The Michigan Daily I michigandaily.com I March 23, 2009

.Sophomre Manny Harrisis caledifora charge inthe maongmnutesstfMichigan,'s7363 lossito 2se kaoaSatrdy ith seconed rouoftheNCAA Tournamet. Harris ouled uof aepcig upto offtesvefoulsogthe way.

L date-game collapse should raise concerns

FT" L "SEPRIN ACTICE
Special teams get special
treatment in spring ball

DETROIT -
Maybe it was the third or
fourth goal of the foal
period that did it.
The players insisted the turn-
ing point in Saturday's game came
earlier, that it was the shot that put
Notre Dame on the board in the
middle of the second.
But it was hard to count Michi-
gan out with so much time left and
in such an important game.
For the Wolverines, who abso-
lutely rocketed through the past
few months and built their reputa-
tion as a second-half team, it was
the entire second half of the CCHA
Championship game that failed
them.
Something snapped. What-

ever it was - be it goaltending
or turnovers or determination -
completely shrunk Michigan's con-
fidence level
and momen- -
tum heading
into the NCAA
Tournament."
And no
matter what
caused the
third-period
meltdown, the NICOLE
fact that it hap- AUERBACH
pened must be
addressed if
the Wolverines
want tobea legitimate national ANNA BAKEMAN/Daily
championship contender. Michigan coach Red Berenson and the Wolverines held a 2-t lead going into the
See AUERBACH, Page 5B final stanza of Saturday night's CCHA Championship. Michigan lost the game 5-2.

By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
Daily Sports Editor
Last season, the Michigan foot-
ball team featured a merry-go-
round of kick and punt returners.
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez
desperately shifted new players on
and off the unit as one Wolverine
after another bobbled and fumbled
returns.
There were different excuses for
the special teams sloppiness after
each game - the weather was poor,
focus was lacking or there was sim-
ply an issue of miscommunication.

But Rodriguez is trying to make
sure the Wolverines aren't as easily
distracted this year.
Junior Donovan Warren, senior
Greg Mathews and redshirt fresh-
man Terrence Robinson took turns
fielding punts during the first half
hour of practice Saturday, and each
successfully fielded his first few
punts before Rodriguez walked
over to their area, holding a. blue
blocking shield.
As Mathews prepared to catch
the ball, Rodriguez threw the block-
ing shield at the senior, forcing him
See SPRING PRACTICE, Page SB

With multiple questions on the offensive After hosting an NCAA regional last year,
end, can the Michigan softball team gear up the Wolverine baseball team and ace pitcher
for another tough Big Ten title race? Page 3B. Chris Fetter look toward Omaha. Page 4B.