The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
March 19, 2012 -3B
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Late explosion not enoughvs.WMU
By LIZ VUKELICH
Daily Sports Writer
DETROIT - The Michigan
hockey team endured a 48-minute
scoreless drought during Satur-
day's CCHA Championship game
against Western Michigan, a deci-
sion that the Wolverines eventu-
ally dropped, 3-2.
Michigan tried to avoid penal-
ties at all costs, but ironically, that
was where the team found its big-
gest break of the game.
"I think that game ... it's just a
reminder of how important all the
little things are in a game, wheth-
er it's a penalty, a faceoff or even a
line change," said Michigan coach
Red Berenson.
Six minutes into the third peri-
od, sophomore defenseman Jon
Merrill had a nasty knee-first col-
lision with a Bronco, sending both
players flying head-over-skates
onto the ice. The Western Michi-
gan player took several minutes to
skate off, and Merrill took a five-
minute trip to the sin bin.
The Broncos had already
scored a power-play goal that
evening, and it was bad timing for
the Wolverines, who were trailing
by three in the final frame with
one of their top penalty killers in
the box. Somehow, it became an
opportune moment for Michigan
to start to stage its comeback.
RUSSELL
From Page 1B
That's when he started to open
up and rally a 5-2 win. With a
lead, he drove Stieber's head into
the mat, riding him out to advance
to the finals, where he would face
Iowa's Montell Marion.
In a press conference before the
141-pound final, someone asked
Russell's opponent a telling ques-
tion.
"Montell, you've got one more
match tomorrow night. Does it
feel like it could be a fairy-tale
ending for your career if you were
Two minutes into the penalty,
sophomore defenseman Kevin
Clare brought the puck down the
ice, deked around the Broncos'
defense and slipped the puck past
Western Michigan goaltender
Frank Slubowski. Suddenly, the
prospect of a late-game comeback
didn't seem so lofty anymore. And
with the help of a Bronco five-
minute game misconduct two
minutes later, a Michigan win
finally seemed within reach.
"Going into the third period,
we thought we had a chance," said
senior forward Luke Glenden-
ing. "But (the power play) kind of
opened our eyes a little bit more."
And thanks to junior defense-
man Lee Moffie's one-timer just
minutes later, the Wolverines
were within striking distance.
With the deficit finally narrowed
to just one, Michigan still had
time remaining on the power play.
"Whether it's a bounce of the
puck or a goal post of a little bit of
luck (the game can go your way),"
Berenson said. "Either way, that
game could have went into over-
time and then we could have got
lucky and won just like (Friday)."
But no matter how much Mich-
igan itched for that final goal, the
puck just didn't find twine.
The Wolverines rallied as the
stanza wound down, and they
finally seemed to find the energy
AJsM GLAZMA/ M
Junior defenseman Lee Moffie scored Michigan's second toalons Saturday.
they had been missing for most of
the game. With possession in the
Broncos' zone, sophomore defen-
seman Mac Bennett had Michi-
gan's last good look of game with
three minutes left. That shot was
just inches away from propelling
Michigan into overtime. Over-
time has been kind to the Wol-
verines this year, with the squad
boasting a 6-0 record in games
decided in extra time, including a
double-overtime victory the pre-
vious night over Bowling Green.
After the game, it was obvious
that Berenson genuinely believed
that Michigan could pull through.
"I liked the way we came back
in the third period," Berenson
said. "We needed one shot, and
we had that shot, but it didn't hit
the net."
The clock ran out on the Wol-
verines on Saturday. But Michi-
gan prefers that it happens now
rather than in the NCAA Tourna-
ment.
"We were hoping for two
(goals), but that's just the way
it goes sometimes," Glendening
said. "I thought our power play
looked better tonight, and that's a
step in the right direction for the
tournament."
OHIO
From Page l B
control late in th
Bobcats maintair
for most of the r
with Michigan
24-14 overall) and
guard Trey Burk
anything going:
consistency.
But Burke fina
the ball to the bas
ity late in the se
his team trailing
remaining in th
went on a person
ting a 3-pointer
to cut the score
remained the def
few heart-poun
with the two tear
es.
At the 2:25 ma
ines had four stra
where they missr
Burke taking thre
grabbed the en
But on the final
forward Evan
Smotrycz lost
control of
the ball and
turned it over
to Ohio (28-
7) with seven
seconds left in
the game, ending
chance.
Beilein said h
Burke for taking
because he's hit t
though he wast
that it could go
Meanwhile, the
doubt in Burke's
ing the long-rang
"They wer
(screens)," Burke
men that switch
of knew that Iwa
go to the rim. All
I shot looked goo
in and out. I was
(3-pointer). ... Ev
ated separation.
"Every shot (th
good.! -st came
The Wolverin(
rably, but they w
ing catch-up be
ability to separate early on.
Cooper proved all night that he
was more than a mid major-cali-
ber player, serving notice in the
e first half. The game's opening minutes by hit-
ned that control ting a 3-pointer and following it
est of the game, with several acrobatic finishes at
(13-5 Big Ten, the rim. His leadership paced the
d freshman point Bobcat attack, allowing the team
e unable to get to get out to a game-high 13-point
on offense with lead with 2:49 left in the first half.
And when Michigan mounted
illy began taking its comeback attempts, Ohio was
ket with author- there to answer. Whether it was
cond half. With Cooper himself - who finished
57-48 with 8:35 with 21 points to lead all scorers
ie game, Burke - or whether he was dishing the
al 12-6 run, hit- ball to his teammates, the Bobcats
with 4:12 left refused to let the Wolverines get
to 63-60. That on a run until it was too late.
ficit for the next "I give a lot of credit to them,"
iding minutes, Douglass said. "I give a lot of
ms trading miss- credit to Cooper. He just came out
hot and set the tone for them....
ark, the Wolver- knocking down his free throws,
ight possessions making plays, making the right
ed a 3-pointer - passes."
ee of them - and Michigan needed only to win
suing rebound. two games it would be favored to
one, sophomore make it back to the Sweet 16 for
the first time
since 1994. It
"I give lot of had already
a won a share
credit to them." of the pro-
gram's first Big
Ten title since
1986. But like
Michigan's final so many others before them, the
Wolverines fell victim to March.
e couldn't fault All Douglass could do was stare
the 3-pointers at the clock and trudge solemnly
hem before, even to the handshake line. His and fel-
telling his team low senior Zack Novak's careers
for two points. were over, as was the season that
re wasn't any saw so much success yet won't be
mind about tak- able to rid this final heartbreak.
e shots. "It's difficult because (Dou-
re switching glass and Novak) have been the
said. "The big heart and soul of this team for
ed onto me kind four years, through so many good
s going (to try) to times and certainly some low
three shots that roads at times," Beilein said. "You
d, they just went hate to see that happen, where
looking for the they end like that, but frankly
ery time, I cre- most teams do end with a loss.
... We thought we could play for
rat) I shot looked a while, but we knew we would
out." have to play a really good game
es fought admi- today.
ere caught play- "We didn't play as well as we
cause of Ohio's had played earlier in the year."
ever able to bring it home?"
But there are no fairy tales in
wrestling.
Russell had a 3-0 record
against Marion, so he was con-
fident before the match. But it
didn't turn out exactly the way he
planned.
Though Russell posted the first
takedown, Marion retaliated and
kept the score close.
Russell aggressively drove
Marion into the mat while the
Hawkeye tried to earn an escape.
But Marion tied it up in the mid-
dle of the second period.And after
trading escapes, at the sound of
the whistle, Russell was a single
second away from a win off of rid-
ing time.
But59 seconds was not enough,
and Marion took Russell into sud-
den victory.
"He kind of caught me sleeping
a little bit when he got that take-
down," Russell said. "Going into
overtime, I knew I had the upper
hand."
Again, Russell came out on
top. He took control and brought
Marion down to the mat with 23
seconds left on the clock.
Though his first national title
was an accomplishment in and
of itself, his second-consecutive
crown was just icing on the cake.
Russell's last match as a Wol-
verine finalized his career record
at 134-12 to share the eighth
place on Michigan's all-time win-
ningest wrestlers list with Joe
Pantaleo (1985-89), Airron Rich-
ardson (1995-98) and Greg Wag-
ner (2002-06).
After the championships
ended, the Scottrade Center emp-
tied and the wrestlers parted
ways. But Russell left a two-time
national champion.
"I love watching him wrestle,"
said redshirt sophomore Eric
Grajales. "It sometimes feels like
he's planned out the entire match
beforehand."
OKLAHOMA
From Page 1B
hand. But the senior guards'
efforts weren't enough.
"It's a little bittersweet,"
Boylan said. "It was really nice
that we were able to make it to the
NCAA Tournament and have the
opportunity to play such a good
team in Oklahoma. But it stings a
little bit because it's our last game
in a Michigan uniform.
"It's obviously hard to swal-
low."
Two other Wolverines tal-
lied double digits as well. Junior
guard Kate Thompson and junior
forward Sam Arnold added 15 and
11 off the bench, respectively, on
9-of-21 shooting.
But Oklahoma's shooting was
even better. The Sooners drained
a majority of their shots and were
shootingf61 percent at one point in
the second half.
Sophomore Aaryn Ellenberg
led the charge for Oklahoma,
scoring 28 points - 21 of which
came in the second half - and the
four other Sooner starters broke
into double digits as well. Hand
finished with 13 and sophomore
Morgan Hook added 12 to Okla-
homa's 88 points - the most let up
by the Wolverines all season.
Michigan's defense is one of the
best in the Big Ten and has done
a good job shutting down some
of the better post players in the
conference. But they struggled
Sunday night with the taller, more
physical Sooner bigs.
Rebounds all but sealed the
deal for Oklahoma. The Wolver-
ines were out-rebounded, 39-30,
and offensive rebounds helped
the Sooners dominate the paint.
Oklahoma scored 23 second-
chance points, as Michigan just
couldn't stop Hand and center
Nicole Griffin.
Borseth pulled junior center
Rachel Sheffer early and often
in favor of the taller, stronger
junior center Sam Arnold, who
he believed did a better job defen-
sively against Hand and Griffin in
the paint. But once things turned
in favor of the Wolverines in the
post - Michigan outscored the
Sooners in the paint, 32-28 -
Oklahoma just started to hit shots
from longer-range. And that's
where Ellenbergstepped in.
"(Aaryn Ellenberg) is a phe-
nomenal player," Boylan said.
"She can stroke it, she can shoot
it, and she can drive it. She can do
everything. We tried our best to
defend her and stop her as best as
we could, but sometimes she got
away from us. She was feeling it
tonight."
But despite the outcome, both
Boylan and Reynolds will remem-
ber the foundation they helped
build for future Wolverine squads.
"It was great to be a part of it,
turning the program around like
we did, making it to the big dance
our senior season," Reynolds said.
"(Courtney and I) feel amazing
about that. That we were able
to turn it around, thanks to the
coach and the coaching staff that
came in and the players coming
in. It has been a great, great time
and I am just happy to be a part of
the tradition and the family that
we have created here."
WESTERN
From Page 1B
Clare, the Wolverines killed off
a five-minute penalty, and then
went on their own five-minute
power play after Slater was eject-
ed for a hit on sophomore defen-
seman Mac Bennett.
After a power-play goal on a
beautiful feed from sophomore
forward Luke Moffatt to junior
defenseman Lee Moffie, Michi-
gan found itself suddenly back in
the game.
"Just to be that close with five
minutes left or so, we though we
had legitimate chance to come
back," said senior forward Luke
Glendening.
Michigan threatened on the
remainder of the power play, but
couldn't convert, and came up
empty in the final minutes.
For much of the game, Michi-
gan struggled to create many
opportunities. Michigan's first
goal, a shorthanded tally in the
third by Clare, was due more
to an individual effort by Clare
than any offensive momentum.
The Wolverines' best early
chance came also came on the
shorthand during a power play in
the first period.
Senior forward Luke Glenden-
ing forced a turnover near the
blue line and earned a breakaway
opportunity, but goaltender
Frank Slobowski turned away
his wrister.
Last year, Western Michi-
gan dominated Michigan in the
semifinals of the CCHA Tourna-
ment en route to a 5-2 win.
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