8A - Wednesday, January 16, 2008

ndaily.com

ALL AROUN
Four-year captain leading Mich n

ALENT
rise season

By ALEX PROSPERI
Daily Sports Writer
Remember the kid in high school
who did everything?
Who was the class valedictorian,
student council president, honor
roll student and star of the basket-
ball team?
Michigan senior guard Krista
Clement was all those things and
more and at Michigan she's show-
cased her leadership skills as the
four-time captain of the women's
basketball team.
"She's really one of a kind, she
really is," Michigan coach Kevin
Borseth said. "She's someone that
everybody likes, is an overachiever
and a kid that gets it."
Added teammate Carly Benson:
"Krista's the reason I came to Mich-
igan. She's fun to be around, easy to
talk to, always encouraging, very
positive and really hardworking."
Clement is the first four-time
captain in program history and is
the ultimate coach's player - arriv-
ing first to practice and leaving last.
With her slight 5'9" frame, Clem-
ent's success on the court comes
from intelligence, hard work and
defensive effort.
Hailing from St. Ignace, a basket-
ball townofjust under 3,000 people
in the Upper Peninsula, Clement
comes off as quintessential go-get-
ter.
"Everything she paints, she
wants to be a masterpiece," Borseth
said. "She doesn't do anything half-
way. She does it all the way or she
doesn't do it at all."
Her success on the court has a lot
to do with the support she gets, par-
ticularly from her family. Clement's
parents have attended all but one of
her home games at Michigan, driv-
ing eight hours roundtrip to see her
play.
With a great foundation, it would
seem Clement had an easy road to
success. But that couldn't be farther
from the truth.
As a freshman and sophomore,
Clement played more than 20 min-
utes per game, while switching in
and out of the starting lineup. But
last year, the guard played just eight
minutes per game - giving her rea-
son to feel confused and discour-
aged, especially after being named
captain for the third straight sea-
son.
Still, she never stopped working.
"I put a lot of time in during
the summer," Clement said. "My

Pryo
No. 1rated '
also traveliit
Michigan was s
be the last school
visited before he
choice.
But yesterdai,
changed, when
Pryor informed
the recruiti i
website Rival
coii that heha It
rescheduled a
his Michiga
visit for thi.
weekend.
The nation's
top-ranked
prospect, accordinR
previousy scl d isf
visit for the ist e
ruary, the last p-i
ty before hea h i d
Feb. 6, Nati na Sii gDy,
first day reruits Ca i N
al Letters of;tn.
It's unc e wh e
moving his visi d
that the dualltr t
is more or less intes
ing for the Wolvri in re
weeks, most recit g
considered MIchii an
State Pryor's main pib
nations.
Michigan reemegd n
or's list of pottc in; s
Rich Rodrigucz Wi
to become Michg' w
coach.

S o tmany sources,
the first people
close circle
'yan s to learn the
s y hs taken just
S i to iio State in
: ivals, the Jean-
1,in is scheduled
the weekend
S igrs were not
P n r 's list until
," .or told Rivals.
k t SU offensive
) arvrowton, and I
It was saying. I
s y is high up as
S eI an just learn-
Sut I like what
Ssaout in changing
si that Pryor
sii t first week-
i F lklv to Florida
go, oi i has been
tf ona . Bi n his new
a, unIikely Pryor will
- f lsit to Penn State,
I d Philadelphia-area
a e irted last week.
: y allt's departure
S l program last
 wIld be a serious
the starting quar-
in x year's team.
v Thee, a transfer from
considered a
S i for the starting
,r 1 oits elsewhere.
N ATE SANDALS

e
0

Senior Krista Clement has led the Wolver
brother was here all this summier.
We worked out together cvery diy.
So that was maybe a little hit more
helpful than the other summers,
when I was by myself"
With Borseth's arrival, Clement
found herself with a great oppiii i-
nity. Unlike many coaches, BorssIh
didn't choose to playunderclassmiin
to build for the future. Instead, he
followed the philosophy of playing
veteran players.
"I've been really grateful for

Reducing penalties top prior

By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
Daily Sports Writer
- - --------- -
Michigan's domination of West-
ern Michigan in last weekend's
series may have looked easy on
paper, but it was bruising on the ice.
Senior Chad Kolarik and fresh-
man Max Pacioretty both left Fri-
day's game early after big Bronco
checks left them battered. Kolarik
came back Saturday to score four
goals, but Pacioretty was sidelined
for the second game.
The hits on the two first-liners
were typical of Western Michigan,
a team known for bullying its oppo-
nents and drawing rough penal-
ties. Their physical play didn't help
Michigan in its efforts to spend
fewer minutes in the box.
Michigan,thenation'ssixth-most
penalized team, has had a total of
59 more total penalty minutes than
their opponents. The statistics seem

to show it's played almost an entire
game of their 22 games played
shorthanded. But without factoring
inits combined seven10-minute and
game misconducts, which iufati
penalty minute statistics but don't
affect the number of men on the ice,
it's been shorthanded just six more
times than its opponents.
"I can't tell you that we're '
percent at fault, but we're defititely
part of the problem," Berenson said
"Sometimes, you play teams who
think they can run Michigan out of
the rink, and then when we statud !p,
we end up getting as many penalties
as they do."
WesternMichiganwasone ofthslt>:
teams. The Wolverines werei a I
box 13 times to the Broncos'12 am
had ahard time resisting cheap sis
Freshman Chad Langlais and isu i
Travis Turnbull both drew pensauu.
for roughing after the whistle.'
Langlais's penalty came in th

the i eni tan it nadalal last season.
said. "We've gone through a lot.
' w her (Winning) has been pretty nice for
aIll of Lis."
iis, Clement chose Michigan because
g p .4 she dreamed of winning a national
ner si-iutschampionship wearing the maize
and blue. Although Michigan has
hclia been a dreadful 31-71 record since
start in she arrived, Clement doesn't regret
5 iii vs are her college choice.
- I f ibst "Experience-wise, I'm just real-
ly grateful," Clement said. "I've
zg eent learned so much."
)r No.1 Michigan
y h - we re making sure guys stay clear of
S d th iri.os that," Summers said.
raed Whe' Laii 'fThough Michigan has been in
N M ichin fir- the box more than its opponents
r apirt this season, the team has actually
'ist Arna had fewer penalties than at this
sits" point last year. Through 22 games in
2006-07, the Wolverines had tallied
m vati fc atiost one more penalty per game
ii lty than they have this season.
But it's unfair to compare the two
e Iv afteiriywars' penalty statistics to decide
s i t whiich teaminwas more mature ortmore
ig ps. sicssive. WTheWolverines' time
w in the 1lox, much of which has come
plyingour from sticking up for their teammates,
1 r way can be credited to the team chemistry
that has accounted for their almost
sgmnthrunprecedented play to date.
vr w "Thare two different teams,"
sTe tu rniull sa id. "This team, this year,
i can only probably be described as a
tight-knit family. Last year, we were
ii real close, but we just didn't have
so that camaraderie."

a
adaptin r
ByDAN IE UMAN
Daily4't s s i
Senior guard Dvid Mn
was standing in the CI
tunnel doing a it w
day before last
month's UCLA
game when
junior Jevi isa
Shepherd
walked by.
"Guy's get-
ting big time," W
Shepherd said.
"Oilt ty gush "'he
Is it shackun
Merritt was git-
ting attention? TvRd/
He was leading R
the NAolverines
in points and
assists at the time -npai
The senior guard
the teats: lisi yiii i py
39 minutes for_ i-
before this '.-T ss's
igan game. In tt gi
gan coach John 1ilI
Merritt to spar 1
verines in the ir T
time Mccrit ii d
timewsatDkweMi
already rled i
"I was in ih I an
like 'David, Did "
"I was listeniigtwt,
saying, but I s
to calli e.i it
seconds to Peliz w
ily name."
Merrittpayd1 mi
against the Cipws nh
during svrlcuilmr
down thesrec1 s il
tied u succS'f_' t a
upset.
because av a
in here wit],n e11 at
said Beilei sli v
play at Illii B
overall) toniigi' is yd.
impresses sa m
team tha is
'You know whatIf hng

Senior David
Merritt made
Michigan
Sbasketball
team as a
alk-on in his
third attempt
last season.
Walk n Wolerin


ew vole
a us id understands
,erret Smith was
Sif t tesi for academic
a i'cL: Morris left the
1i per il reasons. With
is Merritt knew
aing tiieiwas likely to
a ed 27 minutes
use'., but took just
Ss dissted to his new
r ig high school,
s ficid native chose
mi usaship at Michi-
e 11 b hall scholarship
H ldahe. He tried
h nes his fresh-
d s spimrc years but
m ) Thoughts of
 Hilsdale crossed
Ic finally made the
p ar, he knew his
rotation players
 xli in practice, but
minimal.
s fr tt me some,"
od accept it.
p ys uver and over
aI'11 get my shot,"
isis best game
Saturday, set-
ighs inmnutes (23),
( b s (four) and
a ner the Wild-
d Wolverines
S ."elein said he
r ise his a local
uwat words -
S-11) haven't
y practice this
t toks sing R&B
 is known among
t s use of its best
(i ii" ore Ekpe
d", umment."
d ) i probably like
r n ain tonight.
lid senior Ron
is day-to-day

0


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