The Michigan Daily michigandailycom October1, 2012

Brown's midfield
blast buries OSU

Ezurike finishes it in 20T

By JEREMY SUMMITT
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan Ultras stormed
the field Sunday night after
Michigan eked out a final-min-
ute overtime victory over Ohio
State.
Freshman defender Jack
Roberts launched a 60-yard
free kick into the net through
the shielded hands of Ohio State
goalie Alex Ivanov to secure a
3-2 victory for the Wolverines.

After a similar heartbreak-
ing loss in Columbus last year,
Michigan (1-1 Big Ten, 3-5
overall) managed to get some
revenge on the Buckeyes (0-2,
4-6-1), as both squads were still
searching for their first confer-
ence win and hoping to move a
step closer to the .500 mark.
Just like any other rival-
ry game between these two
schools, the match inevitably
started as a physical battle with
See BROWN, Page 3B

By ALEJANDRO ZiNIGA
Daily Sports Writer
After missing opportunity
after opportunity, the No. 22
Michigan women's soccer team
found the back of the net when it
mattered most Sunday.
Less than a minute into the
second overtime period, junior
forward Nkem Ezurike buried a
short-range shot, propelling the
Wolverines (4-0-1 Big Ten, 10-2-
1 overall) over Nebraska, 2-1.
Ten minutes away from con-
secutive disappointing ties at

home, Ezurike's golden goal won
the game for Michigan. Chas-
ing a long ball into the Corn-
huskers' 18-yard box, the junior
overpowered Nebraska defender
Maritza Hayes and stripped her
of the ball. Taking a quick look
at net, Ezurike fired the ball past
the charging goalkeeper for her
sixth goal of the season.
"It wasn't an easy win,"
Ezurike said. "(The goal) means
a lot."
The victory helped Michigan
maintain sole possession of sec-
ond place in the Big Ten, behind

No. 8 Penn State (5-0, 10-2-0).
Sophomore defender Chloe
Sosensko's goal put Michigan
on the board in the 72nd minute.
Pushing up for acorner kick; she
fired a shot past Nebraska goal-
keeper Emma Stevens. The ball
screamed untouched past a maze
of legs before finding the back of
the net to give Michigan a 1-0
advantage.
But that lead didn't last long.
Just 41 seconds later, Nebraska
forward Mayme Conroy did
what few have done against
Michigan this year - score.

Unmarked in the six-yard
box, Conroy headed a rebound
past fifth-year senior netminder
Haley Kopmeyer, pulling the
Cornhuskers even. The goal was
the first surrendered by Kopr
meyer and the Wolverines in
more than 632 consecutive min-
utes of play, and only the second
allowed at home all season.
Early on, Nebraska dictated
the pace at the U-M Soccer Com-
plex. The Cornhuskers exploited
holes in the Michigan defense,
forcing Kopmeyer into -action.
See EZURIKE, Page 3B

ICE HOCKEY
Open house shows
off Yost renovations

FILE PHOTO/Daily
Junior Connor Jaeger and the Wolverines coasted past Wisconsin in the pool on Friday.
Michigan speeds past Badgers

By LIZ VUKELICH
Daily Sports Writer
For years the Michigan hock-
ey team and its fans have prided
themselves on calling Yost Ice
Arena - considered by some to be
the toughest environment in col-
lege hockey - its home.
When the third-ranked Wol-
verines face off against Windsor
in an exhibition game on Oct. 9,
they'll still be playing in Field-
ing Yost's old barn. But this time
around, they'll be on a new rink,
surrounded by new bleachers,
boxes and concourses.
Yost's face-lift is part of the
Athletic Department's planned
$250-million renovations to
South Campus and the Univer-
sity's athletic facilities. A large
scoreboard made its debut at the
beginning of the Wolverines'
2011-12 campaign. The remain-
der of the renovations didn't start
until after the conclusion of the
season last spring, and the chang-
es finally finished this past week
when the new ice was laid down.
On Sunday afternoon, an open
house hosted by the Athletic

Department afforded the public
its first look at the new Yost. Sea-
son ticket holders had the oppor-
tunity to pick up their tickets and
view the extended concourses
while meandering through the
luxury boxes at the upper levels
of the arena.
But the mostnoticeable change
comes from the addition of win-
dows at the north and south end
of the arena. The windows were
added to allow more natural light
into the arena and to create a
more welcoming atmosphere for
fans, according to the Athletic
Department. Whereas the stands
felt boxed-in before, the windows
and light create a more airy sense
of space for the spectators. Addi-
tional improvements include new
bleachers, an enhanced audio sys-
tem and a new press box.
When Michigan coach Red
Berenson announced his three-
year contract extension in July,
he cited Yost's renovations as
part of his incentive to continue
coaching. This is the fourth reno-
vation the arena has undergone
with Berenson at the helm of the
hockey program.

By ISABELLA ACHENBACH
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan men's swim-
ming and diving team contin-
ued its season-opening duals
winning streak on Saturday
when it
beat Wis- WISCONSIN 115.5
consin, MICHIGAN 172.5
172.5-
115.5, at Canham Natatorium.

The Wolverines have now won
44 of their last 45 openers.
Michigan got on top early,
placing first and second in the
opening 200-meter heat. From
that point on, the Wolverines
kept the lead throughout the
length of the event.
The freestyle events proved
to be the strength of the team,
with each final finishing with
a Wolverine swimmer in first

and second place - and often in
third and fourth to sweep the
heat. The men's 100-meter free-
style and 200-meter individual
medley ended with Michigan
swimmers claiming every top-
four position.
The 1,000-meter freestyle
belonged to junior Connor Jae-
ger.
From the stands, Jaeger
might look like every other

swimmer. With a closer look,
the black Olympic ring tat-
too is just barely visible across
his left shoulder blade. Jae-
ger returned from London in
August after placing sixth in
the 1,500-meter freestyle final.
Now he's back in the water,
and back with the Maize and
Blue.
"Coming back and swim-
See BADGERS, Page 3B


BRANDING THE'M'
It's been a while, but Managing Sports
Editor Stephen J. Nesbitt thinks Michigan
is "cool" once again. Page 2B

MAKING A SPLASH
With a new coach and 10 freshmen,
the Michigan women's swimming team
dispatched Wisconsin. Page 2B