The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Friday, February 15, 2013 - 7

A chance to end a five-
year streak vs. Spartans

Michigan has lost
20 of previous
21 games against
Michigan State
By ALEXA DETTELBACH
Daily Sports Writer
And just like that, the Wolver-
ines are back on track.
The Michigan women's basket-
ball team got off to its best start in
program history this-season. But
after starting 4-0 in conference
play, things began to falter and
the Wolverines
(7-4 Big Ten, Michigan
18-6 overall)
lost four of five VS. MSU
games. Matchup:
A bounce- Michigan 18-6;
back 72-69 win MSU19-5
last Thursday When: Satur-
against Illi- day 12 P.M.
nois was huge, Where: Crisler
but Michigan's Center
67-56 win on
Sunday at then- TV/Radio:
No. 13 Purdue Big Ten Net-
was even bigger. work
"People don't
come in here and win at Purdue,"
said Michigan coach Kim Barnes
Arico then. "For us to be able to
come in here and do that, espe-
cially after beating Illinois, and
follow it up with this win, it says a
lot about our program and where
we are now."
Senior forward Kate Thomp-
son led the way and finally busted
out of a long shooting slump, hit-

ting six 3-pointers against the
Boilermakers. She now has the
program record for 3-pointers in
a season with 91. The Wolverines'
win over Purdue was their first
victory over a ranked opponent
this season, and it has given them
a lot of confidence.
But now it's time for Michigan
to face Michigan State (7-4, 19-5).
Again. Only 12 days have passed
since these two teams squared
off in East Lansing, and yet, this
Michigan squad is very different.
"We just got back to playing
together more as a unit," Thomp-
son said. "We have to bring that
(intensity) against (the Spat-
tans)."
Added senior forward Nya Jor-
dan: "We just need be to ready to
play. I think our last Michigan
State game we weren't ready to
play, so if we can use the same
energy we had in (the Purdue)
game and carry it over to the
Michigan State game, we'll defi-
nitely win thatgame."
Last time these two teams
met, the Wolverines were held to
32.1-percent shooting and went
just 3-for-20 from beyond the arc.
Jordan was the lone bright spot
for Michigan, recording a dou-
ble-double with 12 points and 10
rebounds.
The same five starters.for the
Wolverines will be on the floor as
last time, but this time, Michigan
hopes the 3-pointers will fall for
Thompson. The plan says senior
guard Jenny Ryan will make
the extra pass, and senior center
Rachel Sheffer will hit the low
post shots.

It's been five years since the
Wolverines have topped the Spar-
tans in Ann Arbor, and they have
dropped 20 of their last 21 con-
tests against them.
"We always talk about playing
with emotion, but not emotion-
ally," Barnes Arico said. "Some-
times against Michigan State I
think we get caught up a little
bit. We've got to make sure we've
not looking at the front of their
jerseys and just make sure we're
looking to improve on the last two
games and be prepared for Satur-
day."
In a season filled of program
bests, it's the perfect opportunity
for Michigan to add some heat to
a rivalry that has been very one-
sided. The Wolverines are coming
off their longest break this sea-
son, having last played six days
ago. Meanwhile, 'the Spartans
played Indiana on Wednesday.
"Michigan State is just a very
talented team," Thompson said.
"They play good defense, and
offensively, they have so many
threats. It's going to be huge to
come out strong against them."
Junior guard Klarissa Bell,
who averages 1L8 points and six
rebounds per game, leads the
Spartans. After Bell, Michigan
State does not have any other
double-digit scorers, but it has six
players that average more than
seven points each.
"(This) is going to be a huge
game for us," Thompson said.
"We really need to take (this) one.
It's going to be at home, so it's
going to be good to play in front of
our home crowd again."

Freshman goalie Jared Rutledge is still one of a handful of Wolverines, four now, in contention for She starting job.
For ', goalie is stil
toughest question'

Berenson prefers
one goalie for CCHA
Tournament but no
one has emerged
By MATT SLOVIN
ManagingSports Editor
Despite all the soft goals the
Michigan hockey team's net-
minders have allowed this sea-
son, coach Red Berenson has
kept up hope that one would
emerge as his go-to guy.
Berenson's always been a
one-goalie coach and he knows
that the constant uncertain-
ty surrounding the position
doesn't help.
"That's been the difficulty
all year, getting a consistent
go-to goalie, and it's hard for
the goalies," Berenson said.
"They could easily make the
point that, 'I'm just getting a
few games under my belt, and
they pull me.' But I want to see
a goalie that gives us a chance
to win and I'll play him every
night. That's been our history
here, but we haven't had that
goalie this year."
With four games remaining
before the CCHA playoffs, and
with desperation having set in
months ago, Berenson seems
ready to use the opportunity
to give his fourth goalie a shot
- redshirt sophomore Luke
Dwyer.
"Dwyer is in the picture
now," Berenson said. "He
would've been in the picture a

month
had he
bone."
Dwy
Novem
footbal
The
played
Huron
ing out
Huron,
roster,
been a
sity, an
Duri
Dwyer
Michig
all. But
he wou
at the I
ha(
t
"He
goalie
Berens
good st
The
in nee(
Berens
one.
"I io
him if
son sai
to."
Bere
any pr
ice, an

ago or two months ago hasn't played a game of orga-
not broken his collar- nized hockey in three years.
But with the goalie situation
'er was injured in showing no signs of improve-
ber while playing pickup ment after freshman Jared
I. Rutledge allowed 11 goals in
Plymouth, Mich. native last weekend's pair of losses to
high-school hockey at Notre Dame, the team is run-
High School before try- ning out of time to find a front-
for a junior team in Port runner to lead the team into the
Mich. Dwyer made the CCHA Tournament.
but also found out he'd Who would it be if the season
dmitted to the Univer- were to end today?
d he decided to enroll. "That's the toughest ques-
ing his freshman year, tion you could ask me," Beren-
,who wasn't recruited by son said.
an, didn't play hockey at Before Rutledge's disastrous
t according to Berenson, weekend, he had been gaining
ld suit up for open skates momentum, leading the Wol-.
Ann Arbor Ice Cube. verines to their first sweep of
the season over Michigan State.
The other freshman candidate,
Steven Racine, has started just
W e haven't one game in 2013 - a 5-4 loss
to Alaska. Junior Adam Jane-
d thatgoalie cyk was tagged for eight com-
bined goals in his last two starts
this year." against Western Michigan.
That's why Berenson has
decided to entertain the idea of
using Dwyer.
d go out therc with his "If he ends up traveling to'
equipment, skating," Ohio State ... you might see
on said. "It's a pretty him."
ory." The next week of practice
next year, Michigan was should dictate which direction
d of a third goalie and Michigan goes in between the
on knew where to find pipes.
Berenson has stressed that
oked him up and asked he'll stick with one goalie for
he's interested," Beren- the playoffs, when an immacu-
d. "And he said he'd like late run will be needed to con-
tinue the season.
nson never gave Dwyer And time is running short
omise that he'd see the for one goalie to rise above the
d so far, he hasn't. Dwyer pack.

Senior aefenseman J.u. Jonon wmil leao a young ivchigan team against Eun opponent nnarmine on Saturday.
In r wo first conference tilt

By MIRA DALAL "What makes this year so much
For The Daily different is, by going through
the process of figuring out what
Just one year ago, the Michi- defines Michigan lacrosse's cul-
gan men's lacrosse team essen- ture, we figured out what works
tially fielded an all-freshman and what doesn't. This year, we
squad - maybe not according to have the right people and attitude
their transcripts, but on the turf, to turn this program into a win-
they were all equal. ning program.
Prior to last year, men's "While I don't think our goal is
lacrosse was to win a championship this year,
only a club two or three years down the road,
sport at Michi- Michigan at it's not such an outlandish goal
gan. The team Bellarmine to strive for. The culture is what
made history makes this year so much differ-
this year, as new Mach:igan 0-1 ent."
members of the Bellarmine 1-0 Four seniors, including John-
Eastern College son, serve as captains this year
Athletic Confer- When: Sat- with the daunting task of lead-
ence, and unlike urday 1 P.M. ing an extremely young team.
last year, this Where: Ows- Of the 42 players on the roster,
season's games ley B. Frazier 18 are freshmen, making Michi-
count toward Stadium gan the eighth-youngest team in
conference TV/Radio: the country. Despite the team's
competition. MGoBlue.com youth, Johnson and fellow cap-
In Michigan's tain Sean Sutton are working
first year as a Division I team, its hard to make the team feel uni-
record was a dismal 1-13. "Team fied - and talent like freshman
Two" is poised to lay the founda- midfielder Kyle Jackson and
tion for a competitive program, freshman goalie Gerald Logan
especially in its first-ever confer- make their job easier.
ence game against Bellarmine on "You know, being that our
Saturday. team is young, we have to com-
Redshirt senior defender and pletely disregard class line," Sut-
captain J.D. Johnson explained ton said. "If we start doing that,
that last year's squad was focused then we alienate freshmen from
on building the framework for a the rest of the team."
strong team so that it could com- Though the title of captain
pete when matched up against comes with more work and high-
elite teams in the conference. er expectations, both Sutton and
"(Team One's) purpose was to Johnson welcome that respon-
figure out what kind of culture we sibility, especially as this team
wanted to have," Johnson said. makes history.

"Being named captain for
the second season in row is an
extreme honor, especially being
named captain of (Michigan's)
first Division I lacrosse. team,"
Sutton said. "I'm proud to say
I'm starting, or at least helping to
start, a program at such a presti-
gious school."
Johnson echoed this feeling of
pride for both his teammates but
also the University. Both play-
ers are looking to raise the bar in
terms of expectations and per-
formance and to start competing
with the likes of Johns Hopkins
and Ohio State - two of the elite
programs in the country.
"What that means is setting a
higher standard," Johnson said.
"It means that this year losing to
North Carolina 19-5 isn't accept-
able, in any realm. As a leader, I
am setting a very'high bar for
myself and holding my team-
mates to that standard."
Looking ahead at their second
game and beyond, the Wolverines
are prepared and poised to be a
strong opponent. This weekend,
they take on Bellarmine in Lou-
isville, Kent. Michigan lost to the
Knights, 13-9, last year in the Big
House.
"We're really confident going
into this game," Sutton said.
"We've scrimmaged them every
year since I've been here, and we
know they're a good team. We're
going to prepare well, and we
know we're going to have to con-
trol the tempo, but we know what
they like to do."


Do you need
FINANCIAL AID.
for FaII/Wintr
Don't forget to submit your 201:3-2014
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)!
Complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov
Apply Early: Allow 3-4 weeks for processing before the deadline
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT
www.finaid.umich.edu/CurrentStudent#fall

MDJFA
helping U
go blue!

U-M Office of Financial Aid (OFA)
2500 SAB and B430 Pierpont Commons
(734) 763-6600 n www.finaid.umich.edu
EMAIL: financial.aid@umich.edu

' ,