Sports
6A — Thursday, March 12, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

‘M’ underdog in Big Ten Tournament 

By LEV FACHER 

Managing Editor

The Michigan men’s basketball 

team has played Illinois twice in 
the 2014-2015 season, earning 
a hard-fought win on Dec. 30 
in Ann Arbor but imploding in 
overtime 
in 

Champaign 
on 
Feb. 
12, 

suffering 
a 

12-point loss.

The 

Wolverines 
(8-10 Big Ten, 
15-15 
overall) 

get a chance 
to 
take 
the 

season 
series 

Thursday in the 
second 
round 

of the Big Ten 
Tournament 
at the United 
Center in Chicago.

Michigan, the No. 9 seed 

in the tournament, is a slight 
underdog against the eighth-
seeded Fighting Illini (9-9, 19-12). 
The winner, regardless, has little 
reason for broader optimism, as 
top-seeded Wisconsin has the 
luxury of resting and waiting 
to take on the second-round 
survivor on Friday.

For 
the 
Wolverines’ 
few 

veterans, the underdog status is 
unfamiliar. Senior forward Max 
Bielfeldt, for instance, recalls 
entering the tournament as the 
No. 2 seed in 2012, No. 5 seed in 
2013 and No. 1 seed in 2014.

“We just have a different 

mentality going in,” Bielfeldt 
said, “just knowing that to make 
some noise, we have to surprise 
people.

“We have to go in and beat 

Illinois and beat Wisconsin, 
which is the Big Ten’s best team 
right now. … In the past, that’s 
been us.”

The Wolverines could have 

easily earned a higher seed if 
it weren’t for a series of games 

they struggled to close out, 
including an overtime loss to 
Michigan State and a double-
overtime heartbreaker last week 
at Northwestern.

The Feb. 12 game at Illinois 

was another example. After 
holding a slight edge over Illinois 
for much of regulation in the 
defensive 
struggle, 
Michigan 

ran out of gas. The Fighting Illini 
finished the game on a 21-2 run — 
the Wolverines’ late-game 50-43 
lead vanished in the blink of an 
eye, and they lost handily, 64-52.

“When we think things are 

really stagnant, what are we 
going to do?” Beilein said when 
asked how Michigan would stand 
up to similar runs in the future. 
“Punch the ball inside and get to 
the foul line.”

The Wolverines’ ability to 

punch the ball inside is much 
improved by the return of 
freshman forward Ricky Doyle 
from an intestinal virus. His 
absence allowed Bielfeldt to take 
the reigns on Senior Day — he 
posted his first career double-
double in his first career start. But 

Bielfeldt’s 6-foot-7 frame might 
not cut it against Illinois’ Nnanna 
Egwu, who stands 6-foot-11 and 
wreaked havoc with Michigan’s 
ability to inbound the ball in 
its second matchup with the 
Fighting Illini.

Doyle, Beilein said, is ready to 

go, but he still isn’t a player who’s 
necessarily capable of throwing 
inbounds passes in critical, late-
game situations. That task is 
often left to junior guard Spike 
Albrecht, almost a full foot 
shorter than the 6-foot-10 Doyle.

Though 
the 
Wolverines’ 

inability to execute inbound plays 
has been an issue throughout 
the 
year, 
it 
was 
especially 

noticeable against Illinois and 
Egwu, as Albrecht and freshman 
guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-
Rahkman 
had 
substantial 

difficulty 
avoiding 
turnovers 

and even occasional five-second 
violations 
during 
Michigan’s 

late-game collapse.

Being forced to use smaller 

players on sideline inbounds 
plays wasn’t the only issue, 
Bielfeldt said, noting that youth 

and a simple lack of repetition has 
led to occasional confusion on set 
inbound play calls.

“We’re 
more 
working 
on 

general press-break,” Bielfeldt 
said. “I think in the past, we’ve 
had difficulties with the timing 
of our cuts and the spacing. You 
know, you get two guys in one 
area, and they don’t have to be 
guarded by as many guys, and it 
makes it easier on the defense.”

Even if the Wolverines can get 

their inbounding issues in check 
and handle the Fighting Illini in 
the backcourt, they have no easy 
task in front of them, especially 
with the resurgence of Illinois 
guard 
Rayvonte 
Rice. 
He’s 

averaging 17 points per game, but 
scored just four against Michigan 
on Feb. 12, his first game after 
returning from a broken left 
hand.

Sophomore guards Malcolm 

Hill and Kendrick Nunn also 
average 14.2 and 11.2 points per 
game, respectively, creating a 
triple-headed 
scoring 
threat 

that could give the Wolverines 
defensive fits.

Overtime blues

By LELAND MITCHINSON

Daily Sports Writer

The 
Michigan 
women’s 

lacrosse team lost a heartbreaker 
in overtime to Virginia Tech 
in its first 
outdoor 
game 
of 

the season 
at Michigan Stadium.

Virginia Tech climbed out 

of a five-goal deficit to beat the 
Wolverines, 13-12.

Sophomore 
attacker 
Jess 

Angerman opened the scoring 
for the Wolverines on a nice 
pass from sophomore midfielder 
Anna Schueler. The Hokies (5-4) 
answered minutes later with an 
unassisted goal from the nation’s 
leading goal scorer, attacker 
Megan Will.

Michigan 
(3-3) 
pressured 

Virginia Tech early with an 
unassisted goal from sophomore 
midfielder 
Kim 
Coughlan, 

followed by free position goals 
from 
Shueler, 
sophomore 

attacker 
Tess 
Korten 
and 

sophomore midfielder Madeline 
Dion. 
Angerman 
added 
her 

second of the night to complete 
the Wolverines’ 5-0 scoring run.

“We got to a 6-1 lead at 

the beginning of the game,” 
Schueler said. “I think that’s 
something we need to learn 
from, is learning how to play 
with a lead. You have to take the 
positives from every single game 
we play.”

Virginia Tech followed up 

Michigan’s string of goals with 
a streak of its own, scoring six 
straight to end the first half, 
including two more from Will. 
The Hokies added a goal with 15 
seconds remaining in the half, 
taking a 7-6 lead.

In contrast to the streaky 

scoring of the first half, the 
second half was much more back 
and forth between the two teams. 
Unassisted goals from Coughlan 

and Dion put the Wolverines 
back in the lead in the beginning 
of the second half. After two 
more goals from Virginia Tech, 
Angerman completed her hat 
trick. 
However, 
the 
Hokies 

quickly added two more, putting 
Michigan down, 11-9.

The 
young 
Wolverines 

responded by scoring three 
straight goals, with Coughlan 
adding her second and Schueler 
netting her second and third for 
Michigan’s second hat trick of 
the night.

“They did a great job sliding 

the entire game, and I thought 
we did a good job adjusting to 
what their defense threw at us,” 
Schueler said. 

Up 12-11 with 3:31 left in the 

game, 
the 
Wolverines 
tried 

to run out the clock when a 
turnover followed by a cross-
checking yellow card for Korten 
gave the Hokies the ball with 52 
seconds remaining and a player 
advantage. Virginia Tech was 
able to take the opportunity and 
force overtime.

In 
the 
two 
three-minute 

overtime periods, both defenses 
succeeded 
in 
limiting 
their 

opponent’s shot opportunities. 
And as the clock wound down, it 
looked like the game would head 
to sudden death when the Hokies 
netted the final tally of the night 
with two seconds on the clock, 
ruining any hope Michigan had 
of improving its record to 4-2.

“You 
know, 
we’re 

inexperienced, 
that 
was 
a 

very experienced team,” said 
Michigan coach Jennifer Ulehla. 
“There are a lot of positives, but 
there are little mistakes that we 
made strategically that have to 
be learned. Unfortunately, they 
have to be learned in situations 
like this. We’re gonna break 
down the film, we’re gonna talk 
about every aspect of the game 
and learn from it and move 
forward.”

Michigan 
vs. Illinois

Matchup: 
Michigan 
15-15; Illinois 
19-12

When: Thurs-
day 12 P.M.

Where: United 
Center

TV/Radio: 
BTN

ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

Senior forward Max Bielfeldt will look to follow up a strong Senior Day with success in the Big Ten Tournament.

Compher regaining old form

The sophomore 

forward is starting 

to look like his 
freshman self

By JASON RUBINSTEIN

Daily Sports Editor

Michigan 
hockey 
coach 

Red Berenson said time after 
time this season that he liked 
how sophomore forward JT 
Compher was playing, and it 
would only be a matter of time 
before the goals started piling 
up for the sophomore forward.

Game after game, Berenson 

found himself referring to the 
same mantra: It’s only a matter 
of time. Prior to the Wisconsin 
series two weeks ago, and last 
weekend’s Penn State series, 
Compher had tallied just four 
goals through 26 games.

Though that would be fine for 

some players, Compher entered 
this 
season 
as 
Michigan’s 

reigning point leader — with 31 
last season — scoring 11 goals 
in 
his 
freshman 
campaign. 

Compher was expected to be 
one of the Wolverines’ top 
scoring options, but it didn’t 
appear that way.

However, in the Wolverines’ 

past four games, he registered 
seven goals and added an 
assist. Finally, Berenson could 
say something new about the 
talented sophomore.

“We 
thought 
JT 
would 

continue where he left off last 
year,” Berenson said. “I kind of 
forgot how good he was until he 
got it going again.

“… All of the sudden he’s kind 

of ‘Wow.’ He’s got that little 
step that maybe he was missing 
when things weren’t going for 
him. It’s nice to see the old JT.”

Compher’s 
teammates 

echoed their coach’s sentiment 
that Compher’s goals would 
come. 
But 
junior 
forward 

Andrew Copp tried to pinpoint 
what 
exactly 
jumpstarted 

Compher’s scoring barrage.

“A couple of empty-net goals 

kind of got him going,” Copp 
said.

But the junior added how 

important it is that Compher is 
picking up the team’s scoring 
load, 
especially 
when 
the 

nation’s top-ranked offense is 
starting to cool down.

Berenson 

and 
Compher’s 
teammates 
each 
noted 

that for the 
middle 
part 

of the season, 
the extremely 
competitive 
Compher 
might 
have 
been 

frustrated, 
even 
though 
he 

never showed it on the outside.

“He expects a lot of from 

himself,” Copp said. “I think 
he was frustrated through the 
middle part of the year because 
he wasn’t one of the leading 
scorers, and he expects himself 
to be a dominant player. This 
isn’t to say he wasn’t producing 

in other areas, though.

“I think he’s gotten a monkey 

off his back right now and has 
a lot of confidence right now, 
and that’s how he should always 
feel.”

Compher 

noted he might 
have 
been 

somewhat 
frustrated, 
but never to 
a 
magnitude 

where 
his 

game 
was 

being adversely 
affected.

He knew his 

goals 
would 

come and knew he needed to 
contribute in other areas if goals 
weren’t going to come his way. 
And that’s exactly what he did.

Compher headlined a strong 

penalty-killing unit, and his 
grit and competitive nature 
made the game tougher on his 
opponents.

“I kept my work ethic up; that 

never faltered,” Compher said. 
“I tried to just continue to keep 
confidence in my game, because 
I know that I can make plays 
and be an effective player. I just 
tried to stay within my game, 
and coach said to continue 
playing defense first and to do 
the rights things and it will fall 
in place.

“Right now it is, but it’s time 

to keep it going, though.”

For someone who is coming 

off two hat tricks in his last 
four games, Compher still isn’t 
satisfied. Put bluntly, Compher 
knows a hat trick doesn’t matter 
if his team ends up losing.

For now, Berenson is happy 

to have one of his best players 
turning it up a notch at this 
crucial juncture, with Michigan 
controlling its destiny to win 
a Big Ten championship this 
weekend.

“I think JT has gone from 

a good player to a great player 
over the last three weeks,” 
Berenson said.

RITA MORRIS/Daily

JT Compher has scored seven goals in his last four games after struggling to find the net for much of the season.

“I kind of forgot 

how good he 

was until he got 
it going again.”

Stability behind 
plate very Sweet

By TED JANES 

Daily Sports Writer

Year after year, Michigan 

softball coach Carol Hutchins 
has made a habit of swapping 
players in and out of the starting 
lineup. But there is one position 
that has always been set.

Since 
her 
freshman 
year, 

Lauren Sweet has been the 
Wolverines’ go-to catcher. Sweet, 
now a senior, is just seven games 
shy of her 200th start.

When she’s not behind the 

plate, Sweet is one of the team’s 
strongest power hitters. When 
she is behind the plate, she’s 
the solid, reliable catcher that 
Michigan needs. Since 2012, the 
starting lineup has seen pitchers, 
infielders and outfielders come 
and go, but at catcher, it has 
always been Sweet.

A vocal leader both on and 

off the field, it didn’t take long 
for Sweet to earn Hutchins’ 
approval. In 2012, in just her 
second 
career 
game, 
Sweet 

belted a home run against then-
No. 22 LSU. Along with her 
deadly arm, her bat has secured 
her starting spot.

And this season has shown 

why she’s maintained it. Through 
25 games this season, Sweet has 
stacked up six home runs, 27 RBI, 
a .333 batting average and a .682 
slugging percentage.

On defense, Sweet has caught 

nearly half of opponents trying 
to steal bases, a statistic that 
has been on the rise since her 
freshman season. The numbers 
speak for themselves, but her 
coach and teammates all attested 
to the fact that some of Sweet’s 
greatest contributions come from 
her experience.

“She’s caught four years behind 

the plate, so her experience is 
instinctive,” Hutchins said. “She 
has a gun for an arm with such 
a quick release, but she’s also a 
calming force for the pitchers 
and the coaches. She keeps things 
under control; never gets too 
high, never too low. Overall, she’s 

a pretty even-keel kid.”

Sweet has embraced this role, 

especially in keeping a good 
relationship and understanding 
with pitchers. Whenever one of 
the pitchers is struggling in the 
circle, Sweet will get up to talk to 
her. But not all the conversations 
are serious.

“A lot of the times it’s just to 

give them time to relax,” Sweet 
said. “Sometimes it’s serious, 
sometimes it’s just to make 
them laugh. As a pitcher, you 
are going and going, and say you 
just walked somebody, you don’t 
have a second to forget about 
that one and move on. In those 
situations, I go out there and 
tell them to breathe and take a 
second.”

Added 
sophomore 
pitcher 

Megan Betsa: “Sweet always 
knows the perfect thing to say. 
She knows when you need to be 
talked to nicely and she knows 
when you need to be picked up. 
That’s a really good quality to 
have as a catcher.”

The 
relationship 
she 
has 

with the pitching staff grows 
stronger each year. For senior 
lefthander Haylie Wagner, the 
connection began before coming 
to Michigan.

“I’ve known her even longer 

than college and she’s just 
improved so much,” Wagner 
said. “Before, she was always 
very calm, not caught up and 
just had fun with it. Now, she 
still is having fun, but I think 
she’s even more determined on 
getting better and better. She’s 
a lot more vocal and able to fix 
things on the spot. Throughout 
the years, she’s really learned to 
trust herself and trust the whole 
team.”

Sweet knows the starting 

spot belongs to her, but she’s 
still not content. One day a week, 
she arrives late to practice due 
to class, so she stays an hour 
afterwards to hit. While some 
go-to starters might be content 
with their game, Sweet is putting 
in the extra work.

SOFTBALL

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

VIRGINIA 
MICHIGAN 

13
12

