The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com Sports Wednesday, February 27, 2019 — 7A Late run of goals displays Moyle’s ability to get to front of net Until late December, Nolan Moyle had just two points — and neither were goals. But on Dec. 30, the freshman forward found twine for the first time as a member of the Michigan hockey team. The switch didn’t flip immediately — Moyle added another goal two games later but it took him eight more games to get his third. The next time Moyle lit the lamp, it was the first multi-goal game of his career with two tallies against Michigan State on Feb. 9. Since then, he’s added another multi-goal outing and has at least one goal in three of the Wolverines’ last four games. Not bad for a freshman who didn’t have a goal until nearly the second half of the season. “I saw (Moyle) last year score (in the USHL), and he has the potential,” said Michigan coach Mel Pearson on Saturday night. “Sometimes it just takes a while until you feel comfortable with it. Good for him. We’re gonna need that.” On Friday night against No. 7 Ohio State, Moyle’s two goals came at crucial times for his team. One tied the game with 10 minutes left in the third period, and the second was the game- winner. But for Pearson, the location of those goals was even better than the timing. Both goals came in what Pearson calls the gritty area of the ice — the space below the faceoff circles and above the crease, just in front of the opposing goaltender. When players get to that space, scoring opportunities increase because there’s always someone in position to clean up a rebound and create extra chances. “I think that’s a real good reminder for our players to watch that and see where Nolan got his goals from,” Pearson said Tuesday. “One was behind him, but the other two was — he’s going to the front of the net. In this day and age, with teams playing so well defensively and having good goaltending, you’ve gotta get there.” Moyle did just that on his first goal on Friday. Freshman forward Garrett Van Wyhe pushed the puck up the right side of the ice and wrapped around behind the net. His shot bounced off goaltender Sean Romeo’s pad which sent the puck out to Moyle, who was crashing down on the crease. It didn’t take much for Moyle to tap the puck home and tie the game. The puck once again came from Van Wyhe on the game- winning goal. This time, his pass from the left side of the net went across the crease to Moyle, who was waiting to shoot the puck into the open right side. “Garrett made two really good plays, really strong plays to the net,” Moyle said Tuesday. “I just happened to be in front and get a stick on it. Garrett and (sophomore forward Dakota Raabe) used their speed really well and did all the work and got the puck in front of the net.” But as much as Moyle wants to deflect the credit, his goals were still largely the result of intelligent positioning and working to get to that area in front of the net. After Friday’s win, Van Wyhe said that Moyle getting to the front of the net is something they’ve worked hard on in practice throughout the season. The two goals from that area on Friday cemented that their work is paying off. The myriad of drills Pearson puts the Wolverines through every day in practice largely focus on getting to the top of the crease. With four of his seven goals on the season coming from that area, Moyle is clearly figuring out that the system works. “We have a number of drills where the offense — and the main priority is to get to the net,” Pearson said. “We had to remind a few guys today that sort of get to an area and they stop skating and they’re still a long way (away from the net). We’re trying to attack the net more. A lot of different drills we do, especially with our forwards to get to a certain point on the ice and in front of the net. … Just a lot of different drills that are structured to that point. To get to the net and then hang around the net and finish.” This weekend, Michigan goes to Wisconsin, where the Badgers play on an Olympic- sized ice sheet. The ice is 15 feet wider than traditional college or NHL rinks, which makes getting to the net more of a challenge. With so much extra space, it’s easy to stray away from the crease without realizing it and then have to work even harder to get back to the front of the net. That could make Moyle’s knack to do so all the more important. The Wolverines are one win away from hosting the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. And with five goals in the last four games, Moyle’s scoring ability may be what Michigan needs to get home-ice advantage. BAILEY JOHNSON Daily Sports Writer Talent of freshman class apparent early in the season As the ball crossed the middle of the plate and the Louisiana State pitcher, Shelbi Sunseri, swung and missed, right-hander Alex Storako’s changeup closed out the inning without any contact with the ball. Watching the pitcher throw four consecutive strikeouts last Sunday, with all the confidence of a veteran, you’d never guess Storako is one of the youngest players on the team. From Storako to outfielder Lexie Blair to infielder Morgan Overaitis, the Michigan softball team’s (6-8) No. 14 per FloSoftball recruiting class features talent all over the field. And not all of the Wolverines’ freshmen have gotten the opportunity to show what they can do yet. “We have a group of athletes,” said Michigan coach Carol Hutchins on Feb. 5. “They’re all very athletic. They’re all good softball players. Lexie Blair just walking in the door and is an outfielder and looks like she’s been on that outfield for her whole career. She makes everything look easy. She’s a heck of an athlete. You look at Morgan Overaitis and (infielder) Gianna Carosone: two good athletes who have just gotten better and better all year.” Blair has not only proven herself in the outfield, but also as an asset in the batters’ box, boasting a batting average of .340, the second highest among the team’s starters. Blair’s power behind the plate has been a standout for a team that has struggled to get on base. Last Friday, Blair was responsible for three of six total hits for the Wolverines and has scored seven runs over the course of the season. “Lexie has stepped up huge,” said junior outfielder Madison Uden on Feb. 5. “She doesn’t look like a freshman to me. She looks great in the outfield and hits the ball well.” Michigan boasts young defensive standouts as well. One year after left-hander Meghan Beaubien burst onto the scene as a freshman, Storako has emerged as a strong pitcher. Storako made her collegiate debut in the first game of the season. Since then, she has been vital to the rotation, pitching as many innings as Beaubien. So far, the freshman has outperformed her mentor, giving up fewer runs and allowing fewer runners on base. She currently possesses an ERA of 2.50. Despite her impressive performance early on, Storako, like everyone on the team, has things to work on. For one, she has yet to pitch a full game, frequently being taken out after giving up several walks. “Storako’s done a great job,” Hutchins said. “But we need her to sustain during the game and finish the game. You always do it one inning at a time.” With many of their games being lost by one or two runs, the Wolverines have rarely been in a position to test out the fledgling players, leaving many freshmen with little-to-no time on the field. Among these players is catcher Hannah Carson, who has 10 at bats and stepped in for senior catcher Katie Alexander in two games. “Hannah is an amazing player — she’s obviously been catching for a long time, and I see myself in her too,” Alexander said. “I’ve watched videos of myself hitting while she’s catching and I think, ‘Am I catching? Is that me?’ She pays attention to detail, and I think that she’s going to do really well because she already has the physical stuff. Now it’s about the mental game and getting in there, getting reps and knowing the speed of the college game.” The transition from high school to collegiate play can pose a problem for some athletes with stark increases in the levels of pitching and the sheer pace of the game. The upperclassmen have stepped up to ease this transition, preparing the novice players to take the reigns someday. “They know they’re playing behind a veteran group and we’ve had some conversations,” Hutchins said on Feb. 5. “I just inspired them and you never know when you’re going to get your opportunity. You never know when you’re one pitch from being in the lineup to player forward every day.” ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily Freshman forward Nolan Moyle has scored in three of his last four games, providing a spark late in the year. LANE KIZZIAH Daily Sports Writer ALEC COHEN/Daily Michigan coach Carol Hutchins has provided major roles to some freshmen. Weiss adjusting to life in spotlight Freshman right-hander Willie Weiss was thrown into the fray in the second inning on Sunday against The Citadel. The Michigan baseball team turned to Weiss after the first inning struggles of redshirt junior pitcher Benjamin Keizer had put it down 2-0. Three batters, eight pitches and three outs later, Weiss walked off the mound with the ship righted. The Wolverines never looked back. Weiss calmly struck out the first batter swinging. The second struck out looking. The third was retired after a pop- up to first base on the opening pitch. The right hander was not fazed throughout his 2.2 innings, only his second regular season appearance for the Wolverines. Weiss got the first two batters he faced out in the third inning before he faced a mini-jam with runners on second and first after a single, wild pitch and a walk. Weiss escaped the inning unscathed after a line-drive out by Bulldogs junior infielder Ben Peden. “When you have some hitters that are facing really good pitchers and pitchers that are facing really good hitters on your own team, then the learning curve can get sped up a little bit,” said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “And be improved once you get into outside competition.” Weiss has made a name for himself as the only freshman to have an early season impact for the Wolverines. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for baseball in the state of Oregon for the 2017- 18 high school season. Weiss was one of the most sought-after recruits in the nation and was a highlight of Michigan’s 2018 recruiting class. He was ranked the 22nd right-handed pitcher by Perfect Game’s recruiting service. Bakich was high on Weiss prior to the season. “He’s a guy that — he’s a strong physical specimen. 6-foot-3, 220 lbs., throws hard, has a good slider, a good breaking ball. He’s got a chance to be a starter or a closer for us. He’s really had a nice fall, a nice preseason, one of those freshmen that had a chance to make an impact no matter where he went.” So far this season, he’s made that impact felt. Weiss finished Sunday with no hits, no earned runs and four strikeouts after facing 10 batters. He also was awarded the first win of his career. Weiss showed resilience after easing into his first start in which he lasted a single inning against Binghamton on Feb. 16th. Weiss provided a steady hand on the road when the Wolverines were down a run, which allowed the offense to kick into gear. “Now, it’s a long season and we got a long way to go, he’s got a long way to go,” Bakich said. “But, so far through the fall, through the preseason in the early goings of this season he certainly seems to have adjusted well and is pitching well. And that’ll be the challenge, like many of the freshmen before him, is to be able to be consistent and maintain that throughout the course of the next four months.” AVI RAJENDRA-NICOLUCCI Daily Sports Writer KATELYN MULCAHY/Daily Michigan coach Erik Bakich has led the Wolverines to an unbeaten 6-0 start in the early going this season.