The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Friday, October 18, 2013 - 7A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Friday, October18, 2013 - 7A
'M' looks for rebound
Wolverines travel East
By LIZ VUKELICH
Daily Sports Editor
A month and a half ago, the
Indiana matchup was just another
nondescript home game for the
Michigan football team.
The Hoo-
siers aren't India at
known as a
football pow- Michigan
erhouse, and Matchup:
with the game Indiana 3-3;
sandwiched Michigan 5-1
between Penn When: Satur-
State and Mich- day 3:30 P.M.
igan State, it's .
fair to say Indi- nrad ichi-
ana wasn't on
the fans' radar. TV/Radio:
But it is now. BTN, BTN2
Considering
the Wolverines' performances
over the past few games -- and
Indiana's surprising upset over
Penn State two weeks ago - the
dismissive mentalityhasvanished
into thin air just about as quickly
as redshirt junior quarterback
Devin Gardner has had to elude
pass rushers. So far, Gardner has
prided himself on strong second-
half performances and trying to
stay cool under pressure.
"I feel like I did a really good
job in the locker room with poise
and leading my team," Gardner
said.
Added offensive coordinator
Al Borges: "(Gardner) got blind-
sided. He recovered and showed
composure throughout the foot-.
ball game. At no time was I in any
doubt that he could not bring us
back, and he proved me right."
Michigan would prefer Gard-
ner to not have to pull off a come-
from-behind performance at all.
But it still remains to be seen how
wellhe'llhaveshakenoffthe criti-
cism come Saturday.
The next order of business for
the Wolverines will be taking care
By ERIN LENNON
Daily Sports Writer
When the No. S Michigan
hockey team takes on No. 13 New
Hampshire in Durham, N.H. this
weekend, senior captain defen-
seman Mac
Bennett will be
threehours and Michigan
three minutes at New
from his home-
town. Hampshire
"I'm Matchup: NH
pumped. I'm an 1-1; Michi-
East Coast guy gan 2-0
so it's good to When: Friday
be back there," 7:30 p.m.,
Bennett said Saturday
Tuesday. "My 7:00 p.m.
phone's blow- Where:
ing up with Whittemore
people saying, Center Arena
'Hey can I have TV/Radio:
your tickets or Fox College
'I'm coming out Sports
to the game.'
My whole fam-
ily will be there and friends will
be there too."
Bennett might get five minutes
with family and friends after the
game, or hear his name during
a lull in the Whittemore Center
Arena crowd. But with memories
of last season on his mind, the
Narragansett, R.I. native will be
focusingless onthe friendlyfaces
in the stands and more on the ice.
"I keep on talking about last
year, and I apologize," Ben-
nett said. "Between the upper-
classmen this year, we want to
make sure everyone is together
through this whole process right
from the beginning."
Besting No. 7 Boston College
at home and Rochester Insti-
tute of Technology on the road
will provide a confidence boost
for a young Michigan squad, but
it won't change the. past. Last
season, the. Wolverines did not
complete a sweep - at home or on
the road ' until Ohio State in late
February.
With the addition of junior
forward Alex Guptill - who
finished with two assists in his
season debut against RIT after
sitting out the season opener
due to a violation of team rules -
Michigan has a chance of getting
its first series sweep nearly four
months earlier than it did last
season.
Despite having missed over
a week of preseason practice,
Guptill showed no signs of slug-
gishness on the fourth line in his
first game of the year - the first
of Guptill's two assists came on
his first shift. He will join senior
forward Derek DeBlois and soph-
omore forward Andrew Copp on
the top line this weekend.
Against RIT, Guptill saw time
with DeBlois and Copp thanks to
a number of special-teams situ-
ations. The trio - which skated
together for the latter half of last
season - fellin sync immediately.
On their first shift back together,
the line found the net.
DeBlois, also from Narra-
gansett, will head back to New
Hampshire for the first time
since his freshman season, when
the Wolverines tied their hosts
3-3 in overtime.
Having played in front of a
crowd of 10,556 fans in Roch-
ester, N.Y. - the largest crowd
Michigan has drawn since Michi-
gan State at the Great Lakes Invi-
tational in 2012 - the Wolverines
will be prepared for the smaller,
but equally hostile crowd await-
ing them on the East Coast.
This will be the first time that
Bennett, who did not dress for
that previous series against the
Wildcats, gets to experience it.
"It was a crazy atmosphere,"
he said. "It'll be a great place
to go. It's going to be wild. It's a
big, big ice surface, and I like to
skate."
Redshirt Junior quarterback Devin Gardner, the focal point of Michigan's offense, leads the nation in interceptions.
of its crippled interior offensive
line. Michigan went without its
only offensive captain, fifth-year
senior left tackle Taylor Lewan,
after he went down early in the
second half against the Nittany
Lions.
The coaches had to take
Lewan's helmet away to stop
him from going back on the field.
Monday, though, Hoke said that
Lewan's injury - a "hip deal," not
a concussion - is not major, and
he will indeed play Saturday.
But for as much as the focus
is on which offense will show up
against Indiana, the Wolverines
are equally concerned about how
their defense will hold up.
The Hoosiers rank in the top
three in the Big Ten in numer-
ous categories that include total
offense. But they are perhaps
best known for their high-tempo
offense. Hoke compared it to the
Northwestern, Nebraska and
Ohio State squads that the Wol-
verines faced last season (Michi-
gan went 1-2 in those games).
More recently, the Wolverines
had difficulty with the Nittany
Lions's fast pace last weekend.
They did get caught out of posi-
tion, but as Hoke was quick to
point out, it was only once.
Defensive coordinator Greg'
Mattison didn't specifically
divulge how Michigan planned
on preparing for the tempo, other
than saying that Hoke has man-
agedthe scout offense.
"It's guys getting back to the
huddle, it's guys getting the sig-
nal on the fly, all those things,"
Mattison said. "The good thing is
we've been working on the rota-
tion all along. Ifa guy has to play
five plays rather than three plays,
fine, we'll get them in and outthat
way."
The Hoosiers lead the league
with their pass offense with an
average of 331.5 passing yards
per game, giving Michigan's pass
rush its biggest test of the season
thus far. It registered four sacks
against the Nittany Lions last
week, but Hoke isn't sure if it will
be able to keep up with the fast
pace of the game.
"I'm not going to say it's harder
because I think you can do it,"
Hoke said. "I've experienced it
being done. It can get you rattled
a little bit, and sometimes that
makes it harder."
Michigan seeks 1st win
at home since Sept.12
By BRAD WHIPPLE
Daily Sports Writer
With just five games left
before the Big Ten Tournament,
the Michigan women's soccer
team is fight-
ing through Indiana at
the home Mican
stretch while
continuing to Matchup:
stun fans as Indiana 10-3-
it updates the 1; Michigan
record book. 10-2-1
Sunday, the When: Fri-
Wolverines day 7 p.m.
blanked No. Where:
17 Penn State, UM Soccer
S1-0, their first- Stadium
ever win in TV/Radio:
Happy Valley. mgoblue.com
The victory
marked the
first time since
2004 that Michigan has won its
f first four road conference games
and also set a program record
by beating four ranked teams in
one season.
The 12th-ranked Wolverines
(4-1-1 Big Ten, 10-2-1 overall)
return to Ann Arbor for a two-
game set. Even with their recent
success, they are searching for
their first win on their own field
since Sept. 12 against Detroit.
Riding a three-game win streak
over Big Ten rivals Michigan
State, Nebraska and Penn State,
the Wolverines will look for a
strong homestand this weekend
to rise to the top of the Big Ten
standings.
"We had a discussion quickly
after the game that Sunday was
the time to enjoy and soak in
(the win)," said senior defender
Shelina Zadorsky. "But Mon-
day was recovery, and Tuesday
we're back at it preparing for
this weekend. Coming off such a
high like that, we want to keep
the focus but keep the confi-
dence."
Friday, Michigan will take on
Indiana (3-3, 10-3-1) at the U-M
Soccer Stadium.
Despite a 2-1 loss against
Iowa on Saturday, Indiana con-
tinues to be a powe
opening the season
start in program h
under first-year hea
Berbary.
Michigan's stal
will have its hands
Hoosiers's Lisa N
who leads the tear
goals. The senior m
lefther name in Ind
books by being the(
perform three care
"They're very or
disciplined," said
coach Greg Ryan.
thinking about las
over Penn State,
have to bring trem
to this weekend."
While Michiga
challenge of defe
State's offense, wh
conference in goal
Wolverines will n
switch gears to foc
ing Indiana's defer
considered to be th
conference.
Guarding the ne
Big Ten Defen-
sive Player
of the Week
senior Shannon
Flower, who
has allowed
just 14 goals
through the
Hoosiers's first
14 games while
posting seven
shutouts. She
needs only one
more to tie the sch
Following Fri(
game, the Wolveri
Purdue on Sunday
its second Pink Ga
of Breast Cancer
Month.
Leading Purdue
Big Ten Offensive
Week Maddy Wi
has contributed n
the Boilermakers
offense.
With her last tv'
led her team toI
over Illinois and N
rhouse team, last week.
iwith its best Between the goalposts is
istory, 8-0-1, senior Clara Kridler, who has
ad coach Amy helped the Boilermakers post
three consecutive 1-0 shutouts
wart defense for the first time since 2006.
full with the However, Purdue's defense has
ouanesengsy come up short, this season by
is with eight giving up 30 goals, the worst in
sidfielder has the Big Ten.
iana's record While Michigan's defense
only player to continues to be stonewall-
er hat tricks. ing, the Wolverines's offense
rganized and is showing signs of improve-
d Michigan ment as it begins to finish close
"We can't be sco'ring chances and have more
t week's win accurate shots on goal.
and we just After early season offen-
endous focus sive woes, more players have
stepped up to find opportunities
n had the to get inside the box and score.
ending Penn Senior midfielder Tori
ich leads the McCombs scored her first of
s scored, the the season against Penn State,
now have to becoming the 12th player on this
us on break- versatile team with at least one
nse, which is goal.
he best in the "I think this year we have
done a really good job at stop-
t is two-time ping key players from making
an impact
and scor-
ing a lot of
...we want to goals against
us," Ryan
keep the focus sa
attacking
but keep the.astimp ov
2 y ing (as well)
confidence. with so many
people chip-
ping in."
If the
ool's record. Wolverines expect to come out
day night's of this weekend maintaining
nes will host the momentum that has found
afternoon in them cruising to the top of the
rme in honor conference, it will come down
Awareness to focusing solely on their next
game. While Sunday's win was
is reigning a historic one, the team empha-
Player of the sized they cannot hang onto it
illiams, who going into future games.
ine goals to "It's the cliche: just one game
's dynamic at a time," Ryan said. "I think
it's just bringing that same level
wo goals, she of focus and intensity that we
1-0 victories had against Penn State to each
northwestern match."