The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SportsMonday
October 5, 2015 — 3B

Wolverines sweep 
weekend matchups

By ORION SANG

For the Daily

Led 
by 
senior 
forward 

Shannon 
Scavelli’s 
game-

winning goal, the Michigan field 
hockey 
team 
pulled out a 
2-1 victory 
against 
Indiana 
on Sunday afternoon. The close 
win capped off a weekend that 
also included a 5-0 win against 
Pacific.

The Wolverines (3-1 Big Ten, 

9-3 overall) were locked in a 
tight battle throughout Sunday’s 
game against the Hoosiers (2-1, 
6-5).

“Indiana is a good team,” 

said Michigan coach Marcia 
Pankratz. “We knew they were 
going to come in here really fired 
up.”

The 
Wolverines 
were 
in 

danger of falling behind early 
if not for a save on an Indiana 
corner by sophomore goalie Sam 
Swenson, who only allowed one 
goal over two 
games 
this 

weekend.

But 
while 

Swenson 
was 
reliable 

in 
goal, 

Michigan 
struggled 
to 
get 
its 

offense going, 
especially on 
corners; they were 0-for-8 on 
such opportunities.

Eventually, the Wolverines 

got on the board when fifth-
year senior back Mackenzie 
Ellis buried a penalty stroke 
with 10 minutes left in the first 
half.

Michigan 
took 
its 
one-

goal lead into halftime but 
lost it less than two minutes 
into the second half when the 
Hoosiers converted a penalty 
corner. Indiana’s Kate Barber 
slapped a shot past Swenson’s 
outstretched stick, and the game 

was tied once again.

Both teams missed multiple 

opportunities to take a 2-1 
advantage 
before 
Scavelli 

notched 
the 
game-winning 

goal with 13 minutes left. It 
was Scavelli’s sixth goal of 
the season, placing her well 
on track to pass her career-
best total of seven from last 
year. Scavelli will have at least 
seven more games to notch her 
seventh goal.

“It feels good,” Scavelli said. 

“No matter who scores, as 
long as we win, that’s the most 
important thing.”

The Hoosiers pulled their 

goalie 
soon 
after 
Scavelli’s 

goal but were unable to find 
an equalizer. The hard-fought 
victory was crucial for the 
Wolverines, who jumped from 
fourth to third in the Big Ten 
standings.

“We pulled out an important 

win,” Pankratz said. “I was 
proud of the team for that.”

The Wolverines were sharper 

against 
Pacific 
two 
nights 

earlier, as five different players 

scored to lead 
Michigan to a 
5-0 
triumph. 

It 
was 
the 

most goals the 
Wolverines 
have 
scored 

this 
season, 

and 
they 

netted 
four 

in the second 
half alone.

Swenson posted her fourth 

shutout of the season, and the 
defense held the Tigers to just 
four shots.

With 
the 
two 
victories, 

Michigan has now won nine 
of its last 10 games, and looks 
to 
continue 
its 
momentum 

into next week’s matchup with 
Iowa.

“We need to continue to 

work to get better on goal 
scoring, transferring the ball 
and prepare for Iowa’s tactics,” 
Pankratz said. “It’ll be a good 
week of preparation for us.”

‘M’ rallies past 
Michigan State

Wolverines recover 
after dropping first 

two sets

By ETHAN WOLFE

For the Daily

With state pride on the line, 

the sold-out crowd at Cliff 
Keen Arena witnessed a thriller 
Saturday night.

Coming off a 3-0 loss to 

Michigan 
State 
in 
East 

Lansing in 
the previous meeting Sept. 30 
and with its Big Ten reputation 
at 
stake, 
the 
Michigan 

volleyball team knew it could 
not fall to 1-3 in conference 
play. The Wolverines bounced 
back to beat the Spartans 3-2 in 
stunning fashion after falling 
into a 2-0 hole early on.

The 
Spartans 
displayed 

excellent blocking from the 
first set, blocking seven shots 
throughout 
the 
set. 
The 

Spartans took the set, 25-18, 
with Michigan recording just 
12 kills and a meager 15.6 attack 
percentage.

The 
second 
set 
was 

competitive 
until 
Michigan 

State went on a 4-0 run to take 
a 20-16 lead, which led the 
Wolverines to take a timeout. 
The Spartans continued their 
surge, finishing the set with a 
victory 25-21.

Despite a 2-0 deficit, the 

Wolverines responded strongly.

“After getting down, 2-0, we 

just wanted to go after it,” said 
sophomore 
right-side 
hitter 

Katherine Mahlke, who ended 
the night with 14 kills. “We 
weren’t going to roll over and 
let Michigan State take a 3-0 
win over us.”

Down 
2-0, 
sophomore 

defensive specialist Caroline 
Knop 
showcased 
aggressive 

hitting 
and 
unparalleled 

intensity in the third set. 

She finished the game with a 
double-double of 13 kills and 
17 digs. After the set was tied, 
12-12, Michigan pulled ahead 
with five straight points to lead, 
17-12. The Wolverines closed 
the set with a 25-20 victory.

Michigan was in the driver’s 

seat for the fourth set, as a 
dynamic offense pushed the 
Wolverines to a dominant 25-13 
win to tie the match.

The fifth and final set was 

highlighted by the performance 
of sophomore opposite hitter 
Adeja Lambert, who had four 
kills in the set. After falling 
behind, 9-10, the Wolverines 
rallied and scored six straight 
points to win the set 15-10.

“When you have a team like 

Michigan State, you always 
have to give your best and go 
hard all the time,” Lambert 
said. “When we did that in the 
final set, things turned around 
really quickly.”

Added Michigan coach Mark 

Rosen: “I’m really proud of 
Adeja. She’s such a hard worker 
— she’s just getting better every 
day. I’m really proud of how 
she’s developing. She’s still a 
young player, but she’s carrying 
a lot of the load right now.”

Although 
Rosen 
showed 

enthusiasm over his team’s 
victory, 
he 
stressed 
the 

importance 
of 
the 
team’s 

growth. Despite a 12-3 start 
and being ranked No. 23 in the 
country, they remain seventh in 
the Big Ten standings.

“Michigan 
State 
is 
very 

physical,” Rosen said. “They’re 
one of the more physical teams 
in the Big Ten. As soon as we 
spread them out, we started 
to create more space between 
their blockers so I thought that 
was the biggest difference our 
offense made.”

Added Mahlke: “Every point 

is as important as the last so I 
think our mentality was that we 
didn’t want to give up even one. 
I think going after every point 
made the difference.”

‘M’ cruises past Toronto

Wolverines 

break open home 
exhibition game in 

third period

By JASON RUBINSTEIN

Daily Sports Editor

Michigan hockey coach Red 

Berenson said earlier this week 
he wanted to find out what 
kind of team he had after the 
Wolverines’ top three point 
scorers 
either 
graduated 
or 

signed with an NHL club.

If Sunday’s exhibition against 

Toronto 
was 
any 

indication, 
the 
wily 

veteran coach found out in a 
manner of seconds. Just 10 ticks 
into the game, senior forward 
Justin Selman took a pass from 
senior forward Boo Nieves and 
found twine for what he called 
the fastest goal he has ever 
scored.

“That’s one of those things 

that is a kiss of death,” Berenson 
said, “but tonight, it was good.”

The 13th-ranked Wolverines 

cruised 
from 
there, 
beating 

Toronto 8-1. Michigan dominated 
the Varsity Blues from the 
opening puck drop, outshooting 
them 21-3 in the first frame and 
54-12 for the game.

“It’s a hard game to gauge,” 

Berenson said.

Michigan’s 
attack 
was 

dormant 
for 
a 
while, 
but 

sophomore defenseman Zach 
Werenski doubled the score 
with five minutes left in second 
period when he found a loose 
puck outside of the dot and 
sniped it past Toronto netminder 
Michael Nishi. That’s when the 
Wolverines started to run away.

Less than a minute after 

Werenski’s 
goal, 
junior 

defenseman Nolan De Jong 
blasted one from the blue line 

that Nishi never saw. And soon 
after that, freshman forward 
Brendan Warren lit the lamp 
with a rebound opportunity.

Junior forward JT Compher 

had a memorable start to his 
season, after a slow start last 
year, scoring two goals in the 
third 
period. 

He first blasted 
in a one-timer 
and 
then 

sniped another 
in with seven 
minutes 
remaining 
in 

the game.

“It’s 
nice 

for a lot of 
guys 
to 
get 

goals tonight,” 
Compher said. “Overall, we are 
happy with the amount of shots 
we had.”

Last 
season, 
Michigan’s 

defense was its Achilles’ heel. 
But with a more experienced 
unit, 
and 
the 
addition 
of 

freshmen Nicholas Boka and 
Joeseph Cecconi, it looked liked 
a completely different group. 

The defense often immediately 
cleared the puck along the 
boards when it entered the zone, 
something the coaching staff 
heavily preached prior to the 
season.

One of the bigger storylines 

heading into the season was 

how freshman 
forward 
Kyle 
Connor 

would 
adjust 

to the college 
game 
after 

dominating 
the 
United 

States Hockey 
League 
for 

three seasons. 
It didn’t take 
long to notice 

there wasn’t much of a transition.

Connor was often in the right 

place at the right time, had a 
few point-blank chances and 
seemingly always made the 
smart play.

“He showed flashes of his 

quickness, his fast release, and 
he could’ve had a couple of goals 
tonight as easy as not,” Berenson 

said. “I think he’ll do great.”

Added Selman, Connor’s line 

mate: “I think he jumped in and 
made an impact. He’s living up 
to his name so far and set up Boo 
and I really well.”

Junior 
goaltender 
Zach 

Nagelvoort got the start between 
the pipes after Berenson refused 
to name a starter earlier in the 
week. Berenson said Nagelvoort, 
senior 
Steve 
Racine 
and 

freshman Chad Catt would all 
see time. So after Nagelvoort 
stopped all three shots in the 
first period, Berenson opted to 
put senior Steve Racine in net 
for the second period and Catt 
for the third.

After the game, Berenson 

didn’t say who he’d start for the 
regular-season opener in two 
weeks.

Racine saw just five shots 

but let in a goal off a tricky 
redirection, while Catt made 
saves on each shot he faced. And 
with an offense that already 
looks like it has potential to be 
better than last year’s, Berenson 
has a reason to smile.

SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily

Senior forward Justin Selman scored just 10 seconds into Michigan’s exhibition game against Toronto on Sunday.

TORONTO
MICHIGAN 

1
8

“He’s living up to 
his name so far 
and set up Boo 

and I really well.”

‘M’ dominates in 
Louisville meet

By SYLVANNA GROSS

Daily Sports Writer

Mason 
Ferlic 
knew 
that 

making his season debut in the 
fourth cross country meet of the 
year would be a test of how well 
he has trained so far. When the 
fifth-year senior came in first 
place in a field of 213 athletes, he 
passed that test.

He was one of just six athletes 

to finish under 24 minutes with a 
time of 23:51.52.

Saturday, the Michigan men’s 

and women’s cross country teams 
traveled to Louisville, Ky., to 
compete in the Greater Louisville 
Classic. The men’s 8,000-meter 
race started off the day, and Ferlic 
set the tone for the Wolverines. 
His performance helped lead 
the Wolverines to a second-place 
finish to complement the women’s 
first-place title.

“The plan was to delay the start 

of the season because my track 
season went so long,” Ferlic said. 
“My focus is on the championship 
season, so I felt like I didn’t need 
the race experience but I just 
wanted to get in some intense 
training. So that’s what I did, and 
it paid off. 

“I feel like I’m the most fit I’ve 

ever been, and I feel like I’m at 
a point where I can sustain this 
level and keep it going. This race 
was an affirmation.”

Ferlic led a tight pack with just 

10 seconds between him and the 
seventh-place finisher, earning 
his first individual victory since 
the Notre Dame Blue & Gold 
Invitational in 2014. His absence 
has been noticeable in previous 
events this season, even though 
it gave several other athletes a 
chance to shine.

Nine of the 12 Michigan 

athletes competing made it into 
the top 50. Fifth-year senior 
Nick Posada (20th), redshirt 
sophomore Micah Beller (38th) 
and redshirt junior Jarred Bratley 
(53rd) all ran personal bests. 

Not to be outdone, the women 

clinched not only first, but second 
place as well, with junior Erin 
Finn and senior Shannon Osika 

recording times of 16:48.23 and 
16:50.09, respectively. The two 
led the Wolverines to a first-place 
finish on the 5,000-meter course, 
making this the eighth straight 
time Finn has led the team to 
victory.

Finn only realized it was her 

teammate that was trailing her 
during the last moments of the 
race — something that made the 
last half-mile more enjoyable. 

“Racing against a different 

team’s athlete is much different 
than racing against your own,” 
Finn said. “During the race, it 
was harder than I thought — I 
went in with slightly dead legs 
from practicing too hard. It was 
definitely a grind, but I just looked 
ahead and told myself, ‘You’ve 
done this before, you can do it 
again.’ I knew it was going to hurt, 
but I did it.”

On top of Finn’s resilience, 

five athletes claimed personal 
records, including Osika, junior 
Gina Sereno (eighth), redshirt 
sophomore Sophie Linn (16th), 
her classmate Jamie Phelan (18th) 
and senior Taylor Manett (25th). 

Michigan women’s head coach 

Mike McGuire has made the 
Wolverines’ depth a consistent 
factor on the team. According to 
him this weekend was “their best 
to date.”

“Last year we had a lot of 

pressure ranked as No. 1, and 
it got to our heads so we didn’t 
race as well,” Osika said. “We’re 
learning to race together and 
feed off of each other. We are 
exactly where we need to be 
fitness-wise. We have been doing 
some really great workouts and 
I feel like our progression is 
escalating.”

The course will be the site of the 

NCAA Championships on Nov. 
21, so the runners felt it helped 
them prepare for championship 
season. Both Michigan coaches — 
Kevin Sullivan for the men’s and 
McGuire for the women’s — are 
focused on replicating this win. 

And for the men’s squad, 

they’re looking especially for 
that Big Ten win after finishing 
runner-up for the past two years. 

ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

Erin Finn (#2) finished first in the women’s field at the Greater Louisville Classic.

FIELD HOCKEY

PACIFIC
MICHIGAN 

0
5

INDIANA
MICHIGAN 

1
2

“We knew they 
were going to 
come in here 

really fired up.”

VOLLEYBALL

MICH. STATE
MICHIGAN 

2
3

