8A - Thursday, November 13, 2008

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

t j Michigan prepares for final stretch

Wolverines play
Wisconsin in the first
round of the Big Ten
Tournament
By EMILY FREILICH
Daily Sports Writer
In 30-degree weather under
cloudy skies, the Michigan men's
soccer team struggled through its
suicide sprinting drills at the end
of Monday's practice. As the Wol-
verines fought heavy legs and tired
bodies, Michigan coach Steve
Burns gave one final encourage-
ment, "For Wisconsin, Michigan
- for Wisconsin."
The 10th-ranked Wolverines
(4-1-1 Big Ten, 12-4-2 overall) head
to Madison to face the Badgers
(1-4-1 Big Ten, 9-7-2 overall) in the
first round of the Big Ten Tourna-
ment today. Michigan aims to win
its first Big Ten title after suffer-

ing a tough opening-round loss to
Ohio State last year.
"We've had a focus all year long
of winning the Big Ten Champion-
ship, so that's the ultimate goal for
us," Burns said.
For the third time, the Wolver-
ines enter the Big Ten Tournament
as the second seed. The last time
they started in that spot, in 2003,
their tournament ended prema-
turely. Michigan was upsetby sev-
enth-seeded Northwestern which
entered the tournament with zero
conference wins. Despite the Wol-
verines' high ranking, Burns is
taking nothing for granted.
"That 2003 Michigan team was
looking ahead at who was winning
the other side of thebracket," Burn
said. "We've learned from that and
the coaching staff has learned
from that and we're making sure
these guys are focused on the Wis-
consin Badgers."
For now, the team is keeping its
focus on seventh-seeded Wiscon-

sin.
"I'm not really thinking too
much about the next game or the
championship game," junior for-
ward Peri Marosevic said, "Right
now, it's all about Wisconsin."
At their earlier game this sea-
son, the Wolverines left Madison
with a tie.
"Wisconsin is a dangerous
team," Burns said. "But in the
end it's not going to be decided by
who has more skill. It's going to be
decided on who brings more fight
and grit to the game."
To prepare for Wisconsin, Burns
focused on shootouts in practice
for the past two weeks. In the Big
Ten Tournament, games tied after
two overtime periods proceed to
penalty kicks.
After wins over Northwestern,
Ohio State and Penn State in their
last three games, the Wolverines
seem to have gained some confi-
dence.
"Pulling off wins in the past

couple games helps us big time
going into the tournament," Maro-
sevic said.
Michigan can thank Marosevic
for bringing some of this energy
to field. For the third time in his
career and second time this year,
Marosevic was named Big Ten
player of the week. He has notched
12 goals this season, just two shy
of the Wolverines' single-season
record.
Marosevic isn't the only Wol-
verine chasing records. Redshirt
junior goalkeeper Patrick Sperry
is one game short of matching the
Michigan career record of 19 shut-
outs.
Each Big Ten team appears to
pose stiff competition. The Big
Ten is one of the toughest confer-
ences in the country.
"There are no easy games," said
Burns. "It's not amatter of who we
don't want to face, it's a matter of
who we are facing and to focus on
that."

"

Junior Peri Merosevic is focused on today's game against Wisconsin in the Bit Ten
Tournament. Michigan is the second seed in the tournament.

I
I

Can you imagine the Wolverine State as the Buckeye State?
Strange, but true. Global warming is pushing the Ohio
buckeye north.' If we let this continue, the tree will become
increasingly rare in Ohio - and common here!
Plus, of course, rising temperatures threaten the rest of our
environment - including the vanishing wolverine2 - along with
our health, our jobs and our pocketbooks.
Please go to StopTheBuckeye.org. Urge the President-
elect and the new Congress to take bold action to keep the
buckeye in Ohio and protect Michigan's future by cutting
global warming pollution.
' See the study by McKenney et al. (2007): "Potential impacts of climate change on
the distribution of North American trees." Bioscience, Vol. 57, No. 11:939-948.
2See "Recent Report Shows Global Warming Could Be Final Straw for Wolverines,"
Defenders of Wildlife, March 12, 2007.

AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN
MACOMB COUNTY PREVENTION COALITION
MICHIGAN AUDUBON
MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL
MICHIGAN FARMERS UNION
MICHIGAN LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION
PEW ENVIRONMENT GROUP

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