
regular season Sunday by beating
Stanford, but not before losing to
California Saturday..
No. 4 Michigan (14-5) played
back-to-back games in California
and suffered its first shutout loss,
losing 1-0 to the Golden Bears. Just
one day later, the Wolverines came
back from the setback by defeating
Stanford (9-7-1) in a 6-0 shutout.
Last week, Michigan clinched
the Big Ten Championship outright
when it completed its perfect 6-0
conference playby defeating North-
western. Before Saturday, Michi-
gan had won 11 straight games. Its
last loss came on Sept. 9 against No.
3 Connecticut.
Although California was
unranked, Michigan coach Nancy
Cox called the Golden Bears (10-5)
a "formidable opponent" and said
the Wolverines' performances over
the weekend were different from
each other.
"We had a lot of quality oppor-
tunities, but we were never quite
able to finishup whatwe had to do,"
Cox said. "We had difficulty get-
ting going in the first 20 minutes
of the first half of Saturday's game,
and in the second half, we turned
the match around, but we had dif-
ficulty setting up a goal. Sunday, we
got much better, but these games
just showed the difference of a full
effort for 70 minutes."
Michigan's top performers dur- about character and her charac-
ing Sunday's shutout game were ter has always been all about the
senior co-captains Lucia Belassi team from the time she came in as
and Kristen Tiner and sophomore a freshman to her time as a team
Kelly Fitzpatrick. captain."
Belassi and Tiner each tallied With its regular season now
goals. Fitzpatrick had two goals complete, the team will begin the
and two shots on goal. Fitzpatrick Big Ten Tournament this Friday in
also scored the game-winning goals Columbus. The top-seeded Wolver-
against Central Michigan in over- ines were granted a first-round bye
time and against Northwestern to and will play against the winner of
help the team earn the outright Big ' the Penn State-Ohio State match
Ten title. Friday.
"Kelly has been finishing more For much of the season, Michi-
opportunities and getting stronger gan has tried to approach games
with every game," Cox said. with an underdog attitude, but that
Belassi's contributions this sea- attitude will not work this week-
son and over her entire career can't end.
be understated. She has now played "The California game taught us
in 84 games and made 49 consecu- that your reputation doesn't win
tive starts for Michigan. you games, and we have to remem-
"She is a warrior on and off the ber that for the tournament," Fitz-
field," Cox said. "Our program is patrick said.
Phillips could be the key to Blue's revival
By ALEX PROSPERI
Daily Sports Writer
At 6-foot-6, Krista Phillips is
taller than more than half the
men's basketball team, a rarity for
a female hoops player.
The sophomore center used her
height along with her talent to lead
all Wolverine freshmen in games
played (29), points (8.0), rebounds
(4.3) and blocks (37) last season.
Michigan's new coach Kevin
Borseth, who likes to push the
ball up the court, needs Phillips to
complement her low-post game by
becoming more of a presence on
the fast break.
"Obviously, her ability to run
the floor and become more ath-
letic is going to be very critical as
she moves forward," Borseth said
at Michigan Media Day.
This off-season, the addition
of Borseth and four new assis-
tants gave the Michigan women's
basketball program a fresh start
- one it needed desperately after
four straight losing seasons under
former coach Cheryl Burnett.
Borseth's enthusiasm and lively
spirit should bring new energy to
a program that needs a positive
season. But some of that respon-
9ibility also rests in the hands of
Phillips.
There's no time to waste, though
- last year's team finished with a
10-20 overall record and was just
3-13 in Big Ten play. Luckily for
Phillips, Borseth understands the
importance of her progression and
the need for patience.
"I don't think we can drop the
whole boat on her shoulders and
say 'Ok, you go do it,"' Borseth
said. "I don't know that Krigta, at
this point, is capable of doing that.
But at some point in the coming
years, I think she is going to have
to be, and I think she's capable of
doing that."
Borseth's style of play features a
lot of shooting, and he de-empha-
sizes vigorous time trials or weight
room tests that others do to focus
his team's attention toward on-
the-court work.
"We've put a lot of time in shoot-
ingthe basketball, and we've asked
them to spend time on their own
(shooting) - a significant amount
of time, with numbers, to try and
make shots," Borseth said. "That's
probably the biggest thing that's
going to be a challenge for them."
Phillips should play heavier
minutes this season, and combined
with an emphasis on shooting, she
should be more productive in the
assist category after recording just
10 last season.
And this season, Phillips won't
have to worry about the naggingM
cartilage injury that plagued her
last year. She underwent surgery
over the summer to fix the prob-
lem in her knee.
With five returningstarters and
four seniors on the roster, the Wol-
verines have plenty of experience,
but ultimately, Phillips is the key
to this team's success.
"Our last coaches thought this
was the season," Phillips said.
"And our new coaches think this
is going to be the season, so we're
going to go with it."
the early stages
of season
By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK that allowed Michigan to keep the
DailySports Writer momentum and two-goal lead.
And Sauer's only glaring mis-
Billy Sauer has been often criti- take of the weekend happened
cized for being inconsistent. after the Wolverines had already
But this weekend, he consis- established their dominance.
tently made About a minute and a half into
big saves the second period, Michigan was
against Bos- shorthanded, and Sauer left the
ton Univer- crease to chase the puck behind
sity. the net. He sprawled out, trying
Sauer had to trap the puck, and Boston Uni-
a -3.31 goals versity forward Jason Lawrence
against aver- drilled a shot on a nearly empty
age while f net to tally the team's first goal of
allowing 19 SAUER the game. Sauer was still on the
goals during ice.
last year's 4-2 start. Going into But the goal didn't matter. our
this weekend's first home series, minutes later, Sauer was credited
Sauer had a 2.73 goals against with an assist on freshman Carl
average. After allowing just two Hagelin's quick wrist shot off a
goals per game both nights, his breakaway that made it 3-1, and
numbers are markedly better than three unanswered Michigan goals
at this time last year. in the first part of the third period
Statistics aside, Sauer has gave Sauer more security than in
looked calmer and more in control the weekend's first game.
of his game. He's stuck with the After Saturday's game, Bos-
puck and rarely looked confused ton University coach Jack Parker
on the ice - and his steadiness focused more on his team's inad-
this season has been necessary equacies than Sauer's strong per-
with a defense composed almost formance this weekend.
entirely of freshmen. "I thought he played very well
On Friday, Boston University's (Friday) night, and he didn't have
quick start and Michigan's slug- anything to worry about (Sat-
gishness meant the responsibility urday)," Parker said. "We had a
fell on Sauer to keep the Wolver- couple of opportunities, but in
ines in the game. Sauer successful- general, that game should've been
ly handled the Terriers'barrage of 8-1,10-1."
shots in the first period by adjust- And following this week-
ing quickly. Six minutes into the end's strong performance, Sauer
game, he fell as he blocked a Bos- didn't see much that he'll need to
ton University shot but still made improve before next weekend's
another save on the rebound. The games at Nebraska-Omaha.
score was 0-0 after one, despite "Just trying to make things a
the Terriers dominating the shots little bit simpler, just kind of read-
column 15-6inthe first period and ing plays a little better," Sauer
23-7 after 25 nminutes of play. said. "Ins battling well and n'm
His performance was good seeing the puck well. I jst kind
enough for the student section to of have to see a few more options
start the "Billy Sauer" chant after that I'm not really seeing right
just a little more than 20 minutes now, but that's it."
of playing at Yost Ice Arena this Sauer also allowed four goals
season. against in last weekend's two
"If Billy hadn't had a much bet- games against Northern Michi-
ter than average game, then we gan - one on Friday and three
wouldn't be talking about a vic- on Saturday - but Berenson said
tory," Berenson said Friday. "The Sauer responded better to this
whole game would have taken a weekend's faster pace and having
different direction. He was the to make more saves in back-to-
difference." back games.
Michigan's two early goals in "It was like the first period in
Saturday's game meant Sauer was (Friday's game) was really the
under less initial pressure to per- turning point in his weekend,"
form flawlessly. Sauer said his best Berenson said. "He was rock solid.
save of the weekend was when he ... He made a couple mistakes that
denied a Boston one-tinser in the cost us, but he's given the team a
first period immediately follow- lot of confidence in the last two
ing.Michigan's two goals, a stop weeks."
El ' E I
Jung does double duty in 'breakthrough' weekend
By NICOLE AUERBACH
Daily Sports Writer
He's not the biggest guy on the
tennis court, but Michigan fresh-
man Jason Jung sure had a large
presence there two weekends ago.
The 5-foot-10 Torrance, Calif,
native played big, winning seven
total matches between singles and
doubles play at the Wilson/ITA
Midwest Regional Championships
at the University of Minnesota
Jung paired up with sophomore
teammate Mike Sroczynski to win
five straight doubles matches and
reach the tournament final.
Jung and Sroczynski lost to
the No. 7 Ohio State duo of Drew
Eberly Justin Kronauge 8-5 in the
championship.
But the weekend was a break-
through tournament for Jung. He
found a compatible doubles partner
in Sroczynski. And more signifi-
cantly, he went deep into the tour-
nament in both singles and doubles
against some of the best competi-
tion in the nation.
Jung also earned his first col-
legiate singles victory in his first-
round win over DePaul's Austin
Doerner 6-3, 7-6(6). Jung followed
it up with a convincing win over
Northern Illinois' Alex Friesen 6-
3,6-4.
In the round of 16, Jung lost to
No. 6 Ohio State's Bryan Koniecko.
Koniecko won the first set quickly,
6-1, but Jung bounced back in the
second set.
After a back-and-forth battle
forced a tiebreaker, Koniecko
squeaked out the win with a 7-3
advantage. Jung never gave up, a
quality which impressed his coach.
"Jason is playing a lot better
now than he was a few weeks ago,"
Michigan coach Bruce Berque
said.
Three weeks ago, Jung played
singles in the All-American Cham-
pionships in Oklahoma but was
knocked out in the first round. He's
worked hard to prepare himself for
tougher opponents.
"The level of competition in col-
lege is definitely higher," Jung said.
"It's a big step up from Juniors.
Most of the guys playing are a lot
bigger and stronger, so you have to
compensate for that."
Jung plans to get stronger and
put on some weight over the course
of the season to add even more
power to his strokes.
With a long, promising season
ahead, Jung has set high goals for
himself.
The freshman is currently
ranked No. 124 in the nation.
"I want to earn a high individual
ranking, maybe in' the top 20 or
higher," Jung said.
Improvingeachweek, Junglooks
to have an impressive first year.