The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Friday, March 1, 2013 - 7

The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Friday, March 1, 2013 - 7

Wolverines need sweep

By MATT SLOVIN
ManagingEditor
Michigan hockey coach Red
Berenson started this week
of practice, the program's last
ever in a CCHA regular season
before the Big Ten hockey con-
ference starts next season, by
addressing his
team. Ferris State
"You've got ,
to play for us at Michigan
and finish the Matchup: FSU
season strong," 15-13-4; Michi-
Berenson said gan 12-8-2
near center ice. When: Friday
"The fun part and Saturday
is in the locker 7:35 p.m.
room after the Where: Yost
game." Ice Arena
He was
referring, of TV/Radio:
course, to the CBS College
Wolverines'
tradition of
singing "The Victors" in their
locker room after series sweeps.
And entering into what Beren-
son referred to as "absolutely"
the most importantgames of the
season - a two-game set against
Ferris State this weekend -
Michigan could badly use all six
points that hang in the balance
before the CCHA playoffs begin
next weekend.
The Wolverines don't control
their own destiny to host a first-
round series at Yost Ice Arena,
but that possibility becomes far
more realistic if Michigan could
sweep. It's extremely unlikely
the Wolverines would play at
home in the first round without
a sweep.
"I just hope we play at home,"
said Berenson, who added he'll
have his eye on the around-the-
league scoreboard. "That's our
first goal. We'll see where the
smoke clears. You look at all the
options this weekend -a lot of

per, Lindsay Sparks, Kevin
Lynch, captain A.J. Treais and
defenseman Lee Moffie.
"It's going to be pretty sad,"
Moffie said of playing what
could possibly be his last games
ever at Yost. "We don't really
like to talk about it, the guys
in my class. It's gone by so fast,
especially this year."
Added Treais: "It's going to
be a little depressing, sad. This
has been my home for the past
four years.
"I love playing here and, it
potentially being my last two
games here, they're going to be
pretty emotional."
Berenson said he hopes the
team will one day look back on
this year's senior night as the
2010-11 team can as then-senior
forward and current New York
Ranger Carl Hagelin scored the
game-tying goal in regulation's
final minute before sealing the
win in overtime with another
tally.
To be in the games late,
though, Michigan will need
to shut down the CCHA's top
power-play team. During these
teams' earlier meetings in Big
Rapids on Nov. 30-Dec. 1, the
Bulldogs struck twice on the
man advantage the first night in
their 5-0 rout of the Wolverines.
In the series finale, the penalty
killers came alive and Michigan
held the Ferris State power play
scoreless in a 3-3 shootout win.
Berenson said Friday night
will be especially important
to set the tone for a successful
weekend to honor the seniors
and possibly spring Michigan in
the standings.
"That series (against Ferris)
was part of our worst part of our
season," he said.
"The way we approach this
(first) game - this game is the
weekend."

on spring break
By LEV FACHER Lanier was recently named
Daily Sports Writer CWPA Western Division Rookie
Player of the Week, following
It makes sense that members her four-goal, two-assist per-
of the Michigan women's water formance at the Fluid Four in
polo team will be spending their Bloomington.
spring breaks in warm weather As a result, the Wolverines
- after all, 15 of 26 roster spots will spend more time train-
are occupied by native Califor- ing as opposed to competing.
nians, with another three play- Anderson expects conditioning
ers hailing from Florida. activities to playa key role in the
None of the Wolverines, week's practices, which lead up
though, will be enjoying the to the game against the War-
comforts of home during the riors.
first week of March. The team Pratt cited versatility as an
is taking its annual spring break important factor for Michigan's
trip to Honolulu for a week of future success as it plays teams
training, bonding and relax- from the Midwest, as well as
ation, capped by a matchup both coasts, whose styles differ
against Hawaii on March 7. greatly. The Wolverines have
"It's going to be good for us faced mostly opponents from
to refocus," said junior driver the West Coast so far this sea-
Audrey Pratt. "We'll have a son and have squared off against
good week to train and bond as a top-10 squads, including Cali-
team, which is really important fornia, Stanford, UCLA and San
for us." Jose State.
The timing of the trip seems "The top 10 is very fast
logical; it will provide the Wol- paced," Pratt said. "It's a little
verines with a break from the different to play an East Coast
struggles of the season's first team. It's something we need to
month, which stem at least par- learn to adjust to."
tially from the inexperience Michigan can expect some
brought about by a large influx added help and experience com-
of freshmen still adjusting to ing out of the break as junior
college competition. attacker Hathaway Moore -
Michigan coach Matt Ander- who's yet to make an appear-
son, though, finds the timing ance this year for the maize and
less than ideal. blue - is close to completing her
"Unfortunately, for our sport, rehab from a broken wrist. In 34
Michigan has the earliest spring games lastseason, Moore scored
break of any college team," 18 goals and added 18 assists.
Anderson said. "It's hard for us After the matchup against
to be able to play a lot of games Hawaii, the Wolverines will
over spring break." return to Ann Arbor to play just
The freshman class, though, their second weekend ofthesea-
has more than held its own son at home, marking the end of
given its inexperience. Two of an eight-week stretch between
Michigan's key contributors home games.
are freshmen: two-meter Bryce Michigan has a long way to
Beckwith has racked up 12 goals, go before ultimately determin-
while driver Presley Pender has ing the season's level of success,
a whopping15 assists to go along but Anderson expects a week in
with her 11 scores. Meanwhile, Hawaii to reinvigorate and refo-
freshman two-meter Barbara cus his squad.

PAULStHERMAN/Daily
Senior forward A.J. Treais is likely playing his last weekend series at Yost.

different scenarios could hap-
pen. If we're playing at home,
that means we had a good week-
end.
"And if we had a good week-
end, that means we've got a little
momentum going."
Though all signs point to
freshman goalie Steve Racine
returning to the net after the
team's sweep of Ohio State last
weekend, Berenson was tight-
lipped about who the starter
will be.
"I didn't tell you last week,
did I?" Berenson asked report-
ers. "Then I'm not going to tell
you this week. I guess I'm get-
ting superstitious."
Though Racine was tagged
for three goals in both games
against the Buckeyes, the team
would like to shift as much pres-

sure off him as possible.
"It was easy to blame the
goalies early," Berenson said.
"And then after awhile, we real-
ized the goalies aren't hurting
the power play. It's not the goal-
ies' fault we're losing faceoffs.
It's not the goalies' fault we're
not backchecking well or that
we're turning the puck over. Our
team has realized that they have
to play better, and they are.
"And as a result, the goalies
look better."
But this weekend is impor-
tant for reasons besides the
playoff seeding implications and
it being the last regular-season
CCHA contests ever for Michi-
gan.
The Wolverines will also be
sending offtheir five-man senior
class: forwards Jeff Rohrkem-

Michigan looking to keepE
momentum over road trip

By ALEX TAYLOR
Daily Sports Writer
After an inauspicious start to
the season, the Michigan base-
ball team responded by record-
ing its first victory, as well as
its first series victory, against
Fordham last weekend. But for
the Wolverines, the challenge
will be sustaining this newfound
momentum during their upcom-
ing10-day road trip.
Michigan (2-4 overall) will
travel to Florida to play five
games in the Snowbird Invita-
tional before heading to Califor-
nia for the USD Tournament to
finish the trip. In total, the team
will play a total of nine games
over a 10-day stretch.
As the Wolverines return to
Florida, they hope to continue
their offensive momentum from
last weekend. Over the course of
four games, they have scored 32
runsi off of 40 total hits. A big fac-
tor in getting those runs was first
getting quality at-bats.
"They did a great job," said
Michigan coach Erik Bakich.
"We got a lot of quality at-bats
got a lot of big hits, a lot of two-
out RBIs.Weseparated ourselves
with some big at-bats."
Another factor in the offense
was the aggressive base running,
led by freshman infielder Travis
Maezes - who is a perfect 6-for-
6 in stolen bases for the season.
Michigan has a total of 19 steals
insevengames andhas onlybeen
caught stealing once.
This total has come without
arguably the team's most dynam-
ic base stealer, senior outfielder
Patrick Biondi, who's been lim-
ited to one steal this year. Biondi
is currently second all-time in
career steals at Michigan with 89
and only needs one to tie the all-
time record.
"Pat is a tremendous base
stealer, he's very gifted in that
category," Bakich said. "I know
his stolen-base numbers don't
reflect that yet, but he's aguy that
at the end of the year, he's going
to have anywhere from 30 to 50
just depending on the opportuni-
ties."

Junior catcher Caitlin Blanchard is seen as a possible starter behind the plate for Michigan's seven games over break.
Softball back on the road

PATRICK BARRON/Daily
Senior outfielder Patrick Biondi needs one steal to tie Michigan's all-time record.

A bright spot for the Wol-
verines during their first two
weekends has been their pitch-
ing. Without a true ace at their
disposal, they've relied on the
efforts of sophomore right-
hander James Bourque, senior
right-hander Ben Ballantine and
freshman left-hander Evan Hill.
The Wolverines also took the
opportunity to showcase some
new pitchers, givingthem much-
needed game experience. This
should prove to be extremely
valuable since Michigan's pitch-
ing depth is likely to be tested on
the extended road trip.
"We got some guys in there
that had not pitched in college to
log quite a bit of innings, so that
was good," Bakich said.
At the Snowbird Invitational,
Michigan will take on Mount St.
Mary's, Saint Louis, and George-
town, followed up by a non-tour-
nament with Florida Gulf Coast.
The Saint Louis and Florida
Gulf Coast games are likely to
be the toughest challenge for the
Wolverines. Saint Louis returns
almost all key contributors from
a team that made an appearance

in the NCAA regionals last year,
while No. 23 Florida Gulf Coast
is coming off a weekend sweep of
No. 13 Florida.
"It's going to be a great chal-
lenge for us, we have to abso-
lutely stay locked in game by
game, inning by inning, pitch by
pitch and keep winning pitches,"
Bakich said. "I know this team
will keep fighting, that's the one
thing they will do, which is fight
till the very end, which is a good
sign."
After Monday's game against
Florida Golf Coast, Michigan
will travel to California to pre-
pare for the USD Tournament.
While in California, the Wolver-
ines will participate in a team-
building activity with U.S. Navy
SEALs at their base in Coronado,
Calif., much like the activity the
Michigan football team's seniors
underwent last summer.
"It will be a great opportunity
for us and a great experience,"
Bakich said. "It should be a great
couple of weeks where we can
continue to get better and con-
tinue to rack up some great wins
for Michigan."

By NATE SELL eight hits and one walk - all
Daily Sports Writer while racking up 22 strikeouts.
If Dumezich and Michigan's
With spring break arriving, Sara Driesenga both get the start
the No. 14 Michigan softball on Friday, it'll make for a great
team is preparing to take a trip pitching matchup.
down to Orlando, Fla. for the Cit- The Wolverines will kick off
rus Classic, but relaxing on the their second doubleheader on
beach likely isn't on its sched- Saturday against No. 11 LSU (14-
ule. Beginning Friday, the Wol- 2), which just completed a 4-1trip
verines, sitting at 10-3, will play to Palm Springs, Calif. Its only
seven games in six days against two losses have come against
stiff competition - they have unranked North Carolina and
Monday off. This will be the No.12 UCLA. Michiganwillthen
fourth straight weekend that the take on James Madison (4-7) for
team will spend in Florida. the first time in program history.
The trip begins with a double- The Dukes are coming off a 3-2
header on Friday against Geor- weekend in Clearwater, Fla.
gia Tech (10-7) and No. 9 Texas On Sunday, the Wolverines
A&M (18-0). The Yellow Jackets will take on their last ranked
started their season strong, win- opponent of the trip, No. 10
ning their first seven games, but Oregon (13-3), which arrives in
they've gone 3-7 since, including Orlando on a hot streak. The
a 1-4 trip to Cathedral City, Calif. Ducks went 5-0 last weekend
last weekend. in Palm Spri'ngs, Calif. and have
The undefeated Aggies will be won six in a row overall. How-
a big test for Michigan. They're ever, Oregon's three losses have
coming off a series at home last come against the only three
weekend that included perfor- ranked teams it's played, No. 4
mances from senior pitcher Mel Florida, No.20 Hawaii and a 12-0
Dumezich that earned her SEC loss to No. 2 Oklahoma.
Player of the Week. Dumezich Michigan will enjoy a day
pitched two no-hitters and fin- off on Monday before taking on
ished the weekend 4-0 with an Boston College (3-2). The Eagles
impressive 0.00 ERA, while also have only played five games and
picking up her second save of will spend the weekend in Kis-
the season. In her five appear- simmee, Fla. before heading to
ances on the mound, she allowed Orlando for Tuesday's game. At
only one unearned run off of just shortstop for the Eagles is sopho-

more CJ Chirichigno, the reign-
ing ACC Player of the Week. In
her five games over the weekend
in Chattanooga, Tenn., Chirich-
igno went 8-for-14 with five RBI,
three runs, two doubles and four
stolen bases. The Wolverines will
have to pitch carefully and stay
focused defensively to keep her
from putting up big numbers.
Michigan will close out its trip
to Orlando with a game against
Central Florida (10-7), which
spent theweekendinClearwater,
Fla., where it went 4-1. The game
will be played on its home field,
where the Knights currently sit
at 5-2.
The Wolverines will have
a chance to continue improv-
ing in Orlando against three
ranked teams and a couple all-
conference caliber players in
Dumezich and Chirichigno.
Michigan is currently 1-1 against
ranked teams, and this will be
its chance to prove that it can
deliver against other talented
teams. They will also continue
the battle for who will take over
first base, a position of question
so far this season with a revolv-
ingdoor ofpeople getting playing
time. Probable starters are junior
Caitlin Blanchard or freshman
Kelsey Susalla. The team is look-
ing for someone to be consistent
and limit errors, something that
has beena struggle thus far.

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