0 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Tuesday, September 18, 2012 - 7

0 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Tuesday, September 18, 2012 - 7

Wouters making
up for time lost at
Euro tournament

Midfielder missed
four Michigan
games playing for
Belgian nat'l team
By DANIEL FELDMAN
Daily Sports Writer
As the No. 16 Michigan field
hockey team took on No. 23 Fair-
field on Sunday, a group from
the Michigan men's gymnastics
team, including recent Olympi-
ans Syque Caesar and Sam Miku-
lak, watched from the stands.
At halftime, a number of spec-
tators gathered around the pair
asking for photos. Little did they
know, another athlete who com-
peted on the international stage
this summer was playing right in
front of them.
That was sophomore midfield-
er Axelle Wouters.
Wouters played for the under-
21 Belgian national team at the
Junior European Champion-
ships over the

said. "I was a little tired fromthe
European championship."
Wouters' jetlag has vanished
over the weekend, though, as she
scored all three of her goals on
just three shots - allowing her to
move from last to fourth place on
the team in points for the season.
"She brings a lot savvy and
smart play," Pankratz said. "It
helps the younger kids be in the
right position."
YOUNG GUNS PROVIDING
SPARK: With a combined 19 first-
and second-year players on its
roster, Michigan is searching left
and right for players to fill voids.
Two such players - redshirt
sophomore Leslie Smith and
freshman Aisling Naughton -
have stepped in already.
Smith, through eight games,
has three goals and four assists,
which puts her in second on the
team in points with 10.
Not far behind with seven
points is Naughton, who added
her third goal of the season on
Sunday.
"They're keeping up with
the pace of

Senior quarterback Denard Robinson runs in a touchdown off a fumble in the second half of Michigan's 35-31 victory over Notre Dame last September.
Michigan prepares for Notre
Daime as rivalry week arriv es

Wo
Sot
thr
St

lverines head to ings between the Wolverines and
Fighting Irish has produced an
uth Bend riding instant classic, with Michigan
coming from behind in the final
ee-year winning moments each time.
In 2009, former Michi-
treak vs. Irish gan quarterback Tate Forcier
marched the Wolverines down
By LUKE PASCH the field in the fourth quarter and
Daily Sports Editor hit wide receiver Greg Matthews
on the goal line with 1t seconds

first-ever night
gan was down 2
fourth quarter.
fought back, and
30 seconds on th
length of the field
Wolverines dow
hit wide receiver
on the right edge
withtwo seconds
Michigan won
and fans and pl
in the Big Hou

By halftime on Saturday
against Massachusetts, about
half of the Michigan football stu-
dent section'had already cleared
out of the Big House. Withthe
Wolverines up 42-13, the game
was under control, and the crowd
got bored.
It appeared that the fans were
already looking ahead to this
week, with a primetime matchup
at Notre Dame looming.
"It's exciting," said redshirt
junior left tackle Taylor Lewan.
"Michigan's big three rivalries -
Michigan State, Ohio State and,
of course, Notre Dame - you look
forward to games like this. You
do extra reps in the weight room
because of this.
"There's a reason why you
come to Michigan - it's to be on
big stages like this, and I'm excit-
ed."
Each of the past three meet-

on the clock for a 38-34 victory at
the Big House.

The next
season, then-
sophomoe'
quarterback
Denard Rob-
inson had
taken over the
reigns of the
offense, and he
accounted for
502 of Michi-
gan's 532 yards
of total offense

"You do extra
reps in the
weight room
because of this."

game. Michi- "I would say just how our
4-7 entering the team on the sideline was great
But Robinson throughout the game - commu-
I with just over nicating, believing in each other,
te clock and the all those things," said Michigan
Ito go, he led the coach Brady Hoke.
n the field and But still, he remembers the bad
Roy Roundtree a bit more vividly.
of the end zone "Well, you know, they obvious-
left in the game. ly have some answers (for Robin-
the game, 35-31, son)," Hoke said.
ayers celebrated "They had some answers the
se for the next first three quarters of last year
hour. But some because we didn't do anything,
of the play- if you will remember, offensive-
ers remember ly, and didn't play really great
other aspects defense."
of that game. One year removed from the
"The first "Under the Lights" game, some
three quarters new players will be able to play
of last year, we in the rivalry game and add new
played awful," wrinkles to the series. Junior
Lewan said. Devin Gardner, who has recently
"We can't made the move from quarterback
come out like to wide receiver, will likely play
that - this is a significant role in the series for
we're a differ- the first time.
really focused He's more excited than he his
ht now. I'm hop- nervous for the big stage.
e new memories "We're getting prepared this
week, going to be a lot of crowd
y still remember noise in practice," Gardner said.
itive aspects of "I'm sure Coach Hoke is going to
Monday's press dial that up. I just can't wait to get
stayed relatively prepared for these guys and get a
chance to play."

The com-
mitment
caused Wout-
ers to miss the
Wolverines'
first four reg-
ular-season
games, putting
her behind in
game prepara-
tion compared
to her teammate:
"She came
tournaments wi
and jumped into
Michigan coac
kratz.
Wouters also
to starting schoo
to become famil
new freshman te
"(It was a) t
that she handled
said. "She's settle
The best ex
smooth transitio
weekend, whens
goals, including
against Fairfield
"She's really
started great,"s
ward Rachael M
what she is doing
But this wasn'
first two games b
for the Wolverin
"The first tw
really hard for

the game and
learning every-
"(It was a) day in prac-
tice," Mack
tough transition said.
TAKING
that she handled ONE FOR THE
TEAM: Besides
well. underclassmen
providing an
offensive boost
for the Wolver-
s. ines, some are also playing out
straight from of position for the better of the
thout any sleep team.
practice," said Freshman Shannon Scavelli,
h Marcia Pan- who has transitioned from for-
ward, is now effectively-a mid-
had to readjust fi lde.
D1 again and had Scavelli, a high school All-
liar with her 11 American first-team member,
ammates. scored 48 goals and tallied 25
ough transition assists her senior year on the
well," Pankratz way to helping Lakeland Shrub
ed in real well." Oak High School in Yorktown
eample of her Heights, N.Y. win the class B
n came this past state championship last year.
she scored three "(She) was an unbelievable
two on Sunday goal scorer in high school and we
have her in the midfield mostly
come back and right now," Pankratz said.
said junior for- Though she is a different posi-
ack. "She knows tion than she is used to, that
g out there." hasn't stopped Scavelli from con-
t the case in her tributing on offense as she has
Sack on the pitch registered a goal and two assists
es, this season. this season, including the game-
eo games were winning assist against then No.
me," Wouters 21 Albany on Sept. 7.

in a downright legendary perfor-
mance. With 27 seconds remain-
ing, he rushed into the end zone
from two yards out, and the Wol-
verines left South Bend, Ind. vic-
torious, 28-24.
Despite the miraculous nature
of those two finishes, they don't
hold a candle to last season's
meeting in Michigan Stadium's

a different team
ent team. So I'n
on this game rigi
ing to make some
from this game."
Of course, the:
some of the pos
the game, but at
conference, they!
reserved.

Receiving corps proves deeper than anticipated

By BEN ESTES
Daily Sports Editor
In passing for 294 yards against
Massachusetts on Saturday, senior
quarterback Denard Robinson did
more than just produce in terms of
sheer volume.
He also spread the ball around
as well as he has at any point in his
career, with nine different play-
ers catching passes throughout
the game. It matched the highest
total of different receivers that
Robinson has hit in a single game
since he began playinginoffensive
coordinator Al Borges' hybrid pro
style system last season.
Part of that progress can be
explained by Michigan's oppo-
nent - the Minutemen don't have
the strongest of defenses, allowing
the Wolverines to use more receiv-
ers than perhaps they would have
against a more formidable oppo-
nent.
But after three games, it nev-
ertheless seems that Michigan
might have more options in the
passing game than it thought it did
going into the season.
"You know, the one thing(from)
last week is I think (wide receiver
is) probably one of the better posi-
tions on our team from a depth
standpoint," said Michigan coach
Brady Hoke on Monday.
Wide receiver was a position
of some concern after Junior
Hemingway and Martavious
Odoms graduated and Darryl Sto-

Junior wide receiver Devin Gardner, a converted quarterback, is Michigan's No.1 receiver through three weeks.

know that we can do it, we need to
keep doing it, even when we play
against the Notre Dames and all of
the other big teams."
Just what is the problem for
Michigan's big uglies? Technique
- which is often the first word
out of Hoke's mouth, when talking
about all of the team's positions -
is part of it.
But offensive line is also the
most physical position in a very
physical sport. That's what Lewan
is looking at.
"Technique will get you to the
spot you need to go to, and then
you have to be aggressive," Lewan
said. "You have to be physical. You
got to play angry, a little nasty. I
think our offensive line needs to
do that a little more."
BLOCKING IT OUT: The transi-
tion to wide receiver has been a
relatively easy one for Gardner.
There are still some areas the
junior is working on, though,
especially blocking. Hoke lauded
Gardner's efforts as he tries to
improve that aspect of his game,
but also noted that it's something
he never had to do before.
And if Gardner has his way, it's
something he won't have to do in
the future if he eventually returns
to quarterback, as he says he
wants to do.
"I don't feel like I'm ever going
to be a person that loves to block,"
Gardner said with a laugh. "That
comes with the position. I don't
think I'll ever love that."

num was dismissed from the team
after repeated legal offenses.
But junior Devin Gardner's
move from quarterback to wideout
has helped ease those concerns.
The Detroit native is the team's
leading receiver, with 155 yards,
and three of his eight catches have
been for touchdowns - his height
and athleticism have made him a
welcome target for Robinson.
Meanwhile, redshirt junior Jer-
emy Gallon has continued to be a
solid option despite his diminutive
frame. And freshman tight end
Devin Funchess is emerging as
one of the more dynamic threats
that Michigan has had at the posi-
tion in years, averaging just over

23 yards per catch in his first two
career games.
And Robinson has shown an
improved ability to find all those
targets. He seems to be making
better reads, and he's also throw-
ing with greater accuracy.
"I think this summer, the things
he did made a huge difference,"
said redshirt junior offensive
tackle Taylor Lewan. "The way he
was playing and just being more
into his craft, and making better
decisions and working on timing
with the receivers every Saturday.
Every chance he got, he called the
receivers up to do that."
Take Robinson's improvements
and add in the emergence of sev-

eral new threats, as well as the
steady play of some veterans, and
it amounts to a pleasant surprise
for the Wolverines when it comes
to their passing game.
ANGER MANAGEMENT: The
dissatisfaction with Michigan's
offensive line through the first
three games has been made very
clear, both by Hoke and the line-
men themselves.
For his part, Lewan said Mon-
day that he saw some improve-
ment against Massachusetts, but
repeated the familiar mantra
about needing to improve.
"I think as an offensive line,
we needed to see that we could do
it," Lewan said. "And now that we

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