The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Friday, December 7, 2007 - 9 The Michigan volleyball team is in search of its first victory over Penn State in the program's history. A win would put the Wolverines in the Elite 8, and extend their longest run in their history. Blue looks for upset in Sweet 16 By RUTH LINCOLN Daily Sports Writer Seven banners hang on the wall of Cliff Keen Arena celebrating the Michigan vol- leyball team's NCAA Tournament appear- ances. But when this season's banner is raised, it will be different from all the others. Rather than commemorating a first- or sec- ond-round exit, this season's banner, at the very least, will mark an accomplishment no Michigan volleyball team has ever achieved before - an appearance in the Sweet 16. Not only does tonight's match against No. 1 Penn State mark the Wolverines' first ever NCAA Sweet 16 showing, but it could be the first time they walk off the court in State College victorious. Michigan has been unsuccessful there in each of its 16 tries. The Nittany Lions (20- 0 Big Ten, 30-2 overall) proved the nation's volleyball powerhouse this season. Sitting comfortably at No. 1 since Oct. 29, Penn State boasts five hitters taller than 6-foot- 2 and four players on the 12-member AVCA First Team All-Mideast Region. "I think what's most important for us is just going in there believing that we can win and playing as hard as we possibly can and good things will happen," senior co- captain Lyndsay Miller said. Michigan (10-10, 24-10) enters the Sweet 16 fresh off its 3-0 NCAA second-round upset of No. 21 Colorado State. Saturday's victory was the Wolverines' first over a ranked opponent since their season opener over then-No. 10 Hawaii in late August. Instead of celebrating the unexpected sweep, Michigan quickly switched its mindset to the next round of the tourna- ment. "It was really quick, literally seconds, from when we went in the locker room. You could feel the shift from excitement to anticipation of what's next," Michigan coach Mark Rosen said. "That's something I'm really proud of because it would be easy for them to shut down now and enjoy the process." Michigan has played its bestvolleyball of late. Winning seven of its last 10 games, the team has overcome a mid-season lapse in which it went 4-7 and showcased the win- ning skill and determination that allowed it get off toa 13-0 start. "We've finished strong," Rosen said. "That's something we talk about all the time within our program, players as well as the coaches, about the sign of a good team - a team that is playing their best volleyball at the end of the year, not the beginning. They don't want to stop play- ing, and I certainly don't want to stop coaching them." 'M' has revenge on its mind By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK Daily Sports Writer As they watched former Bowl- ing Green forward Rich Meloche climb the glass in celebration of his team's 5-3 home win, the 2005-06 Wolverine squad probably thought they were just witnessing a one- time fluke against a bad team. But last year, it happened again - the then-6-23-1 Falcons upset Michi- gan, 3-2, on Bowling Green's home ice. Bowling Green is no longer a bottom-feeder this season. And now, the Wolverines say they're ready. "We'll have more respect for them," Michigan coach Red Beren- son said. "That's always a tough challenge for the coaches. How do you respect the last-place team? How do you be really focused to play your hardest and your best when you don't think the opponent is any good? "That's kind of what I think may have happened in the last few years. Maybe some of our players thought they were a lot better than Bowling Green. ... I don't think we'll have this problem this year." No. 3 Michigan (9-1 CCHA, 14-2 overall) will play the 18th-ranked Falcons (5-3, 8-4) at Bowling Green Friday before returning to Yost to close the series Saturday. To come away with a series win, Michigan's penalty-killing unit will need to shut down the Falcons' potent power play. Bowling Green has scored an impressive 20 of its 40 goals this season with the man advantage. Last weekend, the Fal- cons converted 50 percent of their power-play chances against Wayne State. Since the Wolverines conceded five power-play goals to North Dakota in their season-ending 8-5 NCAA loss last season - a penalty- killing showing Berenson called an "embarrassment" - Michigan has put a greater emphasis on assem- bling this season's penalty-killing unit. Berenson said he looks for play- For Wolverines, it's good to be home again By ALEX PROSPERI to improve on in its three games Daily Sports Writer before the Big Ten season begins, Borseth didn't hold much back. After giving up 59 points in its "There's so many things that we last two road games, it's hard to lack," Borseth said. "There (are) blame the Michigan women's bas- so many areas of concern that we ketball team for being happy to have, that to point out any one in come home. particular is really difficult. But Michigan (4-3) returns to Crisler just sense of urgency in everything Arena tomorrow to face Kentucky that we do, offensively getting to after a six-game road trip. It has the rim and defensively getting the been nearly a month since the Wol- shooters." verines last played a game in Ann Kentucky doesn't have the cre- Arbor. dentials of the Aggies or Irish, but "It feels so good," senior Krista it doesn't lack talent by any means. Clement said. "It's going to be fun The Wildcats (3-3) have two to play in Crisler, but more impor- second-team All-SEC selections tantly, we've all been complaining from last year in guard Samantha a little bit about our school. We've Mahoney and center Sarah Elliott. just been on the road. It just wears Mahoney averages 17.3 points per on you." game and has hit the 20-point The wear and tear of a six-game mark twice this season. Sopho- road trip that spanned five states more Krista Phillips is the lone was visible in the Wolverines' past Wolverine to score 20 points in a two games. game this season. No. 12 Texas A&M and No. 16 Elliott averages 12.6 points per Notre Dame outplayed Michigan game and 7.3 rebounds per contest. and brought out the Wolverines' More important, the senior has weaknesses. 15 blocks, compared to the entire The Wolverines shot a dismal 29 Michigan team, which has just 19. percent from the field in those two And when Elliott and Phillips lopsided defeats. Michigan was are in the paint, there won't be a outrebounded and committed 24 shortage of height. Both centers more turnovers than the opposi- are 6-foot-6. Tomorrow will mark tion, too. one of the few times Phillips goes "There were some bright spots against an opponent of the same against Texas A&M," Michigan size. coach Kevin Borseth said. "We just Even after a tough loss to the didn't play very well (against Notre Irish, Clement liked what she Dame) on either side of the basket- saw at the end of the Notre Dame ball, and that was real dishearten- game. ing." "More than anything, we just Although the game is tomorrow, started to play together better," Borseth is more focused on his Clement said. "Toward the end of team than the Wildcats. the game, rather than just giving "This has got more to do with up, we really came together and us," Borseth said. "Granted the kind of said, 'The last six minutes competition we have, we need to we're going to try to win.' And prepare for it because they are I think that meant a lot to our very good, but we seem to be in our team." own way. At this point, right now, It may have been a sentimen- we really haven't found our iden- tal win for the Wolverines, but a tity and we're working at trying to return home means it's time for work out all the kinks." something more than moral vic- Asked what his team needed tories. Michigan coach Red Berenson doesn't think the Wolverines will overlook Bowling Green this year ers with sharp defensive responsi- bility, awareness and anticipation. "(Freshman Matt) Rust knows where the puck's going, and you'll see him anticipate where the puck's going, so he has good defensive anticipation, whereas other play- ers are more herky-jerky," Beren- son said. "(Senior Chad) Kolarik is smart. He's in position, he's got a smart stick, he knows where the play's going, so he gets by on his smarts." The unit has allowed 10 goals in 88 power plays, but it has let in just two goals in the past four games. Though the penalty-killing unit has evolved, its performance this weekend will indicate how much Michigan has actually improved since last year. "We really haven't changed (the penalty-killing unit) that much (since last weekend)," Rust said. "Coach just emphasizes that they scored half their goals onthe power play, and they have a better power- play percentage than we do. It's going to be a deciding factor, espe- cially in this weekend's games." Michigan also hopes to boost its offensive production this weekend by moving defenseman Chris Sum- mers to forward. Scoring hasn't usually been a problem for the Wolverines, but they couldn't score until late in last Friday's 3-2 loss to Ohio State. "I think we'll just have to stick to our game plan," junior Tim Miller said. "Last Friday, we came out strong, but we didn't get our bounces, we hit a bunch of goal posts, so we got a little frustrated." Frustration seems to be the theme of the Wolverines' last few games on Bowling Green's home ice. In last year's 3-2 loss, Michigan gave up the game-winning goal with 35 seconds left in regulation. "It's amazing how that rink seems to bring out the best and worst in our team," Berenson said. "The last two years, we haven't done as well in there as we should have and we need to correct that. But this is a new team, and they're a new team. I don't think history has any bearing on what's going to happen this weekend."