a
8A - Thursday, February 21, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Deep roster lets 'M' shrug off injuries
By NICOLE AUERBACH
Daily Sports Writer
While the Michigan women's
gymnastics team's record might
be squeaky clean, its bill of health
isn't.
Three all-Americans - juniors
Becky Bernard and Tatjana
Thuener-Rego and senior Katie
Lieberman - sat out of the lineup
last weekend with minor injuries.
The fourth-ranked Wolverines
looked to younger gymnasts to hit
routines and maintain the team's
undefeated record. They did.
"This year is just amazing
because we have so much depth,"
Lieberman said. "It's amazing how
many people have been able to step
in and even on shortnotice, they've
been able to pull through and come
out with a good score or just a nice
routine."
Freshmen Trish Wilson and
Kylee Botterman were two of the
underclassmen who responded to
last-minute adjustments and post-
ed impressive scores.
Wilson jumped into beam and
floor lineups two weeks ago at the
State of Michigan Classic when
Lieberman and Bernard didn't
compete. She hit both routines
despite having less time than usual
to warm up.
Botterman joined the bars line-
up the following week. She placed
third in the event over the week-
end against Minnesota, posting a
solid 9.900 score.
"I like to prepare myself for
everything,"Botterman said."Even
if I only end up doing two events in
a meet, I still prepare myself for
four just in case something hap-
pens and I have to step in."
This ready-for-anything mental
preparation is nothing new for the
Wolverines.
Last season, three Wolverines
suffered season-ending injuries
in the first two meets of the sea-
son. Michigan managed to salvage
the season and posted a 17-5 final
record. But the roster was thin,
and the team faltered at Nationals,
finishing the season at No. 11.
But this year's team is different.
"We have had lots of changes in
the lineup this year because we've
finally got a team where we've got
some depth," Michigan coach Bev
Plocki said. "Last year, we were so
riddled with injuries that we didn't
have any options to change the
lineup."
While she is excited to see
gymnasts step into the spotlight
and gain more experience, Plocki
is concerned about the veterans'
recovery.
Minor injuries hit all three gym-
nasts at once,
taking them BOTTERMAN
out of the line-
up this week-
end.
Bernard has
been out for
the past three
weeks with a ,EIGHT 53'
knee injury.
Thuener-Rego CLASS:2011
woke up one HOMETOWN:
day last week New Lenox, ill
with a swollen EVENTS:Vault
wrist. 'a
Lieber- Floor and Bars
man's bad
knees were
aggravated midway through
Saturday's meet, forcing her to
pull out of the floor lineup just
before the event.
After waking up last Thurs-
day, Thuener-Rego noticed
her wrist was swollen. X-rays
showed no sign of a fracture.
"It's a mystery," Plocki said.
"She had a sleeping incident.
How long can you be hurt from
sleeping?"
All three gymnasts expect to
be back in action next Friday
when Michigan takes on North
Carolina State.
HOGAN
From page 5A
who want extra shooting drills.
On Monday afternoons, when
Berenson has made practice
optional to give some of the start-
ers a much-needed break, Hogan
and freshman Shawn Hunwick
fill in between the pipes for Sauer,
who rarely participates.
"It's good for him that he's
taking it seriously and trying to
improve every single week," Black-
burn said. "Because that's what
you have to do. And it's hard when
you're not playing in every game to
go out there and bust your butt."
The extra practice has paid off
BOILERMAKERS
From page 5A
advantage won't be enough to
take down Purdue (10-5,14-12).
"They're a lot better than they
were when they played us the
first time," Borseth said. "They're
probably the most improved
team, at least from what Ican see
on videotape."
The Boilermakers are led
by junior Lakisha Freeman
(13 points and 6 rebounds per
game). Her emergence has made
Purdue more athletic and more
aggressive since the two teams
last clashed.
BIG TENS
From page 5A
ority to lead an enthusiastic
squad to Columbus.
Over the past few weeks, the
seniors took extra time to fos-
ter a positive mentality. Dur-
ing practice, they took note of a
teammate's outstanding effort
or speed. Later that night, the
seniors would send an e-mail to
the team highlighting what oth-
erwise may have been an unno-
ticed performance.
"We've been working on cama-
raderie on the team with the
swimmers and divers," Mueller
said. "We're making sure we're
always cheering for everyone,
getting behind everyone."
During races, it's hard to miss
the Wolverines on the pool deck.
They have just as much energy as
the swimmers in the water. The
in the form of more game action.g
Hoganhas nowstartedfourgames,
posting a 3-0-1 record and giving I
up just seven even-strength goals.S
In games, the freshman cana
showcase his superior puck-han-v
dling abilities, an area where I
he may be better at than Sauer. s
Hogan's talents really shine along
the boards, where he often steers s
the puck away from opposingc
defenders.h
His prowess with the puckg
helped him tally his first-careerA
point last weekend, picking up an
assist on junior Travis Turnbull's f
empty netter in Michigan's 4-2 l
win over Lake Superior State. Ear- i
lier this season, Hogan was incheso
from notching his own empty nete
The possibility of playing into
March may be new for the Wol-
verines, but it isn't a novelty forE
their coach.
In his 2S seasonsabefore com-
ing to Michigan, Borseth made
the NCAA Tournament14 times.
No one on the Michigan roster
has ever played past the Big Ten
Tournament.
"You don't know until you
get in there," said Borseth when
asked how he will make sure
his team is mentally prepared
for the final four games. "Every
game you just got to get a little
better. If you get one on the chin
the first time, you got to find a
way the second time."
loud cheers and enthusiasm have
contributed to the team's success
this season.
The 11th ranked Wolverines
(4-0 Big Ten, 6-1 overall) have
blown away their conference
competition all season, but they
will face their biggest test over
the next three days. Michigan
hasn't faced a ranked opponent
since it beat then-No. 8 Texas in
November.
No. 9 Minnesota and No. 13
Penn State will be the Wolver-
ines'biggest challenges. Richard-
son said the Golden Gophers have
one of their fastest teams ever.
"It's going to be the fastest Big
Ten meet in history, and that's
what we want," Richardson said.
"That's going to give us the great
incentive to be on our best too."
And the senior class knows it
has great incentive to show one
last time that it's the best in the
Big Ten.
goal against Bowling Green.
"I like to play the puck a lot,"
Hogan said after his start last
Saturday. "Sometimes it doesn't
always work out there because
we don't really get a lot of time to
practice in games with the defen- 4
semen."
Even though he's proven him-
elf a reliable force in net, Hogan
can't shake the nerves on nights
he's set to start. He has yet to see
game action away from Yost Ice
Arena.
"It seems like every game is my
irst game," Hogan said. "It seems
ike I'm always nervous going into
t. But the team plays well in front
of me, and that makes it kind of
easy."
LF
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