Sports The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com Tuesday, April 5, 2016 — 7 Young ‘M’ lineup stands out in narrow loss to Terrapins Wolverines can’t overcome injuries, but freshmen flash potential By JORDAN HERBSTMAN Daily Sports Writer The Michigan men’s lacrosse team showed up to its Big Ten season-opener determined to pull off an upset against No. 5 Maryland. The Wolverines put together an impressive performance, but in the end they came up just short and lost, 8-7. Michigan (0-1 Big Ten, 3-6 overall) found itself in a tough position with its two leading offensive players out with injuries, so it turned to a younger starting lineup to battle the Terrapins (1-0, 7-2). The Wolverines started five freshmen and two seniors Saturday, compared to zero and four for Maryland, respectively With a young squad on the field, Michigan focused its effort on utilizing a combination of freshman youth and senior experience to combat the strong Maryland team. After falling behind 1-0 in the first quarter, the Wolverines turned to their seniors to get things going. Just over five minutes into the game, senior attacker Peter Kraus continued the aggressive play shown earlier by fellow senior Evan Glaser, and netted his first goal of the day to tie the game. Senior faceoff specialist Brad Lott won the following faceoff to give Michigan another possession straight off the goal. Once again, the Wolverines turned to another senior in midfielder Mike Hernandez, who sniped in a shot to give Michigan a 2-1 lead. Lott played a key role in the first quarter success for Michigan by securing three of the five faceoffs, two of which came directly after goals. “I thought Brad Lott was a big part of our ability to be in the game today,” said Michigan coach John Paul. “Once we started winning faceoffs early, and once we had got some stops on defense, some guys started believing.” After allowing two quick goals in the second quarter, the Wolverines fell back on their seniors once again. Hernandez and Kraus stepped up on offense, and Kraus found the back of the net for his second goal of the day, regaining the lead for Michigan early in the second quarter. Freshman attacker Rocco Sutherland also gave the Wolverines an impressive offensive effort. After the team went up, 4-3, Sutherland was determined to maintain possession by picking up ground balls off faceoffs and collecting missed shots behind the net, allowing Michigan to keep offensive possessions alive. The Wolverines fell behind, 6-4, in the third quarter, but just as they did throughout the first half, the shorthanded Wolverines turned to the freshmen and seniors to stop the Terrapins from widening their lead. Kraus and Sutherland fired shot after shot, but it was freshman midfielder Decker Curran who scored the first goal of the quarter for Michigan. “It’s so awesome to see so many guys step in like that,” Kraus said. “If one guy goes down, whoever it is, if it’s a freshman or senior, he’s got to step up and play his role. That’s exactly what they did today.” In the fourth quarter, Kraus got back in on the action and netted his third goal of the day, tying the game at six. “Luckily I was in the spot to get the shot off,” Kraus said. “(We) just kind of ran the offense correctly and that’s what happens.” However, a late push by Maryland was too much for the Wolverines, and they fell short by only one goal. Though it was not the result they wanted, Paul was still proud of his team and the potential the freshmen showed, as well as the poise the seniors exhibited. “We’ve been searching for the right guys, the right chemistry and the right execution, and it’s really just the next man up until we find the right group,” Paul said. “This group did a pretty commendable job.” MEN’S LACROSSE “It’s so awesome to see so many guys step in like that.” Michigan continues home success in weekend sweep By MIKE PERSAK Daily Sports Writer In a surprisingly strong season, the No. 20 Michigan men’s tennis team has been fueled in its turnaround by consistently strong performances at home. The Wolverines have compiled a perfect 12-0 record at the Varsity Tennis Center, a record paramount to their surge into the ITA Top 25. This weekend was more of the same for Michigan (4-1 Big Ten, 15-4 overall), as it hosted Indiana (0-3 Big Ten, 4-12 overall) on Friday and Purdue (1-2 Big Ten, 12-5 overall) on Sunday. The Wolverines came out of the weekend undefeated, beating both teams, 4-1. “We’ve played well here,” said Michigan coach Adam Steinberg. “We’ve had a heavy home schedule this year, not like last year, where we were on the road a lot. I think the guys have gotten into a rhythm when playing here.” The Wolverines, who have dubbed their home courts “The Slaughterhouse,” were in danger of having their flawless home record tarnished against Purdue. Despite charging to an early 3-0 lead thanks to quick wins from the No. 6 and No. 5 players, freshman Myles Schalet and sophomore Davis Crocker, the Boilermakers showed some fight by winning in the No. 1 singles match. Purdue also prolonged other matches before finally being defeated by a No. 4 singles win from Michigan sophomore Runhao Hua, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. After the match was done, Michigan’s focus immediately shifted. But the shift wasn’t to its next opponent like it normally is. Instead, the Wolverines geared up to teach the fundamentals of tennis to children in the community in a post-match clinic. “I think it’s important that we get a nice home base,” said sophomore Davis Crocker. “We have had great fans this year. The fans have been awesome. Club tennis has been incredible as far as influencing matches, and I think it’s important, like with the kid’s clinic today, to get the community involved with the tennis.” But while the fans are a bonus for the team, it is ultimately the improved play on the court and comfort with their home surroundings that have resulted in Michigan’s success. “I think we have more of a comfort level here,” Crocker said. “It’s easier for us to support each other from these specific standing points. We’re used to the courts, and I think that all plays a factor.” Though the home victories for the Wolverines have driven them to their current place in the standings, they will now be forced to get wins away from Ann Arbor. They will play four straight conference matches on the road before returning home to finish the regular season. But if Michigan is able to maintain its perfect home record, it will have already improved on its disappointing seasons of the past. The Wolverines have already beaten three ranked teams at home this season. They beat Duke, Penn State and Tulsa, who were ranked No. 25, 25 and 22 at the time, respectively. So now, all that’s left to do is prove that Michigan can get it done on the road, too. FILE PHOTO/Daily Myles Schalet cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 victory against Purdue on Sunday. Isaac impresses in Spring Game Redshirt junior makes case as complementary back for 2016 By JACOB GASE Daily Sports Editor When Ty Isaac broke free for a 76-yard touchdown run against UNLV last September, it looked like he was announcing his arrival as a force to be reckoned with in the Michigan football team’s backfield. But after a two-fumble performance at Maryland two weeks later, and later an “internal matter” that led to him being temporarily left off the team’s dress list, Isaac plummeted down the depth chart. After getting just two carries each against Northwestern on Oct. 10 and Michigan State on Oct. 17, Isaac didn’t touch the ball again for the rest of the season, leaving his future in the Wolverine backfield in doubt. Fast-forward six months later, though, and the redshirt junior has burst right back into the picture. As the featured back for the Maize team in Michigan’s Spring Game on Friday night — last year’s top backs, senior De’Veon Smith and fifth-year senior Drake Johnson, both found themselves on the Blue team — Isaac picked up 10 carries and made the most of them. Early in the second quarter, after netting zero yards on his first two attempts, Isaac took a handoff at midfield for a 29-yard gain down the right sideline, setting up a 13-yard touchdown pass for the Maize team’s first score of the game. On a nearly identical play in the third quarter, Isaac broke outside again, threw a stiff arm in the secondary and picked up 30 yards to the Blue 21-yard line. Five plays later, redshirt sophomore quarterback Wilton Speight found the end zone on a bootleg scamper that ended up being the game-winning touchdown. Isaac looked like a different player under the lights Friday, and he felt like one, too. So far this offseason, Isaac has shed 14 pounds and five percent body fat. “I feel a lot better, just all around, physically,” Isaac said. “I dropped some weight, lost some body fat and I just feel really good physically. I can play faster. ... The difference between 10 pounds or 15 pounds is huge — I could even tell during conditioning stuff.” It might be difficult to get carries in a backfield that already has a starter set in stone — after Smith picked up 753 rushing yards and six touchdowns last season, the coaching staff has made it clear that it’s his job to lose. Smith didn’t play much in the Spring Game, though, saying he was trying to “get (his) body all the way healthy before the season.” With no other back getting more than five carries, it was Isaac’s time to shine. Lighter and faster, he showed signs of the skill set that made him a five-star Southern California recruit before he ultimately transferred to Michigan. Smith has noticed the dramatic changes in Isaac’s appearance and playing style, too. Smith’s mindset hasn’t wavered with Isaac’s resurgence — he’s dead set on keeping his job as the lead back — but he understands the benefits of a capable complementary option, and he thinks Isaac could be that player. “Ty’s 6-(foot)-3, 230 (pounds). It’s gonna be trouble for teams, with two power backs,” Smith said. “We have a stable of backs — everybody could play right now. I’ll be happy whoever’s backing me up.” As the only running back to gain more than 11 yards on the ground — he had 78 — Isaac certainly took advantage of his opportunity Friday night. His strong performance in the Spring Game was just the culmination of an improved spring, one that had Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and fifth- year senior offensive lineman Kyle Kalis raving about his improvements over the last few weeks. Still, Isaac knows it’s going to take more than that to stay in the backfield mix in the fall. “It’s good to hear it getting noticed,” Isaac said, “but it definitely can’t be something that you hear one time and think, ‘I’m all right, I’m good, I can lay back.’ I want to continue to be like that. “Every time I come out, I want it to be noticed. I don’t have to talk about it. I’m just going to do it.” AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily Ty Isaac broke off two long runs in Michigan’s Spring Game, totaling 78 yards, most of any running back. Wolverines finish 11th at Bryan Park By LOGAN T. HANSEN For the Daily Following a multi-week reprieve from competition, the Michigan women’s golf team teed off over the weekend at Bryan Park Golf Course in Greensboro, N.C., participating in the Bryan National Collegiate from Friday through Sunday. In the face of stiff competition — including heavyweights in No. 20 Virginia, No. 21 Florida State and No. 28 East Carolina — and some unforgiving weather, the Wolverines finished 11th as a team with a total of 926 strokes over three days and 54 holes of golf. Sophomore Kathy Lim led the way for the Wolverines, tying for eighth place individually with a career-best 224 (76-74-74) stroke total. The tally resulted in her second top-10 finish of the season. “(Kathy) came off a tough week in Arizona a couple weeks ago and she came into practice each day with a purpose, had a plan and stuck to it,” said coach Jan Dowling. “I’m really proud of her that it paid off and that she was able to be resilient. As a coaching staff, we believe in her and I hope this gives her confidence to continue believing in herself.” Lim carded the lowest totals in each round for Michigan, but she was quick to note that the course was no cakewalk. “Overall it was a tough course to deal with,” Lim said. “We were definitely disappointed with the (11th-place) finish.” Following Lim on the scorecard for the Wolverines was junior Grace Choi, who shot 232 (79-75- 78) and finished tied for 42nd. Senior Catherine Peters and sophomore Megan Kim both tallied 236 (81-78-77 and 80-77-79, respectively) and finished tied for 51st, and sophomore Emily White came in at 242 (79-81-82) strokes, tying for 65th. Conditions at Bryan Park Golf Course were not ideal for the 15 squads participating in the weekend’s event. Friday’s opening 18-hole round was delayed nearly four hours due to heavy rains and thunderstorms. “We had some tough conditions to deal with this week, and our team did really well with that, actually,” Dowling said. “It was a course that’s already tough to begin with, but the rainy conditions and the 10- to 25-mile- per-hour wind did not help at all.” Dowling said the team was not familiar with the Greensboro course, meaning Thursday’s practice round was extremely important for them. The competition they saw over the weekend was no stranger to them, however. “We’ve seen many of those teams throughout the whole year, which is great,” Dowling said. “You can’t get better unless you see the better teams. I know our team loves seeing that field; they’re competitors and we know that we were close to beating them if we improve our putting and a little bit of the short game.” With the 2016 Big Ten Championships (Apr. 22-24) waiting in the wings, Lim came away from the chilly rain-soaked outing with some positives as well. “This course really showed us our true weaknesses,” Lim said, “Which is perfect because we are heading to Big Tens now — basically the most important event of our season. We’re excited to work hard on our weaknesses and get better.” WOMEN’S GOLF “This course really showed us our true weaknesses.”