The Michigan Daily I michigandaily.com I November 3, 2008
Seniors
deserved -a
better ending
WEST LAFAYETTE - Rich Rodriguez gave his
team one specific instruction after its 48-42 loss to
Purdue on Saturday.
"Give the seniors a hug," the Michigan coach
said, according to freshman nose tackle Mike Mar-
tin.
People have questioned Rodriguez's methods
and vision for the program a lot
this season, but he was on the
money with that message.
Thisyear's seniors will be the
first in 34 years to end their col-
lege careers against Ohio State,
instead of in a bowl game.
After the loss to Michigan
State last week, the Wolver-
ines knew they had no room
for error. A four-game winning NATE
streak to finish .500 seemed SANDALS
unlikely, but there was still that
sliver of possibility. Until the
clock ran out on Saturday, the
reality of snapping the bowl streak and the win-
ning season streak never fully sank in.
For all intents and purposes, the seniors saw
their college careers end on Saturday. There's no
question they deserved a better exit.
"It is what it is, we can't go to a bowl," fifth-year
senior linebacker John Thompson said. "We've
just got to stick together for these last three games
and play for each other."
There's no use pointing fingers for this team's
See SANDALS, Page 4B
"It's not disbe- Bowl run
lief. I know will end at
what's
going on. 33 years
bow t's
frustrating
and disap-
pointing."
- MICHIGAN
COACH RICH
RODRIGUEZ
By IAN ROBINSON
Daily SportsEditor
WEST LAFAYETTE - Walking off the field at
Ross-Ade Stadium after Saturday's 48-42 loss, red-
shirt junior left guard David Moosman released
his frustration.
He cursed loudly.
Michigan will officiallymiss a bowl game for the
first time in 34 years.
He cursed loudly again a few steps later.
Michigan is in the midst of a five-game losing
streak for the first time since 1967 and headed for
its first losing season since then, too.
Moosman didn't need other words to convey his
emotions after the Wolverines allowed a tie-break-
ing, last-minute touchdown on a hook-and-ladder
play and blew two 14-point leads to lowly Purdue.
"It's not disbelief," Michigan coach Rich Rodri-
guez said. "I know what's going on. It's just frus-
trating and disappointing."
Entering Saturday, these two teams were equal-
ly desperate. Purdue coach Joe Tiller's final sea-
son hadn't been the swan song he envisioned. His
senior quarterback, Curtis Painter, hadn't lived up
to high expectation and missed Saturday's game
with a shoulder injury. And the Boilermakers were
sitting at the bottom of the conference.
For Michigan, it was a chance to try to save a
season that was all but lost.
See BOILERMAKERS, Page 4B
CLIF REEDER/Dail
(Top) Purdue quarterback Justin Siller runs away from the Michigan defense in the Boilermaker's 48-42 win over the Wolver-
ines on Saturday. (Bottom) Purdue running back Kory, who ran for 118 yards and scored four touchdowns, stiff arms redshirt
sophomore middle linebacker Obi Ezeh.
Sperry's shutout tops-Ohio State
By CHANTEL JENNINGS
DailySports Writer
Redshirt junior goalie Patrick
Sperry never thought young soc-
cer players would be asking for his
autograph.
Then again, after last year,
when the Wolverines didn't win
a single
Big Ten OHIO STATE 0
regular M ICHIGAN 1
season - --
game,
few soccer fans thought the Wol-
verines could reach the levels they
have this year.
But this season, No. 18 Michi-
gan has proven itself on a big
stage. With Saturday's 1-0 victory
over Ohio State at the U-M Soccer
Complex, the team tied the Michi-
gan program record for wins in a
regular season, ended a five-year
winless drought against Ohio
State and set itself up for a promis-
ing run in the Big Ten and NCAA
tournaments.
From the first whistle, it was
clear that this game meant more
to both teams than a single vic-
tory. Between the 38 fouls, four
yellow cards and numerous warn-
ings, it was clear that both squads
were planning on leaving it all on
the field.
"Any time we play Ohio State
it's going to be physical," junior
forward Peri Marosevic said.
"Everybody comes out to play and
wants to give it their best. Tough-
ness and everybody going in hard,
that's just a part of the game." .
Michigan came into the game
hoping to avenge its loss to the
Buckeyes a season ago, a game
that ended with a controversial
goal in the first minute of over-
time. Heading into Saturday's
contest no current Wolverine had
ever beaten Ohio State (2-4-0 Big
Ten, 9-6-2 overall).
During the first half, the Wol-
verines failed to capitalize on
a few good shot opportunities,
including one from Marosevic
that went just left of the goal and a
shot from senior Nader Jarun that
sailed slightly over the crossbar.
"We quickly realized that it
wasn't going to be won by a pretty
See SOCCER, Page 6B
New t p line clicks
in rout of Buckeyes
By GJON JUNCAJ Midway through the second
Daily Sports Writer frame, sophomore defenseman
Chad Langlais forced a turnover in
The first 32 minutes of play in Michigan's zone and began streak-
Saturday night's 6-1 victory over ing down the left boards as the
Ohio State revealed what might be Wolverines created a three-on-two
the most[- odd man rush. Langlais then found
impor- OHIO STATE 1 senior forward Travis Turnbull all
tant key MICHIGAN 6 alone in the slot. Turnbull's wrist
to success shot beat Buckeye freshman goalie
this season for the No. 8 Michigan Cal Heeter stick-side for the 4-0
hockey team as the Wolverines try lead.
to replace last year's entire top line: One week after winning his first
scoring depth. career start at Denver, Heeter skat-
By the 8:00 mark of the second ed back to the Ohio State bench, his
period, five different Wolverines head sunken into his chest as the
had scored. Sophomore forward Yost Ice Arena crowd showered him
Aaron Palushaj's power-play goal with verbal abuse. Perhaps an inex-
from the left circle 12 minutes into perienced goaltender was just what
the second frame extended Michi- the Wolverines' offense needed to
gan's lead to 5-0. find their rhythm.
But the Wolverines had essen- Searching for stronger on-ice
tially sealed the game and the chemistry, Michigan coach Red
weekend series sweep two minutes Berenson debuted a new top line of
before the goal, Palushaj's seventh Palushaj, sophomore forward Louie
of the season. See BUCKEYES, Page 3B
Junior Peri Marosevic notched Michigan's only goal in its 1-0 win over Ohio State
Saturday. It was the Wolverines first win over the Buckeyes in five years.
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