Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Tuesday, January 26, 2016 — 7

‘M’ goes 3-2 in California

No. 12 Michigan 
plays three top-10 
teams, knocks off 

No. 8 San Jose State

By BILLY STAMPFL

Daily Sports Writer

Tough competition and hard-

fought matches highlighted an 
overall successful weekend for 
the Michigan women’s water 
polo team, which won three of 
its five games in Santa Barbara 
to open the 2016 season. Three 
of those matches pitted the 
12th-ranked Wolverines against 
teams in the top eight nationally.

“I feel like we got tested,” said 

coach Marcelo Leonardi. “We 
used it as a measurement to see 
where we’re at as a team, and 
overall I think we performed 
pretty well.”

Though the weekend began 

on a somewhat sour note with 
an 11-10 loss to No. 7 Hawaii — a 
game in which Rainbow Wahine 
sophomore 
Nikki-Marie 
Bell 

scored the game-winning goal 
with just three seconds left — 
Michigan rebounded in its next 
match, defeating No. 19 Cal State 
Northridge by a score of 12-4. 

The Wolverines carried their 

momentum forward, winning 
two 
more 
games 
Saturday 

afternoon and Sunday morning 
— which included a rout of No. 
24 Cal Baptist and a stellar 
offensive performance against 
No. 8 San Jose State in which 
Michigan won, 18-9. But the 
Wolverines’ run was cut short, 
as they fell to No. 2 UCLA, 
11-7, in the final game of the 
weekend. 

Despite 
the 
loss 
to 
the 

powerhouse 
Bruins, 
Leonardi 

praised his team, especially senior 
Ali Thomason, as they prepared to 
head back to Ann Arbor.

“I have to give props — 

(Thomason) had a fantastic 
weekend,” Leonardi said. “She’s 
not just a scorer. She’s doing it on 
both sides of the pool.”

Though 
Leonardi 
always 

appreciates 
the 
efforts 
of 

Thomason and the rest of an 
experienced 
core, he also 
acknowledged 
the 
contributions 
his 
younger 

players made. 
The 
second-

year coach is 
introducing 
his 
first 

recruiting 
class this season.

“Our freshmen all played 

quality minutes almost every 
single game,” Leonardi said. “I 
expect the front string that I’ve 

recruited to come in and make 
an immediate impact, which 
they did.”

In Friday’s opening contest, 

four Wolverines made their 
collegiate 
debut, 
including 

freshman Kim Johnson, who 
started all five games to begin 

her Michigan 
career.

“In my very 

first 
game, 

there 
were 

some jitters,” 
Johnson said. 
“But 
overall 

I don’t really 
get butterflies 
— I just get 
excited. 
I 

mostly get pumped up by the 
close games and the excitement 
of it all.”

If 
any 
anxiety 
existed, 

Johnson seemed to eradicate 

it fairly quickly, scoring three 
goals each in three of her first 
four games and finishing with 
a total of 12 goals in the five 
matches combined.

Johnson’s 
comfort 
and 

immediate impact are perhaps 
a product of having her older 
sister, Danielle, a junior, on the 
team as well. The two last played 
together in high school, and have 
always had great chemistry.

“It’s so much fun having 

her here,” Kim Johnson said. 
“Danielle is my best friend, and 
we have a great dynamic in the 
water. I’m so happy we ended up 
at Michigan together.”

Leonardi should be happy, 

too, as the Wolverines are off to 
a fast start in 2016. Chemistry, 
not just between the Johnson 
sisters but throughout the team 
as a whole, certainly has had 
something to do with it.

FILE PHOTO/Daily

Senior Ali Thomason drew praise from coach Marcelo Leonardi for her play in the team’s opening weekend.

“I don’t really 
get butterflies 

— I just get 

excited.”

WRESTLING
Bruno, Pantaleo 
stand out in wins

By NATHANIEL CLARK

Daily Sports Writer

Much has been made in recent 

weeks about the No. 8 Michigan 
wrestling 
team’s 
“Murderer’s 

Row,” as sixth-year senior Max 
Huntley called it. 

The 
term 
refers 
to 
the 

Wolverines’ 
184-pound, 
197-

pound 
and 
heavyweight 

wrestlers — junior Domenic 
Abounader, Huntley and junior 
Adam Coon, respectively. All 
three are undefeated in dual 
play and were as strong as ever 
in Michigan’s 22-12 victory over 
No. 19 Central Michigan on 
Friday and its 33-6 win against 
No. 21 Indiana on Sunday.

While 
their 
contributions 

have been crucial to Michigan’s 
success, they are not the only 
ones propelling the Wolverines 
to victory.

Some of the lighter-weight 

wrestlers 
have 
shined 
for 

Michigan as of late. Senior Rossi 
Bruno (6-2 in dual-meet play) at 
133 pounds and sophomore Alec 
Pantaleo (7-1) at 149 pounds 
have stood out, especially over 
the weekend.

“Our guys did a great job of 

scoring points,” said Michigan 
coach Joe McFarland. “(The fans) 
come for a lot of action and guys 
scoring points, and we did a great 
job of that today.”

Bruno, who entered Friday’s 

match ranked No. 17 in the 
country, began the weekend 
with a 4-2 overtime win over 
the Chippewas’ Corey Keener. 
Bruno scored an escape point 
late in the third period to force 
overtime 
and 
was 
quickly 

awarded 
a 
bout-winning 

takedown in the extra period.

He continued his winning 

ways Sunday with a 15-2 major-
decision 
victory 
over 
the 

Hoosiers’ 
Alonzo 
Shepherd. 

Bruno broke open his match 
in the second period with a 
takedown and a near fall to 
go ahead 8-0. The triumph 
proved momentum-shifting as it 
followed a close loss by redshirt 
junior Conor Youtsey, 5-4, at the 
hands of Indiana’s Elijah Oliver 
at 125-pounds.

“I thought I wrestled hard, 

but there’s always places to 
improve on,” Bruno said. “So I 
don’t think I had two perfect 
matches, but definitely two 
steps in the right direction.”

Pantaleo, meanwhile, showed 

why he entered the weekend 
ranked sixth at 149 pounds. He 
came out Friday with a 10-4 win 
over Central Michigan’s Colin 
Heffernan to put the Wolverines 
in front, 9-3. Pantaleo buoyed 
himself with a near fall and two 
takedowns in the second period.

Sunday proved to be almost no 

different for Pantaleo. He used 
a three-point third period to 
top Indiana’s Luke Blanton, 7-2. 
Pantaleo’s victory gave Michigan 
a 10-3 lead at the time.

“When I step on the mat, I 

want to dominate everyone I 
wrestle,” Pantaleo said.

With a matchup at No. 1 Penn 

State looming on Jan. 31, the 
Wolverines will be looking for 
any matchup advantage they can 
find, especially those outside 
of their “Murderer’s Row.” But 
Bruno said he feels Michigan can 
draw off its experience from its 
21-11 win at then-No. 6 Ohio State 
on Jan. 9 and be up for the Nittany 
Lions’ challenge.

“We’re just going to keep doing 

the things we’ve been doing,” 
Bruno said. “The big thing is not 
letting the hype of Penn State 
get to us. If we can model the 
execution we had (against Ohio 
State), we should be good.”

‘M’ uses home-court advantage

By ORION SANG

Daily Sports Writer

The tension in the air was 

palpable as all eyes fixed upon 
center court.

With a win from senior Ronit 

Yurovsky, the No. 14 Michigan 
women’s tennis team would 
win its match against No. 24 
Kentucky and guarantee a berth 
in the ITA Indoor Championship.

As 
the 
match 
reached 
a 

tiebreaker in the second set, 
Yurovsky’s teammates gathered 
on the courts around her and 
began 
to 
cheer 
louder 
and 

louder. The crowd at the Varsity 
Tennis Center made its presence 
heard as well, with shouts of 
encouragement.

When Yurovsky ripped off five 

straight points to win her match 
and give the Wolverines the dual-
meet victory, the noise reached a 
crescendo.

The crowd erupted, and her 

teammates rushed onto to the 
court.

For Michigan, this is as much a 

part of the game as what actually 
occurs on the court.

“When I’m the last one on the 

court, it doesn’t feel like I’m alone 
because (my teammates are) all 
standing there,” Yurovsky said. 
“It’s huge having them cheering 
me on, and it makes the opponent 
even more nervous.”

Michigan 
coach 
Ronni 

Bernstein 
recognizes 
the 

importance of staying together 
as a team, and 
encourages 
her players to 
make an effort 
to cheer each 
other on, even 
while isolated 
in tight singles 
matches.

“I 
don’t 

want them to 
be 
on 
their 

own 
court,” 

Bernstein said. “I think it’s really 
important that as people play 
next to them that they show 
support. That’s the beauty of 
college tennis: It’s a team thing. 

Even if you’re struggling or doing 
well, you can still help the person 
next to you.”

Freshman 
Kate 
Fahey 
is 

appreciative 
of 
the 
support 

and also knows lending it is 
something she can work on.

“I’ve struggled with that a 

little in the beginning of the 
season because I’m not used to 
it,” Fahey said. “You’re not used 
to cheering on other people, but 

it really helps 
the 
team. 

When I get in 
a rut and I’m 
not winning a 
lot of points, 
cheering 
on 

my teammates 
helps me and 
takes my mind 
off my match.”

And though 

tennis is not 

as much of a spectator sport as 
football or basketball, Michigan 
has 
a 
distinct 
home-court 

advantage whenever it plays at 
the Varsity Tennis Center.

The Wolverines consistently 

draw fans at their competitions, 
and a certain group of fans attend 
almost every match.

“I’m not used to playing in 

front of that many people,” 
Fahey said. “The fans have 
been awesome. You see the 
same people here every time 
and familiar faces when you 
look up, and it’s just such a good 
feeling when you win a point 
because it’s not just you cheering 
for yourself, but also your 
teammates and fans.”

With three of its next four 

competitions at home, Michigan 
hopes to start its season strong in 
front of its fans.

“We’ve 
been 
pretty 

successful at home,” Bernstein 
said. “I think we get great 
crowds, and they definitely 
helped us through today. We’ve 
got another big match coming 
up next Sunday, so hopefully 
we get another big crowd again. 
The girls like playing at home 
in front of the home crowd, and 
today was no different.”

MEN’S GYMNASTICS
Mistakes ruin 
home opener

Wolverines struggle 
in several events vs. 

No. 1 Oklahoma

By ETHAN WOLFE 

Daily Sports Writer

Going into Saturday’s meet 

against No. 1 Oklahoma, the 
Michigan 
men’s 
gymnastics 

team knew it would be up 
against elite competition. And 
the 
10th-ranked 
Wolverines 

(0-4 Big Ten, 1-5 overall) didn’t 
help themselves either, as they 
seemed to be their own enemies.

In a meet where the Sooners 

(2-0 Big 12, 5-0) were able to 
pull away quickly, Michigan’s 
16.550-point defeat was the 
result of a number of critical 
mistakes.

A bevy of the Wolverines’ 

mistakes came on the pommel 
horse — the only event in 
which Oklahoma does not lead 
the nation. It was crucial for 
Michigan to capitalize, but 
three Wolverines fell off and 
had to restart their routines. It 
was Michigan’s lowest-scoring 
event on the day and the only 
one in which they failed to 
amass 70 points.

Freshman 
Anthony 

McCallum, who shined for the 
Wolverines in his first collegiate 
meet last week, struggled for the 
entire meet. He had the lowest 
score for two events, including 
the pommel horse, in which 
he didn’t complete his routine, 
scoring a 10.000.

Michigan’s woes continued 

on 
the 
parallel 
bars. 

Despite 
showing 
significant 

improvement from the Windy 
City Invitational the previous 
week, scoring 15 more points, 
the Wolverines were unable to 
stick a number of dismounts.

Michigan coach Kurt Golder 

was not pleased with the team’s 
performance, but he saw a lot of 
potential.

“If we can eliminate the 

big mistakes and get our hit 
percentage from 70-75 percent 
up to 80-85 percent, that’s 
approaching 
championship 

form,” Golder said. “We have 
to increase our difficulty, too. 
The routines that these guys are 
doing may not look easy, but by 
our championship standards, 
some of them are easy.

“We expect to get better, and 

if you see the same, you’re not 
pleased with that.”

Sophomore Dmitri Belanovski 

had the best performance on 
the night for the Wolverines, but 
even he could not avoid mistakes 
against Oklahoma. Though the 
meet was out of reach by the final 
event, the high bar, Belanovski 
held a slight lead to be the all-
around champion. But Belanovski 
lost his grip in the middle of his 
routine, finishing with a 13.800 
and an 86.950 overall, good for 
third place all-around.

“I was a little nervous on 

high bar,” Belanovski said. “I 
think high bar is my best event, 
so I get a little nervous for it. 
That release is new for me, so 
I’ve got to keep being more 
confident in it.”

For a team that consists mostly 

of freshmen, confidence is a 
necessity. Golder believes that 
will develop over time, and that 
the main concern is being too 
careful. His advice was simple.

“Just attack it,” Golder said. 

“I think they might be a little 
consumed with making sure 
everything is perfect and they’re 
swinging a little bit cautiously, 
and they don’t practice that way. 
If you fall, then you fall. But 
you’ve got to compete the way 
you practice.”

Though 
the 
Wolverines 

suffered another hit in the 
loss column, both Belanovski 
and 
Golder 
shared 
the 

same 
sentiment: 
a 
15-point 

improvement against the No. 
1 team in the country isn’t 
something to worry about.

AMANDA ALLEN/Daily

Senior Ronit Yurovsky clinched Sunday’s match against Kentucky with a win at No. 1 singles, the last match on the court at the Varsity Tennis Center.

“That’s the 

beauty of college 

tennis: It’s a 
team thing.”

