8A - Friday, October 16, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 'M' treats No. 1 Penn State like any other team Sophomore Kim Siebert played a big role in Michigan's stalwart man-to-man defense against the high-octane Boilermaker offense. Wolverines extend 12-day scoreless drought, fall to tough Purdue squad By MARK BURNS DailySports Writer Take a 20-piece puzzle. Now try and take one of those pieces and put it into the correct position - but then you find out that for some reason, the piece doesn't fit. The Michigan volleyball team faces No. 1 Penn State - that awk- ward piece that just won't fit - tonight inside an already sold-out Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines (4-2 Big Ten, 16-3 overall) haven't defeated the Nittany Lions since Nov. 2, 2002. Since then, Penn State has won two national championships, in 2007 and 2008. But instead of looking at tonight's match as an anomaly, the Wolverines are looking at the match as just another step in hope- fully completing their quest for a Big Ten Championship. "It's important to know that they're No. 1, but it's also impor- tant to know that rankings don't matter," senior libero Megan Bower said. Bower, along with the rest of the team, isn't treating this game like it's the end-all, be-all match of the season. Sure, Michigan has a shot to knock off the top-ranked team in the country and end its seven- year drought against the Nittany Lions. But last year, the Wolverines lost convincingly in straight sets to end the regular season. "Sometimes when you're build- ing cars or trying to win a volley- ball match or studying for school, if you think about the big picture, it can almost become overwhelm- ing," Michigan coach Mark Rosen said. "If you think about the end product, it doesn't get you any- where. ... We really try to focus on the process and get back to con- centrating on the small picture rather than the big picture. "Because the season is so long and because you have such high goals and expectations, it's easy to think about the picture and say, 'This win is so important.' And it doesn't help you." If the 11th-ranked Wolverines want to disrupt Penn State's run for a second straight undefeated Big Ten season, Michiganwillneed to stick to the basics. More specifi- cally, the game will be fought with the serve-and-pass battle. Serving aggressively and pass- ing with very few errors are two trademarks of Rosen's system. If the Wolverines win the serve-and- pass battle, they can contend with anyone in the Big Ten, according to Rosen. After all, Michigan leads the conference with 1.78 aces per set. Penn State, on the other hand, leads in every other statistical conference category - blocks, kills, assists, hitting percentage and opponent attack percentage. The team is on the verge of being labeled a legitimate collegiate dynasty within the volleyball community, and that has the Wol- verines in a frenzy. "(The team) is really excited about the buzz surrounding this match," Rosen said. "I'm sure in the NBA, it's probably like when Michael Jordan came to town or when LeBron (James) does. There's this buzz now that the match is sold out. ...We've been sold out for two days. The kids have been getting phone calls like crazy from friends asking if they have any more tickets and if they can get in." el By ZAK PYZIK open eight yards away from goal, Daily Sports Writer netting in the only tally of the game. Purdue defeated Michigan It's been nearly 263 minutes 1-0 in West Lafayette. since the Michigan women's soccer Though the Wolverines' defense team has bested a goalie. No Wol- caused the Boilermakers fits, their verine has netted a goal in 12 days. offense wasn't quite there. Michigan has succumb, to a cold Against Purdue, Michigan spell. pitched six shots during the game, While it MICHIGAN 0 four of which were on goa# This frustrated PURDUE 1 was an impressive change for a Purdue all team that ranks last for shots taken evening yesterday, the end result and shots on goal in the Big Ten, but was another zero. the most important - goals scored The 18th-ranked Boilermakers' - was still zero. fast-paced offense took 15 shots, "I was happy with the offense," just four of which were on goal. The Michigan coach Greg Ryan said. Wolverines' newly instituted man- "We created an incredibly good to-man defense allowed no time chance in the first half At one point for Purdue's ballhandlers to make their goalie was down, and the ball decisions - until the 39th minute. was laying in front of the net and That's when Boilermaker mid- the player just didn't stick it in." fielder Jessica Warren stood wide- Though the offense created chance and th great d Purd be overall) ing off average the you them to "Inst s, it didn't produce a score, defense, (Coach Ryan) made spe- at overshadowed another cific matchups," sophomore mid- efensive performance. fielder Courtney Mercier said. "We ue (3-1-2 Big Ten, 8-3-3 needed to individually defend, and in every matchup, our player had the upper hand." Michigan (0-2-2 Big Ten, 5-7-2 'Today we overall) had just three defenders on the back-line, and that allowed played the them to have more players focus on pushing the ball. 'tter soccer, The Wolverines statistically put up better numbers than the Boil- Ryan said. ermakers, averaging more shots on g'oal and producing not even half of the amount of penalties that Pur- due did. Ultimately, they couldn't is the fourth-highest scor- capitalize. ense in the conference. It "Today we played the better soc- s 1.92 goals per game, but cer," Ryan said. "If you put enough tng Wolverine defense held balls in the penalty box, one is just one notch. going to curve in. Ours didn't, and tead of playing a more zone theirs did." With his physical play at forward, Brown shores up Michigan's second line alongside Hagelin and Rust By RYAN KARTJE the season last Sunday, Brown Daily Sports Writer was a big part of the Wolverines victory and not only was his phys- Many collegiate freshman for- icality on display, but so was his wards start their career in hopes ability to put the puck in the back of scoring as many goals as pos- of the net. sible. After all, statistics are what Brown led Michigan in scor- gets them noticed in the junior ing in his first weekend of hockey, leagues. notching two goals and one assist But that doesn't concern Michi- and certainly cementing his spot gan freshman Chris Brown. on the team's powerful second "My first shift, my first goal was line for the time being. to get hit or make a hit," Brown Paired with junior forwards said. "I love to play physical." Matt Rust and Carl Hagelin, And the first Texas-born Mich- Michigan coach Red Berenson igan hockey player's physical called attention to the talent of his prowess has made an impression second line to score at will. But it's on the players and coaches. Brown's physical presence that "We haven't had someone to makes him an asset on the ice. really chirp the other team as "Everyone can't be a power for- much as he's been doing it this ward, but Chris has the size, the season," junior forward Louie strength, the body and the mental Caporusso said. "And I think that makeup," Berenson said. "He fits kind of gets the other team off the bill really well. We have other their game and in their head." guys that are going to play physi- In the team's second game of cal, but that's one of his best attri- butes that he brings to the table." Brown isn't the tallest player on the team at 6-foot-2, nor does he have the bulkiest frame (194 pounds), but the Texan's intense and hardnosed style of play makes him one of the hardest hitters on the ice for the Wolverines. And to say he's made that kind of impression in just a few weeks of official practices with the team is a testament to the young for- ward's ability to affect a game. "He's adding physicality," Berenson said. "Our whole team has to play physical, but it's a lot easier when you're a big, strong kid (like Brown)." With physical senior forward Brian Lebler playing on the third line, Brown is able to usehis physi- cal skill set to allow for more scor- ing opportunities for Carl Hagelin and Matt Rust who combined for a total of 53 points last season. But don't countBrown out when it comes to scoring goals. He'll be the first to tell you that his shot is one of the strengths of his game. As a member of the U.S. Nation- al Team Development Program Under-18 Team last year, Brown led the squad in goals (42) and points (74). Those numbers were enough to attract the Phoenix Coyotes who selected him with the 36th overall pick in last year's NHL Entry Draft. And with the lack of scoring depth behind Caporusso on the first line, Brown's offensive prow- ess could be essential when the team needs someone to put points on the board. "He can definitely be a first liner and I think he will be," Caporusso said. "We're only two games in and it's hard to tell, but I expect, from what I've seen, for him to be a great power forward." Added Berenson: "The scoring adds the finishing touch." 0I Senior Veronica Rood and the Wolverines try to snap a seven-year losing skid to Penn State tonight. 01 01