The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 7A
Smoragiewicz brings bronze to Michigan
By NATE SELL
For the Daily
Imagine you're a two-time
state champion in the 1,600- and
3,200-meter runs, a two-time
state champion in cross country
and a bronze medalist in the tri-
athlon at the 2011 Junior Olym-
pics in Beijing - and you still
haven't graduated high school.
Meet freshman Tony Smora-
giewicz, the newest addition to
the Michigan men's cross coun-
try team.
Smoragiewicz was born in
Toledo, Ohio but grew up in
South Dakota. In high school, he
became one of the fastest runners
in the state and gained national
recognition for his performance
at big meets. It isn't hard to
believe that he quickly became
one of the most recruited high-
school runners in the nation,
something that has its ups and
downs.
"(Being recruited) was a cool
experience, but it got tiring,"
Smoragiewicz said. "During my
junior year when I had cross
country and recruiting it was
hard to go back and forth - I
was relieved to finally pick my
school."
His Midwestern roots showed
through when he chose to attend
S Michigan over a long list of pro-
grams trying to secure Smoragie-
wicz. He said he wanted to stay in
the Midwest, since that's where
he's lived his whole life.
One thing very high on Smora-
giewicz's list when deciding on
a college was the ability to con-
tinue competing in triathlons,
race at the Panorama Farms Invi-
tational in Earlysville, Va. on Sat-
urday. He finished 33rd overall
and sixth on the team with a time
of 25:24.4 for the eight-kilometer
race.
"It was awesome," Smoragie-
wicz said. "The flight down there
was nice and it was cool to have
Michigan handle everything. I
spent the weekend with a great
group of guys."
But when he stepped to the
starting line on Sept. 22, Smora-
giewicz experienced something
that he hadn't in a long time -
nerves.
"I was relieved
to finally pick
(Michigan as)
my school."
"I hadn't been nervous for
a race in a while, but I felt the
nerves coming back to me. For
once, though, I didn't feel much
pressure," Smoragiewicz said,
"I knew there weren't very high
expectations so I could just go
out and run my race.
- "(And it) felt good. From my
experiences in practice I was
hoping to finish a little higher
up on the team, but overall I felt
good about my race. It was a lit-
tle weird not to be up in the lead
group but it was a good experi-
ence."
a sport not recognized by the I have also been riding my bike schedule, Smoragiewicz's transi- adjusting from his role as a top-
NCAA. and I hope to do some training tion to college has been a smooth tier high school runner to a fresh-
"I talked to (men's cross coun- with the Triathlon Club and the one so far, he said. man in college working to move
try head coach) Alex Gibby and Cycling Club on campus." "I love it," Smoragiewicz said. up on the team. He has embraced
they were going to let me keep Smoragiewicz said he plans to "(It's) a lot more relaxed and (I the change, saying he likes hav-
training for triathlons," Smora- compete in the 2012 Triathlon have) a lot more free time that I ing teammates push him in prac-
giewicz said. "I am getting work- World Championships in Auck- can use for studying." tices.
outs from the swim coaches and land, New Zealand on Oct. 22. But for running, things are a Smoragiewicz competed in
getting in the pool a few times. And besides his busy practice little different. Smoragiewicz is his first collegiate cross-country
7
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WOMEN'S SOCCER
Back line displays its dominance
By STEVEN BRAID possess the best defense of them five straight shutouts and have a steady presence in net for th
Daily Sports Writer all. Through 11 games, the Wok' boosted their possession rates Wolverines, but accordingt
verines have allowed just four from 2011. During their shutout Ryan, she has taken her gam
The Michigan women's soc- goals and are on pace to give up streak, the Wolverines blanked to a new level. She credits h
cer teamhas played good defense a meager seven scores by the end Minnesota and Golden Gopher enhanced performances t
before. But it's never been this of the regular season. sophomore standout Taylor Uhl, improved fitness.
good. Their .361 goals-against aver- 1-0. Uhl entered the matchup as "I play in the summer - I'
The 22nd-ranked Wolverines age places them fifth nationally the nation's second-leading scor- always done that - but I thir
extended their shutout streak and their.727shutout percentage er with 11goals. this summer especially, I worke
to five games, a program record, ranks fourth. "It's no coincidence," Ryan a lot on my fitness," Kopmey(
with a 3-0 victory over then-No. "I think, honestly, one of the said. "Having (Zadorsky) back said. "Outside of soccer I g
14 Wisconsin, and are quickly big changes this year is having has made a big and immediate really into just running a lot an
becoming one of the nation'sbest Holly in the back," Kopmeyer impact on our team." working on getting myself int
defensive squads. As a result, said. "She complements Shelina That ability to control the ball the best shape of my life."
Michigan is ranked in the top-25 so well, and it's really important for longer possessions has eased But what might be mo
for the firsttime since 2005. to have centerbacks that are lead- the burden on Kopmeyer, who is impressive about the back lin
The defense is headlined by ers that are vocal, that are ball on pace to see the least amount this season is that it has given
fifth-year senior goaltender winners, that are soccer-savvy of shots on goal in a season dur- boost to the offense. Zadorsk
Haley Kopmeyer and a back (and) that don't make mistakes. ing her collegiate career. Last and Hein have both scored goal
line that consists of redshirt They mesh so well together and year, she saw 138 shots. This fall, and Mannino and Sosenko have
junior Holly Hein, junior Shelina have really taken this defense to though she broke the all-time combined for five assists.
Zadorsky, junior Kayla Mannino a new level." program record for saves, Kop- "Kayla Mannino was a fo
and sophomore Chloe Sosenko. Hein, who is playing her first meyer has seen just 43 shots and ward in club soccer, Chloe Soser
"The personnel at the back full season as a defender, has has benefited mightily from the ko was a center-mid, Holly He
has just been really strong," taken on a substantial leader- decreased workload. was a striker and Shelina was
said Michigan coach Greg Ryan. ship role. While Zadorsky was in Kopmeyer's .907 save percent- left-wing midfielder growing u
"Haley and the back four have Japan competing for the Cana- age ranks sixth in the nation and so they are all very comfortab
just been stellar. Their decisions dian national team during the she has already matched her with the ball because they ha'
are great and their positioning under-20 women's World Cup in season high with six shutouts. played in other attacking pos
has been great." late August and early September, She also had a hand in two other tions," Ryan said.
Ever since Ryan took the helm Hein won a Big Ten defensive shutouts-the team's eightblank Though the defense isn't su
of the program in 2008, he has player of the week award and slates lead the nation. prised by the efficient perfo
helped revamp the defense. Since helped integrate freshman Syd- "I know Haley doesn't like to mances of late, it does apprecia
the 2008 season when the team ney Raguse and Sosenko, who talk about numbers or stats, but the magnitude of the shutot
allowed 32 goals, the Wolverines played as a midfielder last season, they do speak to how well she streak.
have improved steadily over the into the defensive rotation. has been playing and attest to all "We've put in alot of work o
past few years, allowing 27 goals With Zadorsky back in the the hard work she's put in gnd I our defense this season and iti
in 2009, a program-record 18 in lineup, the defense has been think it definitely shows," Man- just nice to see the results con
2010 and 23 last season. nothing short of dominant. They nino said. ing from all that hard work
But the 2012 version might have recorded a program-record Kopmeyer has always been Mannino said.
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MEN'S SOCCER
Coulson leaves 'M'
to return to Britain
By NEAL ROTHSCHILD
Daily Sports Editor
One of the Michigan men's
soccer team's most recent arriv-
als is now its most recent depar-
ture.
Freshman midfielder Luke
Coulson has left the Wolverines
to pursue a professional career.
in his native England. The team
said Tuesday that the Manches-
ter native would sign with a Pre-
miership team Tuesday.
From the minute he stepped
off the plane in August, Coulson
made an immediate impact for
the Wolverines. He started each
of the team's first six games and
notched a goal in Michigan's sec-
ond game of the season, a 3-0 win
over Vermont. Coulson also tal-
lied two assists.
His' last game was Sept. 16,
a 1-0 loss to Notre Dame, as he
didn't accompany the Wolverines
on Sunday's trip to Northwest-
ern.
Michigan coach Chaka Daley
had been starting two freshmen
this fall - Coulson and fellow
Brit, freshman forward James
Murphy - and may have to call
on another underclassman to
take Coulson's place.
"Luke leaving the squad is
obviously an obstacle that we will
have to overcome," Daley said.
"But it is a challenge we are able
and willing to meet heading into
the heart of the Big Ten season.
We have others capable of mak-
ing an impact on this team, and
they will have to step up."
The Wolverines (0-1 Big Ten,
2-5 overall) have struggled out of
the gate in Daley's first season at
the helm, though they've stayed
competitive with some of the top
teams in the country. Coulson's
departure will test Michigan's
depth and Daley may have to put
starters out of position to com-
pensate.
Coulson had spent the past 10
years playing for the Manchester
City Youth Academy. The squad
serves as a development team
for its Premier League affiliate.
The schedule consists of games
against the youth teams of other-
teams in the Premiership. His
ties to Manchester City could
make the Blues most likely to
land the 18-year old.
"Luke is an ambitious young
man, and we wish him the best
in his endeavors as a professional
footballer in England," Daley said.
Daily Sports Editor Matt Slovin
contributed to this report.
THE HEALTH CARE DECISION:
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THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
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