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The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Friday, October 21, 2011 -- 7A

Berenson's freshmen face first road challenge in Marquette

Unbeaten Michigan
carries nation's
top ranking into
conference opener
By LIZ VUKELICH
Daily Sports Writer
The freshmen on the No. 1
Michigan hockey team have
been spoiled.
For the first
four games of Michigan
their Michigan at NMU
careers, they've
played in the Matchup:
friendly con- Michigan
fines of Yost Ice 4-0; Northern
Arena - one of
the most inhos- When: Friday
pitable college 7:35 P.M.
hockey environ- Where: Berry
ments - with Events Center
the home-ice Live Blog:
advantage. michigandaily.
So when the corn/sports
Wolverines
(4-0) travel to Marquette to face
Northern Michigan (3-1) this
weekend for its first conference
series, there's going to be a little
bit of a culture shock.
"It's not friendly when you're
playing at another team's build-
ing," said Michigan coach Red
Berenson. "You have to go in
there with some resolve (and)
really play the way you would at
home."

The
proven
at home
verines
road te
eight p
experie
"Earl
teams
home,"
some of
a little s
Nortl
student
the Puc
the stag
Mich
Glender
"T
fan
the
fo
the Puc
ruthles
- Mic
section
may pr
inexper
"It's
play,"
more tl
harder
can con

freshmen have already will be alright."
they can hold their own Berenson thinks the environ-
e. Berenson said the Wol- ment will be fine, and he looks
are typically a "good to capitalize on one of the few
am," but there are still advantages given to the visiting
'layers who have yet to team - time to focus.
nce life away from Yost. The Wolverines flew up to
ly in the season, all these Marquette yesterday afternoon,
are going to be good at and for once will have all of Fri-
Berenson said. "(For) day to prepare.
f these kids, there may be Instead of the players attend-
tage fright." ing classes and taking exams in
hern Michigan's vicious the hours before the weekend
section, also known as kicks off, they will use the time
ckheads, won't help ease to get acclimated to the ice at the
,e fright. Berry Events Center.
igan senior captain Luke The Wolverines suffered from
ning admits that though Friday-night slumps last season,
so the extra time is much appre-
ciated.
Michigan will take time to
he more the adjust to Northern Michigan's
e .t Olympic-sized rink.
is get into t, Upperclassmen will room
harder it S . with the freshmen to settle
The coaches and equipment
)r all of us. staff will keep everything as
routine as possible, and multiple
team meetings throughout the
day ensure that everyone is on
kheads are not nearly as the same page.
s as the Children of Yost But there's one aspect of play-
higan's hockey student ing at home that the Wolverines
at Yost Ice Arena - they can't bring with them - some-
ove intimidating for the thing they've relied on since the
ienced freshmen. start of the season.
fun, it's a great place to The Yost student section's
Glendening said. "The energy has propelled the team
he fans get into it, the during its four-game homes-
it is for all of us, but if we tand.
ne out to a good start, it Michigan has scored in

JED MOCH/Daily
Michigan freshman forward Phil Di Giuseppe has scored three goals and collected five points in four games in Ann Arbor.
bunches in every game this sea- The Children of Yost can make gest challenge that the Wolver-
son. Rapid successions of goals or break a game. ines will have to face.
have brought the Wolverines So if Michigan finds itself "(Momentum) has to come
back from mid-game slumps. trailing the Wildcats this week- from us," Glendening said. "The
Scoring has become contagious. end, it's going to have to create a puck's not guaranteed to go in.
And the team knows they have little magic of its own to propel "A good play, a good defensive
the student section to thank for itself forward. battle, little stuff like that can
that. And that is perhaps the big- pick up ateam."

STAFF PICKS

The Daily football writers do their best
to predict, against the spread, what
happens in the 2011 football season.

Michael
Florek


No.ILSU (-21)vs No. 19 Auburn
No.2 Alabama (-27.5) vs. Tennessee
No.3 Oklahoma (-25.5) vs..Texas Tech
No.4 Wisconsin (-7) ut No. 15 Michigan State
No.5 Boise State (-29.5)vso. Alr Force
No. 6 Oklahoma State (-7.5) at Missouri
No.7 Stanford (-20) vs. No. 22 Washington
No.8 Clemson (-11) vs. North Carolina
No.9 Oregon (-32.5) at Colorado
No. 10 Arkansas (-14.5) at Ole Miss
No. 11 West Viginia-t3.5) at Syracuse
Nos. 12 Kansas State -15) at Kansas
No. 13 Nebraska (-26.5)at Minnesota
No. 16 Virginia Tech (-21.5) vs. Boston College
No. 17 Texas A&M (-17.5) at Iowa State
No. 20 Georgia Tech at Miami (Fla.) (-3)
No. 21 Houston -16) o. Marshall
No23 I )linois(6)atPudue
PenswState (-3) at Ndrthwestern
Iowa (-21.5)ovs. India
Overall

Auburn
Tennessee
Oklahoma
Wisconsin
Bois State
Oklahoma State,
Stanford
Clemson
Oregon
Arkansas
West Virginia
Kansas State
Nebraska
Virginia Tech
Texas A&M
Georgia Tech
Houston
Illinois
Penn State
48-72-3

Alabama
Oklahoma
Boise State
Oklahoma State
Stanford
Clemson
Oregon
Arkansas
WestVirginia
Kansas State
Nebraska
Virginia Tech
Texas A&M
Georgia Tech
Houston,
Illinois
Penn State
104-66-3

Kevin
Raftery
Louisiana State
Alabama
TexasTech
Wisconsin
Boise State
Oklahoma State
Washington
Clemson
Oregon
Ole Miss
West Virginia
Kansas Sare
Nebraska
Virginia Tech
Texas A&M
Georgia Tech
Houston
Illinois
Northmestern
owa-

Tim
Rohan
Auburn
Alabama
Oklahoma
Wiscons in
Boise State
Oklahoma State
Stanford
Clemson
Oregon
Arkansas
Westnirginia
Kansas State
Nebraska
Virginia Tech
Texas A&M
Georgia Tech
Houston
Northwestern
108-62-3

Alabama
Oklahoma
Wisconrsin
BoieState
Oklahoma State
Stanford
Clemson
Oregon
Arkansas
West Virginia
Kansas State
Nekraska
Virginia Tech
Iowa State
Miami
Houston
Illinois
Nothestmr
67-39-1

Wolverines work to fill Veronica Hicks's spot

By MICHAEL LAURILA
Daily Sports Writer
When guard Veronica Hicks
graduated last season, the Mich-
igan women's basketball team
lost more than its leading scorer.
As the Wolverines' lone
senior, Hicks was a vocal leader
on and off the court. She also led
the team in total rebounds for
the season.
"I don't think necessarily one
person can sit there and say, 'I'm
going to take Veronica Hicks's
spot' because she did so much
on the floor," said senior guard
Courtney Boylan at Michigan
Media Day last week.
For her prolific performance
last season, Hicks was named
team MVP at the postseason
banquet.
But the Wolverines have a
returning group of players who
hope to make up for any talent
lost with Hicks.
"Veronica was a great player,
but we have been practicing a lot
without her," said junior forward
Rachel Scheffer. "We all just
need to take it upon ourselves to
replace her individually and rely
on each other."
Scheffer averaged 11 points
per game, just a hair fewer than
Hicks's 11.2 average, and sopho-
more Jenny Ryan tallied 151
rebounds - just 13 fewer than
Hicks. Scheffer and Ryan are
two of four returning starters
who will lead Michigan this sea-

son.
Joining them are junior for-
ward Nya Jordan and senior
guard/forward Carmen Reyn-
olds. Jordan started the first 13
games but suffered a season-
ending knee injury and Reynolds
started all 30 games last season.
As upperclassmen, both players
will have leadership roles.
Along with the returning
players, Michigan also welcomes
four new freshmen. Two of them
- guard Brenae Harris and for-
ward Cyesha Goree - could have
an immediate impact.
"With the freshmen com-
ing in everyone has their areas
to piece together with what we
miss from losing Veronica," said
senior guard Jamillya Hardley.
"I think if we work together and
keep that team cohesiveness, we
can definitely make up for what
was lost."
Goree is predominantly a
post player, and Harris excels at
guard. Both were top recruits
who signed in November of last
year.
"In my opinion, Cyesha Goree
is going to be a really good play-
er," Michigan coach Kevin Bors-
eth said. "If you need a tight end
or some hands that's going to
catch it, throw it to Cyesha. What
a phenomenal set of hands."
After receiving the letters of
intent, Borseth noted Harris's
versatility.
"She can get to the rim, dis-
tribute or knock down the arc

omH0~kw

TODD NEEDLE/Daily
Senior point guard Courtney Boylan has an increased leadership role in 2011.

shot," Borseth said in November
2010 when Harris committed.
"She's probably alot like a Veron-
ica Hicks type of a player, and
since Veronica will be graduat-
ing after this year, Brenae (Har-
ris) will have some big shoes to
fill, and we are glad she'll be here
to do so."
As a guard, Harris will be
able to study under the likes of
Boylan, Ryan and Reynolds.
Borseth runs a simple yet flex-
ible offense that should allow the
freshmen to catch on quickly.
He utilizes the ball-screen on
offense to give his players open
shots, and by spreading the

floor, he allows all five players to
rebound.
"The great thing about coach
Borseth's system is he just allows
you to play," Boylan said. "He
wants to putyou in positions that
will keep you spaced on the floor,
but what's great aboutit is there's
not really set plays, and he allows
you to play the game that you've
always played."
With Hicks gone this year, the
four returning starters will give
the Wolverines a solid base.
"I think we're a team - in
every sense of the word - with-
out asuperstar, waitingfor some-
one to emerge," Borseth said.