The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Sports
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 — 9
Fliegner highlights
Michigan performance
in Wolverine
Invitational
Increased speed evident in Michigan’s first game
For years, Eddie Elinburg was the
go-to guy.
“If you called me at three in the
morning, I’d be there to change your
tire,” Elinburg said. “People counted
on me.”
But since losing both of his legs
in a hit-and-run vehicle accident in
2011, things have been different for
Elinburg.
“Now, I have to go to others for
help,” Elinburg said. “I just wasn’t
used to that. There were some pretty
hard times.”
Through
sports,
however,
Elinburg was able to begin restoring
balance to his life. Individual sports
like pool, darts and horseshoes came
first. Once he had mastered those,
Elinburg began to seek out other
adaptive sports, hoping to challenge
himself and boost his fitness.
Unfortunately, these opportunities
were few and far between. Despite
his motivation, Elinburg struggled
to find any adaptive sports programs
in Canton, Mich., where he lives. At
one point, Elinburg frequently took
days off work and to make the hour-
long trip to Lansing, just to take part
in a few hours of adaptive sports
programming at Michigan State.
This summer, Michigan’s Adaptive
Sports and Fitness (ASAF) program
began hosting biweekly wheelchair
basketball and tennis drop-in sessions
open to Michigan staff, faculty, and
students, as well as all members
of the community. Through this
programming, a full 10 years after
his injury, Elinburg finally gained the
reliable, local access to competitive
adaptive sports programming he had
so desired.
“When (they) reached out, my
head lit up like a Christmas tree,”
Elinburg said. “I don’t know who sent
the email, but I want to thank them
for that, because that’s what’s keeping
me happy.”
Elinburg
attended
wheelchair
basketball
practices
consistently throughout the
summer, improving markedly
as a player with the help of
veteran player-coaches Alex
Saleh and Spencer Heslop. In
fact, despite only having begun
playing wheelchair basketball
recently, Elinburg will suit up
for Michigan this fall as part of
the program’s first ever NWBA
team.
While Elinburg’s story is
rounded out by a happy ending,
his struggle to find adaptive
sports and fitness opportunities
is
unfortunately
common
among
individuals
with
disabilities.
“I was injured just over five
years ago and I’ve been trying
to scope out adaptive sports
programs ever since,” said
Laura Stark, a fellow Canton
resident and Elinburg’s soon-
to-be NWBA teammate. “I feel
like they’re there, but they’re
not advertised well.”
Stark, like Elinburg, was a
frequent drop-in attendee this
summer and has taken quickly to
wheelchair basketball. While she’s
always been active, she longed for the
opportunity to play as part of a team.
“Wheelchair
basketball
is
a
community,” Stark said. “A lot of other
adaptive sports I’ve played in the past
are single player, where it’s only up
to you. But when I play team sports,
that’s where I feel the most value
comes.”
For Michigan ASAF Assistant
Director Erik Robeznieks, experiences
like Elinburg’s and Stark’s are precisely
why
hosting
consistent
drop-in
programming has been such an
important goal for the program.
“By hosting these sessions, we’re
trying to leverage our status as part
of a great sporting and academic
institution like the University of
Michigan to address the gap that
exists in the community for people
with physical disabilities to engage
in recreation, leisure and competitive
adaptive sport,” Robeznieks said.
While providing a space for
individuals to participate in adaptive
sport is an important step toward
Robeznieks’s goal, it’s not enough
on its own to ensure that individuals
who want to play can do so.
For example, sport wheelchairs
are
shockingly
expensive.
This
cost, combined with the fact that
individuals with disabilities are
employed at approximately one-tenth
the rate of those without, creates an
insurmountable financial barrier for
many.
To address this, with donor
support, the ASAF program offers
their programming completely free
of charge while also providing sport
wheelchairs and other equipment to
all who need it.
“Even if it was free to play but you
had to bring your own equipment,
I think the numbers would drop
significantly,” Stark said. “I couldn’t
play. I don’t own a sports chair. Even
for those in the disability
community who do have jobs,
you have to spend so much of
your money on medical care
and things like that — it makes a
world of difference to be able to
play for free.”
Echoed Elinburg: “Right
now, if this wasn’t free, the
activity I’d be doing is probably
nothing.”
The obstacles to providing
equitable access to sports and
fitness don’t stop with finances.
Many without disabilities simply
lack an understanding of why
providing adaptive sports is such
a vital part of any community,
leading to a lack of motivation
among
organizations
and
institutions to really do anything
about the problem. To that end,
the program stresses that the
programming is open to all,
regardless of disability status.
“Through drop-ins, we can
bring adaptive sports to life
in a sense,” Robeznieks said.
“We can actually get people
involved and allow them to
form a personal connection with
adaptive sports. That will allow them
to … change whatever preexisting bias
they may have, and it will allow them
to appreciate adaptive sports for the
sake of its skill and the athletic ability
that is required to participate.”
Added Stark: “Bringing in people
outside of the disability community
is great because it shows that the
sport is just as difficult this way as it
is when played by able-bodied people.
I hope that people will start to see
that a wheelchair isn’t just a piece of
medical equipment — anyone who
wants to play wheelchair basketball
needs a wheelchair. I think that will
do a lot for awareness.”
While Robeznieks stresses that
the most important goal of the
drop-in programming is to provide
equitable access to sports and fitness,
he also hopes that by opening the
program’s doors to all members of
the community, they can accelerate
the development of an elite-level
wheelchair basketball team.
“We’re only going to be able to
form
competitive
intercollegiate
teams if we’re able to recruit athletes,”
Robeznieks said. “But a common
problem that we’ve had in trying to
recruit athletes is them telling us to
come back when we have a team.”
By participating in the NWBA’s
adult division, the program will be
able to field a team of both Michigan
students
and
local
community
members. This way, the program
can market itself to prospective
athletes as having an established
squad. Eventually, after the program
can field a team in the intercollegiate
division, this more recreational adult-
division level team can continue
to serve as a competitive outlet for
community members like Elinburg
and Stark.
After
the
success
of
drop-
in
programming
this
summer,
Michigan ASAF plans to continue
offering
wheelchair
basketball,
wheelchair tennis and adaptive track
and field sessions indefinitely — still
free and still open to all, with or
without disabilities.
Through drop-in adaptive sports, UM ASAF bridges gap in community
GRAYSON BUNING
Daily Sports Writer
After
two
shortened
seasons,
the
Michigan
women’s tennis team was
finally able to make their
long awaited return to a full
slate of matches this fall with
the Wolverine Invitational as
their third event of the year.
The Wolverines hosted
Michigan State, Ohio State,
Notre Dame, Arizona State
and Western Michigan at
the three-day meet this past
weekend. The Wolverines
had a positive overall record
for the event with a total of
17 wins and nine losses. The
event didn’t count for team
points but remains important
to see how each of the players
stand before the ITA All-
American
Championships
next week. Potential doubles
teams had an opportunity
to build chemistry in a
competitive
environment
and the players received one
of their first big tests.
The team started with a
strong first day, going 5-1 in
doubles and 4-1 in singles.
“We brought competitive
teams in here and I feel like
we got a high level of play,”
Michigan
coach
Ronni
Bernstein
said.
“They’ve
been practicing hard, and it
showed that first day”.
Michigan’s
biggest
bright spot was undefeated
freshman Julia Fliegner who
finished the weekend with a
4-0 singles and 3-0 doubles
record.
“She had an unbelievable
weekend,” Bernstein said.
“It was a great match
against Notre Dame against
a girl who’s going to play
high for them. We didn’t
see her much last year
because of COVID, but she
was very impressive. Really
everybody was, I was proud
of the whole group and how
they competed.”
Fliegner would finish 7-0,
but her final match was the
most difficult of the weekend.
Notre Dame’s Page Freeman
jumped out to a two game
lead to start the match,
including a break in the first
game. Fliegner broke back to
make it 3-3, but later had her
back against the wall with
Freeman
serving
with a 5-4 lead.
After
a
crucial
break
and
hold
from
Fliegner,
Freeman
was
down 6-5 and had
to win her serve
to force a seven
point set tiebreak.
However, at 30-40,
she double-faulted
to lose the set 7-5.
The second set was
also back and forth,
but Fliegner never
gave up the lead
and cleaned up the
match to win, 7-5, 6-3.
The
invitational
was
capped off with a gritty three
set win from junior Nicole
Hammond against Arizona
State’s Cali Jankowski. After
a 6-1 first set loss, Hammond
commanded the rest of the
match and never again gave
up the lead in either of the
final two sets. The 1-6, 6-2,
6-3, Wolverine win ended
the event with a statement
comeback.
Although the Wolverine
Invitational
was
non-
scoring, Michigan now has
momentum that it will look
to carry forward into the
rest of the season. Five of
the Wolverine’s top players
will travel to South Carolina
next week and compete in
the Michigan’s first scoring
event of the season.
“I’m going to use this
event as a confidence point,”
Fliegner said. “When I’m in
tough points in next week’s
tournament I’m definitely
going to think back to here
and how I played.”
Legendary hockey coach Herb
Brooks used to yell “legs feed the wolf”
at his 1980 Olympic team.
In 2020, the Michigan hockey
team’s roster featured skill on both
ends of the ice. But still, its legs couldn’t
deliver a feast every night against faster
opponents like Minnesota
and Wisconsin.
If last Saturday’s 7-1
exhibition
win
over
Bowling Green is any
indication, though, the
Wolverines could be a few
strides ahead this season.
From the early minutes
of
the
game,
speed
dominated
Michigan’s
game
plan.
When
sophomore
forward
Matty
Beniers
found
sophomore forward Kent
Johnson alone at center
ice, Johnson used his legs
to widen the gap between
himself and the Falcons
defenders.
That
gave
him plenty of time to fool
Bowling Green goaltender
Zach Rose as a quick flick
of his stick deposited the
first goal of the season.
The
same
legwork
that led to the goal also
extended many of the
Wolverines’ scoring threats. As hard
shots ricocheted off Rose, the puck
skittered toward the boards where the
Falcons’ defensemen had a chance to
dump it out. Michigan’s speed often
won out in the ensuing footraces
and, combined with their physical
presence, it generated plenty of shots.
“Every team is going to be pre-
scouting our skill,” sophomore forward
Brendan Brisson said on Friday after
the game. “But it’s about playing hard
in the hard areas, getting pucks deep
when we have to and getting pucks
back quicker so we can use our skill in
the right moments.”
On
Saturday,
the
Wolverines
executed
those
offensive
moves
faster than they did last season. In a
split second during the first period,
Michigan set up a 1-3-1 power play.
Bowling Green couldn’t account for
the ensuing flurry of quick passes, and
Brisson skated away with a goal.
The Wolverines’ transition game
relied on its speed advantage. Quick
strides down the wings opened up
clean odd-man rushes and lagging
defenders couldn’t break up the zone
entries that led to long offensive
setups. Michigan controlled the pace
of play all game by using that speed,
unlike last season.
Freshman
defenseman
Luke
Hughes played a prominent role
in that, lurking closer to the top of
the faceoff circle even when the
Falcons threatened a breakout. Many
defensemen playing that far up would
get burned. But Hughes’s confidence
in his skating ability proved effective
as he chased down anyone that
slipped by him with ease. That kind of
confidence — a trait Michigan coach
Mel Pearson said reminded him of
his brother Quinn Hughes — allows
Hughes to make the most of his ice
time.
The same rang true for senior
forward Jimmy Lambert, whose
speed looked deadly in the bottom six.
Lambert, Hughes and junior forward
Eric Ciccolini swarmed Rose as the
first period waned. With a little over
50 seconds on the clock, all three
crashed the net as Bowling Green’s
defenders could only watch. Before
they could even poke
their sticks at the loose
puck, the red light cast a
glowing aura on the goal.
The Wolverines’ speed
won again.
Speed in the bottom
six could be an X-factor
against tough opponents.
As Michigan’s stars draw
the undivided attention
of opposing defensemen,
speed
like
Lambert’s
can bring advantages
against
worn-out
players. That difference
could lead to secondary
scoring in close contests,
something that didn’t
often happen in intense
games last year.
While
there’s
no
guarantee that this speed
will stack up against
teams like Duluth or
Minnesota — teams full
of talent and conditioned
to a T — the increase in
speed could bode well for forcing the
pace of play down the line. With as
much talent as this roster boasts, the
Wolverines can turn that speed into
additional goals.
If Michigan can keep up its speed,
the wolf will be eating more often than
not.
COURTESY OF GRAYSON BUNING
The UM ASAF program offers free drop-in adaptive sports programming open to students and Ann
Arbor community members.
GRACE BEAL/Daily
In their final non-scoring tune-up, the Michigan
women’s tennis team won the Michigan Invita-
tional.
ALLISON ENGVIST/Daily
Jimmy Lambert added speed to Michigan’s roster this weekend in it’s exhibition matchup against Bowling Green.
JOSEPH ZAIN RODGER
For The Daily
CONNOR EAREGOOD
Daily Sports Writer
The game was in a deadlock,
neither
team
converting
their
chances. That is, until 21 minutes
into the second half, when Michigan
men’s soccer team junior defender
Brennan Callow got called for a
tripping foul, setting up an Indiana
penalty
kick.
Forward
Victor
Bezerra buried the shot to make it a
1-0 game.
The Wolverines (5-4-1 overall,
2-1-0 Big Ten) played the Hoosiers
(5-3-1, 2-2-0) in Bloomington, Ind.,
on Friday night. Looking for their
second straight Big Ten victory,
they found themselves trailing late
in the second half. But following a
game-saving goal in the 81st minute,
Michigan forced it into overtime,
where senior forward Derick Broche
would score to win the game, 2-1.
The first half of the game was
controlled
by
Indiana,
which
connected on deep passes to set up
scoring opportunities and allowed
its forwards to create traffic in front
of the Wolverines’ net.
“They
kind
of
worked
our
goalkeepers and we did not do that
from our standpoint,” Michigan
head coach Chaka Daley said.
Despite
their
abundance
of
chances,
the
Hoosiers
couldn’t
capitalize
on
any
of
them.
Wolverines freshman goaltender
Hayden Evans was up to the
challenge, making three first-half
saves.
With almost a minute left in the
first half, Indiana defender Daniel
Munie worked his way to the front
of the net for a clean shot. Evans,
however, made a huge stop in front
of the net to keep the game scoreless
heading into halftime.
Michigan wished to have more
scoring chances in the first half.
Instead, it was rewarded with
stellar play from their goaltender.
Every time the Hoosiers made a shot
on net, Evans came up with the save,
finishing the game with seven total
saves.
Nine minutes into the second
half, Indiana moved the ball down
the field to find forward Maouloune
Goumballe wide open for an almost
certain goal on the right side of the
net. But at the last second, Evans
deflected the ball out of bounds
with the fingertips of his gloves.
“Evans was strong and solid,”
Daley said. “He gave us a chance
when it was 0-0.”
Following
Callow’s
goal,
it
appeared as if the Hoosiers were
going to walk away victorious. The
momentum was heavily on their
side, with the home crowd also
providing energy. But Michigan
did not fold. After booting the ball
deep into Indiana’s defensive third,
junior forward Evan Rasmussen
scored a critical goal to tie the game.
“We
caused
them
some
problems,” Daley said. “It was not
a comfortable afternoon for their
guys in the back.”
The momentum carried into
overtime as the Wolverines were
able to get the ball into the Hoosiers’
zone. Rasmussen sent a corner kick
into the box, which found the head
of senior defender Declan Gaffney.
Gaffney sent the ball to Broche, who
knocked in the overtime winner,
their first shot of overtime.
“We asked a lot of questions, we
asked more questions than they
could answer,” Daley said. “That
was ultimately the difference in the
end.”
Michigan men’s soccer completes comeback for 2-1 OT victory
MARK PATRICK
Daily Sports Writer