The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
January 28, 2008 - 3B
Falls spell defeat for Michigan
Strong invididual
performances not enough in
road loss to Oklahoma
By COLT ROSENSWEIG
Daily Sports Writer
NORMAN, Okla. - As the men's gym-
nastics meet began in Oklahoma's packed
McCasland Field House, the public address
announcer couldn't hide the joy in his voice.
"Men's gymnastics just doesn't get any bet-
ter than this," he breathlessly told the crowd
of 1,485.
But for the two MICHIGAN 347.0
highlyranked teams, OKLAHOMA 351.4
No. 2 Michigan and
No. 5 Oklahoma, it didn't exactly turn out
that way.
Though the meet was billed as a battle of
powerhouse squads, neither team performed
at its best.
And while the Wolverines left the Field
House knowing victory was within reach,
the Sooners came away with the win. Okla-
homa clinched the victory in the final two
events, high bar and parallel bars, to win
351.4-347.0.
"We had this meet in our hands," junior
Joe Catrambone said, icing a bad ankle made
sore again by a botched parallel-bars dis-
mount. "There's some little stuff here and
there that we can fix, but overall we are a
better team than them. I think that they
know that too."
Catrambone had another solid meet, win-
ning the high bar title, but his smooth, meet-
ending parallel bars routine ended with a
painful fall.
Last weekend, Michigan took control of the
final two events, coming from behind to beat
defending National Champion Penn State in
Ann Arbor. But away from Cliff Keen, it was
a different team.
"We didn't do that on the road," Michigan
coach Kurt Golder said. "When the going got
tough and we really had to buckle down, we
really weren't the same team that we were
last weekend."
After falling behind on pommel horse, the
Wolverines surged back during the floor rota-
tion. Led by senior Dan Rais and freshmen
Chris Cameron and Thomas Kelley, Michi-
gan jumped out to a two-point lead.
On vault, though, the Wolverines got
themselves into trouble, with two gymnasts
falling on their landings.
But then sophomore David Chan, who
earned All-America status on vault last sea-
son, stuck his explosive handspring double
M' rebounds
from beam
woes in win
Blue continues
17-year streak
against Spartans
By NICOLE AUERBACH
Daily Sports Writer
Sophomore Kelsey Knutson
leapt onto the balance beam Satur-
day night with the memory of last
week-_
end's fall MICH. ST. 194.550
fresh in MICHIGAN 196.750
her mind.
But after calmly sticking her
landing, Knutson flashed a smile
and ran into the open arms of
Michigan coach Bev Plocki. When.
the judges displayed the event-
high score of 9.925, the Crisler
Arena crowd exploded in cheers.
The No. 6 Michigan women's
gymnastics team bounced back
from last week's beam difficulties,
sparking a victory over rival No. 24
Michigan State, 196.750 to 194.550.
Last weekend, the Wolverines fell
three times on beam, including
Knutson's on her dismount.
The Spartans. haven't beaten
the Wolverines in a dual meet in
17 years.
Culminating in its best team
score in almost two years, Michi-
gan dominated the meet from start
to finish.
"We want to try to hit all the
routines - go 24-for-24," said
fifth-year senior captain Lindsey
Bruck, who also fell from the beam
last week.
Bars have been the Wolverines'
strongest event this season but
Saturday's meet showcased the
team's depth on other events.
Michigan posted season-high
scores on both beam and vault.
Knutson's beam title was the first
individual event win of her career.
After each routine, hundreds
of fans waved the meet program,
which featured the three Wolver-
ine freshmen.
Andsthe trio didn't disappoint.
Kylee Botterman earned the top
vault individual score, making her
the second freshman this season
to win an event - after Trish Wil-
son took the bars title in her first
collegiate meet on Jan. 11.
Leading off two events, fresh-
man Kari Pearce earned career-
high scores on vault and floor,
while Wilson put up a solid 9.825
on bars, her only scored event of
the night. As she recovers from
a bout of mononucleosis, Plocki
plans to add her to more event
lineups.
Michigan dominated Michigan
State from the first event.
"We try to start off strong and
just keep it going," Bruck said. "We
know if we have high energy, we
can last to the last event."
Wolverines stood atop the podi-
um for each event, and Bruck cap-
tured her eighth career all-around
title with a score of 39.325.
The Big Ten Network televised
the meet, just like last weekend's.
But this time, the meet flowed
quickly and the Wolverines were
able to maintain momentum with-
out scoring delays.
The crowd of more than a thou-
sand, including many Univer-
sity of Michigan Dance Marathon
members and local Girl Scout
troops, was especially enthusias-
tic. The student section was large
and made its presence felt when
it started cheers and waves in
between routines.
"When the crowd is into it, we
get more involved and more excit-
ed," Bruck said. "Our energy just
bumps up another level."
The Wolverines will travel to
Ypsilanti Feb. 2 to compete in the
State of Michigan Classic, where
they will face four other Michigan
universities.
That's a lot of competition.
But for Michigan, the goal is the
same: 24-for-24.
Freshman Chris Cameron muscles his way to a pomme! horse victory, earning a 14.75 score. It wasn't enough
to carry the Wolverines toa road win over No. 5 Oklahoma.
front to finish, and win, the event.
His teammates engulfed him, with Cam-
eron lifting Chan off the floor in a delighted
hug.
"That electrified us," said Cameron, who
won the pommel horse title. "We really
messed up vault bad ... but Dave did what he
had to. He put that thing down perfect."
Despite Chan's performance, Michigan
couldn't translate the momentum into con-
sistency on rings. And the Sooners caught fire
when they moved to vault.
Oklahoma surged into the lead, then pulled
away as the Wolverines struggled through
their high bar sets and the Sooners breezed
through parallel bars. Catrambone and Kel-
ley managed Michigan's only excellent rou-
tines on high bar, finishing first and second
in the event.
With Michigan behind by more than four
points going into its final rotation, parallel
bars, it needed a miracle. Despite the efforts
of junior Ryan McCarthy, who hit his routine
in his first meet of the year, and sophomore
Mel Santander, who finished second in the
event, the Wolverines were unable to catch
the Sooners.
To the delight of the many excited grade-
schoolers in attendance, Oklahoma contin-
ued its home-arena dominance.
Yet the Wolverines weren't convinced
they lost to a completely superior team. As
gymnasts so often say, it all comes down to
which team can hit more routines on a given
night.
On Saturday, that team was Oklahoma.
Young team feels growing pains
Freshmen key in split success
By RYAN KARTJE 11 Arizona State and perennial
For theDaily powerhouse, No.7 San Jose State.
But the Wolverines held their
Coming into the Michigan Kick- own, losing by a total of three goals
off this weekend, one third of the for both games, trading the lead
Michigan women's water polo back and forth throughout.
team had never faced any colle- In the weekend's final match,
giate competition. So this week- coming off an impressive win over
end's four matches, three of them UC-San Diego, the Wolverines put
against top-ranked opponents, up a strong fight against San Jose
offered the chance to answer ques- State, erasing a three-goal half-
tions about their ability to succeed time deficit.
with a team largely made up of With the game tied at eight with
freshmen. one minute remaining, the crowd
Consider those questions looked on as the Spartans got past
answered in the form of17goals. the Michigan defense and scored
The 18th-ranked Wolverines a nearly undefended goal, leaving
kicked off the 2008 season with a the Wolverines with a nasty taste
2-2 split at Canham Natatorium, in their mouths.
calming many doubts with their Putting the losses aside, the
solid play. weekend was more of a statement
Although a .500 record seems for the Wolverines as the new sea-
disappointing, Michigan coach son also means new leadership and
Matt Anderson called the week- 10 incoming freshmen.
end's performance "exceptional," These first-year players made
saying the team played "well the difference at the Michigan
enough to win." Kickoff.
Both of Michigan's losses came In the Wolverines' first match of
to teams ranked in the top 15 - No. the season against Colorado State,
HOCKEY
From page 1B
backhand pass from senior Chad
Kolarik and wristed the puck into
the net to give the Wolverines their
first and only lead of the weekend.
Five minutes later, all the
momentum from Pacioretty's goal
was lost after penalties to defense-
man Mark Mitera and Rust were
dished out 27 seconds apart. With
the two-man advantage, the Spar-
tans needed just 46 seconds to
NOTEBOOK
From page 1B
during Saturday night's con-
test, Michigan State found itself
with a two-man advantage. Forty-
six seconds later, the Spartans
had tallied two goals and sent
Munn Ice Arena into a frenzy.
Even though the Michigan
penalty kill was shaky at times,
goalie Billy Sauer put the Wolver-
ines in a position to win. Sauer
made many near-impossible
saves to shut down the Spartan
pressure, especially in Saturday's
score two power-play goals.
Comley said the Wolverines
were "fortunate" to escape with
one point. But Rust felt Michigan
clearly outplayed the Spartans at
even strength Saturday, and Mich-
igan coach Red Berenson seemed
to agree.
"We easily could have won the
game," Berenson said. "I'm not
thinking about the tie - more so
the effort."
In Friday's loss, in which the
only goal was scored early in the
first period on an ugly poke past
overtime period.
After a Michigan penalty less
than a minute into overtime,
Michigan State made a fierce
charge in the Wolverine zone.
Sprawled on his back, Sauer
wheeled his body around, nar-
rowly deflecting a sure game-
winner.
"(Sauer) has been unbeliev-
able," Porter said. "To give up
three goals in a weekend and still
have a loss and a tie is unfortu-
nate."
NO CLOSURE:Inarivalry game
as intense as Michigan-Michigan
State, a tie doesn't relieve any of
the freshmen accounted for seven
of Michigan's goals in the 16-5
rout. Those seven goals were the
most by any freshmen class in one
game in program history.
Freshmen Keller Felt and Alison
Mantel lit up the stat sheet with
impressive first-day hattricks.
Mantel earned another hat trick
on the second day. The only differ-
ence?
Mantel's second hat trick was in
one period. It's no wonder Man-
tel's nickname is "Magic."
"With the freshmen we have,
we're capable of a lot," said senior
Michelle Keeley.
Keeley had a milestone of her
own this weekend, scoring her
50th career goal in the 6-5 win
over UC-San Diego.
"These freshmen just love to
score," Anderson said, "They don't
know how to do anything else."
With a talented group of fresh-
men improving with every game,
it looks like it could be a "magical"
season for the Michigan women's
water polo team.
Michigan goalie Billy Sauer, the
Wolverines were outhit and out-
worked in front of a raucous Yost
Arena crowd.
And for a team that has survived
on gritty plays and occasional
lucky breaks, Friday's disappoint-
ment spoiled the weekend.
"It's embarrassing, is what it is,"
Kolarik said after the loss. "This is
our only home game against Mich-
igan State this year, and we lose it.
It's so frustrating. We talked about
it all week that we had to win this
one game, if anything."
the pressure that builds up over
the weekend.
The fans, players and coaches
were all left unhappy Saturday
night after a stressful five-minute
overtime period.
"Obviously, it leaves a bad taste
in our mouths," Michigan State
coach Rick Comley said. "But it
was a hard fought game, much
different than (Friday) night."
The Michigan locker room
wasn't much happier.
"Maybe that goal was lucky,"
Porter said of the game-tying
goal. "But to come out with a tie,
I don't feel lucky."
By MARTY LAROUERE
For the Daily
The Michigan women's tennis
team faced the reality of its youth
movement.
With four freshmen on its roster,
Michigan failed to pick up a single
team point at both No. 34 Kentucky
and No. 16 Vanderbilt.
Three of six singles matches
went into third sets against Ken-
tucky on Sunday, but Michigan was
unable to pick up a win.
Doubles play, however, was a
bright spot. Solid play from junior
Chisako Sugiyama and sophomore
Tania Mahtani resulted in the only
doubles victory of the weekend, as
the pairknockedoffthe20th-ranked
doubles pair of Carolina Escamilla
and Christine Johnston, 8-5.
Junior Lindsey Howard and
freshman Denise Muresan grinded
out their match, but were beat 9-
8(4). The loss prevented the Wol-
verines from picking up their first
team point.
"We ran into two very good
teams," Howard said. "These were
our first two matches, both of them
away.We had to work out the nerves
and the younger players had to get
used to the college atmosphere."
The Wolverines again failed to
win team points facing a talented
Vanderbilt squad Friday.
Sugiyama battled with Vander-
bilt's Catherine Newman to take
the match into the last set, but was
GIANNOTTO
From page 1B
The most troubling part about
the Wolverines' continued strug-
gles is that they can execute what
Michigan coach John Beilein is
preaching.
They've shown the ability to
run his complicated offense, get-
ting plenty of open looks. And
Beilein's unique 1-3-1 zone con-
founded Wisconsin and has been
a successful change of pace on the
defensive end.
For Michigan, the problems
come down to talent and effort.
Simply put, there isn't enough of
either. Low expectations or not,
that should worry a team this late
in the season.
Too many times, the Wolverines
run a set play well, creating an open
shot, only to see it clank off the rim.
defeated 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.
Muresan showed some grit as
she picked up a win in the second
set of her match, but then was
edged in the third by Commodore
Taka Bertrand.
The doubles team of Sugiyama
and Mahtani battled but dropped a
close one to Vanderbilt's Newman
and Bertrand, 8-7(5).
Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein
said several factors contributed to
the Commodores' sound victory
over the Wolverines.
"We just lost to a better team,"
Bernstein said. "It was our first
match and we are very young, but
that doesn't give us an excuse. We
Before the season, Beilein worried
about not having enough shooters
- and his worst fears have been
realized. No one on the Michigan
roster - freshman standout Manny
Harris included - has shown the
ability to consistently knock down
open jumpers.
The issues on defense are even
more frustrating. The Wolverines
are last in the Big Ten in scoring
defense, making things even hard-
er on an anemic offense.
"The defensive numbers are
our biggest concern right now,"
Beilein said. "People are shooting
a very high percentage against us.
We're not getting fast-break points,
and we're not getting the things
that you would get from defensive
stops."
A few weeks ago, after Michi-
gan's lone Big Ten win this season
against Northwestern, I was cau-
tiously optimistic about the rest
BEN SIMON/Daily
Junior Chisako Sugiyama brought veteran experience to the courts last weekend.
just need to avoid costly errors, find
ways to get the big points, and need
the upperclassmen to step up."
Howard, one of the few veter-
ans on the team, acknowledged the
team's youth and team's inexperi-
ence. But Howard said the team's
goal of winningthe Big Ten tourna-
ment in April is still in reach.
In order to get to that point, the
Wolverines need to work on their
mental approach and gain some
confidence, Bernstein said.
"There is definitely room for
improvement," she said. "We just
need to focus on the things that we
can control, have pride, and believe
in ourselves."
of the season, having seen some
small steps towards respectability.
But it's become increasingly clear
that victory was an anomaly.
Beilein and the rest of the Wol-
verines can talk all they want about
how hard their schedule has been
and how the goal is to keep improv-
ing, but they are failing at the basic
fundamentals of basketball.
Going full-throttle on defense
at all times and hitting open shots
aren't things a Division I ath-
lete should be struggling with.
Even middle-of-the-road teams
from the Horizon and Southern
Leagues have players that can
defend and hit jumpers.
It's time we take a cold shower
of reality. Until this program gets
more quality players, the losses
will continue to pile up.
- Giannotto can be reached
at mgiann@umich.edu.