8A - Thursday, October 22, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Blue must play blue-collar hockey to best Purple Eagles 4 By TIM ROHAN Daily Sports Writer The Wolverines have played scrappy teams like Niagara before, but recent struggles with similar teams make tonight's matchup against the Pur- ple Eagles thatN much more entic- Niagara at ing. Michigan Yesterday, Matchup: Michigan associ- Niagara 0-2-1; ate head coach Michigan1-1 MelPearson com- When pared the Purple Tonight 7:35 Eagles' style ofT play to Air Force Where:nYost and Alaska-Fair- Ice Arena banks. Last year, Live Blog: the Wolverines' michigandaily. season ended com/blogs/ with a 2-0 loss She game to the Falcons in the first round of the NCAA Tour- nament. Michigan opened this season with a 2-0 loss to the Nano- oks. It was the first time Michigan had been shut out in back-to-back games since the 1942-43 season. "A lot of these teams now, they play solid defensively," Pearson said. "They're going to get their breaks on the power play or catch you in odd- numbered rushes. They're all the same. They pack it in defensively and they don'tgive you much." "You have to keep it simple and at the same time get pucks and players to the net. Don't look for the cute, fancy, sexy goals." The Wolverines couldn't con- vert on their few chances a couple weeks ago against the Nanooks in Alaska. Playing simply is easy to say, but it's another thing to go out and actually play with poise. Both Nanook goals came off of Michigan mistakes, and Alaska- Fairbanks tightened its defense after taking the lead. If Michigan turns the puck over tonight, it will play right into Niagara's hands, just as it did for the Nanooks. "I think we have to get the puck behind their D, get them moving, make their D skate," junior for- ward Louie Caporusso said. "Use our speed to our advantage. And use our puck skills to our advan- tage. I think we have a bunch of guys on this team that can really control the puck and have great hands." During the past few seasons, the Niagara has been notorious for giving Michigan tough games. Last year, the Wolverines won 4-2 in a tight contest. Two years ago, Michigan won 5-1 over Niagara in the first round of the NCAA Tour- nament, but Hobey Baker Award winner Kevin Porter scored four goals. "We expect a physical game," senior captain Chris Summers said. "They're kinda known for being a blue collar team, (and) being a team that bangs bodies out there ... We're going to have to come out and play our style hockey and take it right to them." Blue-collar hockey is tough and hard-hitting, but Michigan hasn't played a game since Oct. 10. Beren- son acknowledged that the team could be rusty and needs a fast start tonight. "We have to play Michigan hockey," Berensonsaid. "Andwhen I say Michigan hockey, we have to be rock solid defensively. We have to force turnovers. Through good forechecking, and winning more than 50 percent of faceoffs, we (can) get the puck. And then we got to get the puck to the net and put them on their heels when we get the puck." Summers said the team is excited to get its home sched- ule started. Berenson is 21-1-3 in home openers during his coaching career at Michigan, and the team seems ready to avenge its poor play against both the Nanooks and Air Force. "We got to work just as hard as them," Caporusso said. "When you're playing a big school like ours, you can get revved up for it. But I think we're goingto be revved up for Niagara too, though." 'M' blanks Spartans By MARK BURNS Megan Bower said. "We tend Daily Sports Writer sometimes to get outside dominat- ed, and teams have started to catch EAST LANSING - Michigan onto that. So now we're trying to volleyball player Lexi Zimmerman spread the set choice out." let out a loud scream inside the Zimmerman - injured hand Breslin Center last night. and all - still effectively managed Except that scream wasn't in the balanced Wolverine offense jubilation - it was in agony. The and confused Michigan State (2-7, junior setter dislocated her thumb 14-7) all night. early in the second set against Michigan used a variety of lob Michigan State. shots, sets to the back row and After lingering on the court for middle of the court, and slide sets a minute with a Michigan trainer, - where a hitter cuts behind the Zimmerman went into the locker setter - to generate its scoring. room, where the Spartan team "We're trying to get more doctor popped the thumb back into offense out of our team," Michigan place. coach Mark Rosen said. "We've Five minutes later, with tape on been working on it since the begin- her right hand, the Barrington, Ill. ning of the season, and it's slowly native returned to her team. starting to come." "I'm really proud of her for com- Regardless of how well the ing back and playing hard," senior offense played, there is still con- outside hitter Juliana Paz said. cern over whether Zimmerman, "That got us really motivated, tobe last year's AVCA All-America See- honest, and we started to play for ond Team selection, is going to be her tonight." all right. Michigan (6-3 Big Ten, 18-4 Still,theWolverines tookagame overall) used the added inspira- they needed to win to stay within tion to dispose of its in-state rival reach of the top of the Big Ten. in three sets (33-31, 25-22, 26-24) "Playing in a hostile environ- while using an arsenal of hitters. ment, in an opposing gym and in Sophomore Alex Hunt led the the Big Ten - they're a good team," offensive attack with 19 kills while Rosen said. "State beat USC this Paz and senior Veronica Rood year and Illinois, so they're very added 12 and 11 in the winning legit. For us to win in three sets, effort. and two (of which were) really "Our game plan every night is tight deucegames,I'mreally proud to stay balanced," senior libero of how our kids played." 4 ARIEL BOND/Daily Senior Chris Summers wil lead the Michigan hockey team's defensive attack tonight against Niagara. i a *Ann Arbor 407 F Liberty St., (734) 669-8079 *Ann Arbor-Huron Village 3217 Washtenaw Blvd. (734) 973-2043 *Belleville 9556 Belleville Rd., (734) 697-3500 *Ypsilanti 3765 Carpenter Rd., (734) 677-0707 *Open Sunday Call a small business advisor at: (248) 538-5749 RadioShack. *ESmtsbie For information on other AT&T products call 1-800-613-9420 *AT&T imposer a Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge of up to $1.25 to help defray costs incurred in complying with obligations and charges imposed by State and Federal telecom regulations; State and Federal Universal Service charges; and surcharges for government assessments on AT&T These fees are not taxes or government-required charges. 3G not available in allareas, Coverage is not available in allareas. Seecoveragemapatstoresfor details, Limited-time offer.Otherconditions&restrictionsapply.Seecontract&rateplan brochurefordetails. Subscriber mustfive &have amailing addr.within AT&T'sowned wirelessnetwork coverage area, Upto$36activ, fee applies.Equipment price & avail may vary by mrk & may not be available from independent retailers Early Termination Fee: None i cancelled in the first 30 days, but up to $35 restocking fee may apply to equipment retuns;thereafter up to $175. Some agents impose addt tees, AT&T Promotion Card:USBConnect Mercury price before AT&T Promotion Card, DataConnect plan & with 2-year contract is S119.99. Minimum $60 DataConnect plan tequired. Allow 60 days for fulfillment, Card may be used only in the U.S. & is valid for 120 days after issuance date but is not redeemable for cash & cannot be used for cash withdrawalat ATMs or automated gasoline pumps. Card requesttmust be postmarked by 12,0/ll9 & you must be a customer for 30 consecutive days to receive card, Sales taxcalculated based on price of unactivated equipment. DataConnect plan is not unlimited & substantial charges may be incurred if included allowance is exceeded. 2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. Service provided by AT&T Mobility. All rights reserved. AT&T the A&T logo, and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.Atother marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. 6