I The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 15, 1995 - 15 Men's soccer hopes to continue Women's soccer opens new field Daily SportsWte AlotofPo .0 0 pile winnuig By Chaim Hyinuu Daily Sports Writer With a 2-0 win over Macomb Com- munity College Wednesday, the Michi- gan men's soccer team is looking to start a streak. The Wolverines (1-2-1 overall) travel to Madonna tomorrow hoping to pick up another win. "If they're anything like they were last year, we should win," goalkeeper Mike Milman said. "They're not that strong of a team." , The Wolverines are also more confi- dent in their game plan. With a new 5- 3-2 formation instituted this season by coach Steve Burns, Michigan seems to have adjusted after a slow start early this season. "We're getting more accustomed to the system," sophomore Eric Frickel said. "We should have no trouble win- ways ning this game." The Wolverines also attribute their latest win in their ability to score, an area of instability during the first three games of the season. Even though Macomb is not exactly a powerhouse in soccer, Michigan is happy with the fact that their two goals came at the 20 and 55-minute marks. "During the first couple of games we had trouble scoring," Milman said. "We were shaky, but we're really starting to come together as a team now." The Wolverines also feel comfort- able with their back-up players. After the second goal against Macomb, many of them saw their first playing time this season, and that adds hope for the rest of the schedule. "We're looking forward to the rest of the season," Milman said. "This should be a good building game." An important early-season weekend for the Michigan women's soccer team gets underway tomorrow when the Wolverines open up the Big Ten season at Ohio State. The Wolverines (1-3) will take to the new Michigan soccerfieldin theirhome opener against Buffalo (2-1) Sunday at noon. Michigan enters the Ohio State game coming off of close losses to No. 19 Dartmouth and No.9 Hartford last week- end. Despite losing, the players say the team's competitiveness againstthe high- ranked squads has bolstered the team's confidence. "We showed that we can stay with teams at that level," junior goaltender Jori Welchans said. Freshman goaltender Jessica Jones admitted mistakes were made last week, but said, "they helped us realize what we need to do. " Coach Debbie Belkin also knows where her team needs to improve. "We need to work on shooting and not make defensive mistakes," she said. Michigan will try to improve in these areas against a Buckeye team that has suffered 2-0 shutouts against both Minwins over Stony Brook and Siena. have been asking me when the fist game s, so lthink there will be an increase in fans." -- Jessica Jones Michigan women's soccer player on the team's new facility, Ocker Field. But the school also suffered a 1-0 loss to, Guelph this year. "I don't know much about Buffalo,' Belkin said. "Im still waiting for the scouting report." The Buffalo game will be the first- ever at the new field which was con- structed over the summer along with the adjacent field hockey facility Ocker Field -- behind Schembechler Hall. "We're very excited about the field," Jones said. "A lot of people have been asking me when the first game is, so I think there will be an increase in fans." Men's soccer upcoming schedule Sept.16 at Madonna TBA Sept19 at Western Michigan 4 p.m. Sept. 23, 24 Sig Ten Club Tourament TBA Sept. 27 at Schoolcraft TBA Oct. 3 Albion 4 p.m. MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily Dave Colliver and the Michigan men's soccer club take on Madonna tomorow. The Wolverines say they have adjusted after a slow start. _ _ __ MATCHUPS Continued from page 13 tailback Eddie George got 5.8 yards per carry. Michigan was even more successful running the ball on the Boston College defense last year. Even without Tyrone Wheatley, the Wolverines rolled up 206 yards on the ground, led by tailback Tsliimanga Biakabutuka's 128. And it only took him 12 carries to amass that total. However, this Michigan team doesn't run the ball like it used to. These Wolver- ines are only getting 3.4 yards per rush. And should Biakabutuka get nicked up again, Michigan'sgotproblems. Theonly thinghis backups have effectively proven isthat they're not effective backups. . The Wolverine linemen, though, are due to start pancaking some people. Fig- ure'on them to start this week, with cap- tain and Andover, Mass.,-native Joe Marinaro leading the way in front of his hometown folk. Advantage: Michigan Michigan passing offense vs. Boston College passing defense: If the Eagles showed promise in their opener, it was in their ability to rush the quarterback. Boston College sacked Buckeye quarterback Bobby Hoying three times. Pressure on thepasser hasn'ttranslated into an airtight pass defense, though. Vir- ginia Tech and Ohio State threw for 600 yards combined, and the Hokies did it with a quarterback who was starting in his first game ever. By comparison, Scott Dreisbach is a war-weary veteran. Michigan's redshirt freshmar quarterback has already faced two tough defenses and done what the Wolverines needed: He won the Virginia game, throwing for 372 yards, and didn't lose the Illinois game by not turning the ball over. He's looked shaky at times, but his receivers have made up for it. Mercury Hayes is getting 23 yardspercatch; Amani Toomer and Jay Riemersma have caught eight balls each. Advantage: Michigan Boston College rushing offense vs. Michigan rushing defense: This is the matchup you'll see the least of tomorrow. The Eagles have been outgained nearly 2-1 on the ground in its first two games, but that's partially be- cause they don't try to runm all that much. Boston College has 62 total carries - 18 less than their opponents - for 158 yards. Running back Justice Smith is averaging a decent 3.5 yards per try, but when your top back doesn't even get 4 yards per carry, that's a sign that running the ball just isn't your game. Michigan will reinforce thatpoint. The new 4-3 alignment hasn't affected the Wolverines' ability to stuff the run, evi- denced by the 80.7 yards-against average the run defense is sporting. Advantage: Michigan Boston College passing offense vs. Michigan passing defense: Eagle quarterback Mark Hartsell torched the Wolverines for 338 yards in the air, the most by any opposing quarter- back last year. His performance, perhaps more so than anyone else's, explains why Boston College was in the game until the fourth quarter. What's more, Hartsell has proven tobe more than a one-game wonder. After strugglingabit against Ohio State, Hartsell won Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors for his 24-for-38,273-yard effort against Virginia Tech. One of his favorite targets has been Steve Everson. The speedy sophomore wideoutcaughtI10 passes last week, some- thing only 10 other Eagle receivers have done. He'll be running up against an im- proved Michigan secondary. That group has benefited from a pass rush led by Trent Zenkewicz and Glen Steele, which has gotten to the quarterback with in- creased regularity. Still, opponents throw for a high per- centage against the Wolverines - 61 percent thus far this year. Hartsell, a 59.4 percent passer himself, probably can't wait. Advantage: Michigan Special teams: When last seen at Alumni Stadium, the Wolverines came up with a huge play in this department-Desmond Howard ran a kickoff back 93 yards for a touchdown. So far, Michigan doesn't appear to have anyone capable of breaking such a play. Mercury Hayes, Anthony Williams and Clarence Williams have been de- pendable, meaning that they haven't put the ball on the ground, but they don't remind anyone of Howard or even Wheatley. Boston College doesn't have any gamebreakers here, either. However, the Eagles do have a fine placekicker in Dan McGuire, who hit from over 50 yards against Ohio State. The Wolverines cer- tainly don't lose this category, though, with preseason All-America candidate Remy Hamilton on their side. The punters are just as even. Boston College's Jason Malecki and Michigan's Nate DeLong are within a yard of each other in punting average (40.9 to 39.9). Advantage: none *Vwwwwow Overall: For this to be a tight game, three things have to happen: Boston College must shut down Michigan's run, force turn- overs and hope Hartsell's aerial circus nets at least 35 points. That's a bit much to ask. Prediction: Michigan 38, Boston College 21 Ii EAGLES Continued from page 13 per game averages. "We think they are a really good foot- ball team and they think they are a really good football team, which may be more important," Henning said. "It's going to take everything we've got to stay with them." Despite last year's relative success against the Wolverine defense, Henning remains wary of what it can do. "They seem to be similar to me as in the past," Henning said. "I've always had a great respect for Michigan's de- fense ... it is very difficult to get a big play on them." The game will mark Michigan's first game in the renovated and expanded Alumni Stadium. There is now a second deck with 12,000 new seats raising the capacity to over 44,000. In the Wolverines' only visit to Chest- nut Hill, Mass., Michigan topped the Eagles 35-13 in 1991. E Scott Darren Antoine Ryan RTON ERSON iTTS VV HITE Picks are made against the spread.F J-J I Iowa (-I3) at Iowa St. 11 Miami (Ohio) (+16) at N'westem Miami (Ohio) Miami (Ohio) N'western Miami (Ohio) Washnf( at 5 h St. Wahingtn Ohio S. tte N Temple (+33) at Penn St. Temple Penn St. Temple Temple Wiscon In -3 a S M Ant Wisni' . -St'nfOrd Wisconsin' Wisconsin. Best bet - Ohio St. Miami Arizona Kentucky fastweek --,- 1:- - - 4-6 71-- Best bets-- 1-0 0-1 0-1 0-1 Griddesi Griddes is back again, so drop what you're doing and fill this out. Drop off your picks for this week at The Michigan Daily sports desk on the second floor of the Student -Publications Building at 420 ,Maynard, Deadline is 4 p.m. Friday, The most accurate prognosticator will receive a $15 gift certificate to .Steve and Barry's University Sportswear on State Street. Contestants are limited to five ebtries per week, please. 1. Michigan at Boston College 2. Temple at Penn St. 3. Arizona at Illinois 4. Kentucky at Indiana 5. Iowa at Iowa St.. 6. Miami (Ohio) at Northwesterm 7. Washington' at Ohio St. B. Michigan St. at Louisville 9. Wisconsin at Stanford 10. Ball State at Minnesota 11. North Carolina St. at Florida St. 12. Tennessee at Florida Don't Panic! If you think you're pregnant... call us--we listen, we care. PROBLEM PREGNANCY HELP 769-7283 Any time, any day, 24 hours. Fully confidential. Serving Students since 1970. great scores... Law School Business School Dental School m