The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wednesday, March 15, 2023 — 15
Sung sisters find their place in
Michigan team dynamic
MACKENZIE MIELKE
Daily Sports Writer
Golf is an individual sport, but
it’s played in pairs with the Sung
sisters.
Lauren and Sydney Sung are
freshman twins, only the sec-
ond set of twins ever to play
on the Michigan women’s golf
team. However, playing the sport
together started long before their
collegiate careers. It actually runs
in the family. Their older sister,
Katherine, currently plays for
Dartmouth’s golf team. The group
of sisters all began golfing togeth-
er.
“We all basically started at the
same time,” Sydney said. “Our
dad really got into golf, I think in
his college years probably. I think
when we were five or six, we got
taken to the range and just hit a
bunch with our plastic clubs.”
Golf may not be the first sports
parents throw their toddlers into.
In fact, many start with games of
tee-ball, watching their kids draw
shapes in the dirt. It’s a similar
story for the Sung sisters, both of
them going through a multitude of
sports before landing on the range.
“We started playing a bunch of
sports growing up,” Lauren said.
“We swam, we did volleyball, bas-
ketball, tennis and we even ski
raced. We ended up coming down
to a few sports that we thought
we would have a future in, and it
ended up being golf.”
Going with golf indeed was
the right decision. While attend-
ing Palo Alto High School, both
sisters ranked among the top-25
golfers in the state of California.
They only built on to their impres-
sive record; neither lost a single
match in their four years of league
play. Those wins propelled Palo
Alto to a state championship, team
runner-up and two top-20 finishes
for each of them at the state finals
in 2019 and 2021. The sisters are
teammates who have the history
and scores to back up their domi-
nance.
Despite their success as team-
mates, there is no way to erase that
pure competitiveness and desire
to beat your sibling. Even at the
level of Divison I golf.
“I think it just motivates us
really in the end,” Sydney said. “I
think it’s been really beneficial
and especially coming to Michi-
gan with being on the same team.
We’ve kinda had to learn how
to sort of root for each other in a
way, but golf is very individualized
and we still have that competitive
aspect. At some point, we have
individual scores, and we’re trying
to be better than each other.”
The duo didn’t exactly plan on
experiencing their careers togeth-
er, and even went through their
recruitment process separately.
With this process, they looked at
the same coaches but wanted to
be recruited independently. This
then caused a
recurring con-
fusion
when
brought
up
to the sisters
about whether
or
not
they
were
even
related, some-
thing they still
laugh
about
now. For the
benefit of the
Wolverines,
though,
hav-
ing this duo
together
as
teammates has a proven track
record for success.
“We really made it a point
to come to the decision on our
own,” Sydney said. “It turned
out for the better and it’s really
awesome. Just having her down
the hall in our dorm, it’s really
nice.”
Having that type of support
and comfort for a new chap-
ter offers aid in that transition
— especially with a team of just
seven golfers where upperclass-
men lead the way. Having that
type of presence allows the Sung
sisters to find space on the team.
In a sport like golf where an
individual score is valued heav-
ily, it might be harder to form
team camaraderie that comes
with most group sports. Howev-
er, for the pair and the rest of the
team, there is support for both
the underclassmen and the team
goals they want to achieve.
“We’ve had a lot of bonding
moments,” Lauren said. “Just
being able to share experience
throughout our whole high
school time and (the team’s)
experience, learning about the
things they have done for the last
few years.”
This team environment is
cultivating success for the sis-
ters. Lauren shot a career-low
18-hole card of 67 at the Moon
Invitational in February. In her
collegiate debut in September,
Sydney shot a 233 at the 54-hole
Mercedes-Benz
Collegiate.
Their team as a whole has been
performing at a high level of
execution, and the Sung sisters
have had to transition from the
California weather to the irregu-
lar and unpredictable Michigan
season.
“Having an offseason that
we didn’t really have in Cali-
fornia,” Lauren said. “It’s been
pretty easy to specifically work
on something and see it kind of
progress and get better at that
specific thing.”
Sports
WOMEN’S GOLF
Women’s SportsWednesday: What Women’s Month means to me
LILY ISRAEL
Daily Sports Editor
In observance of Women’s His-
tory Month, The Daily’s sports sec-
tion is launching its sixth annual
series aimed at telling the stories of
female athletes, coaches and teams
at the University of Michigan, from
the perspective of female sports
writers on staff. Daily Sports Editor
Lily Israel continues the series with
this story.
I was always the only girl.
The only girl playing football
during elementary school at recess.
The only girl on my 4th-grade flag
football team. The only girl leaving
Hebrew school on Sunday to go to
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers games.
The only girl in my 9th-grade fan-
tasy football league. The only girl
watching the Super Bowl for the
game and not the halftime show.
When I came to Michigan, I was
scared, timid and slightly embar-
rassed that the first thing I wanted
to do in college was join the sports
section of the newspaper.
But immediately all my fears
went away. Because up until that
moment, I always felt isolated.
Alone among my friends in my
desire to do nothing but watch
football on the weekends. Alone
in my passion for my beloved Buc-
caneers. Alone in watching sports
all day.
In that first moment at the
newspaper, as I looked around to
see the smattering of other girls in
The Daily’s weekly sports meeting,
I knew I found my place.
And
that’s
what
Women’s
Month means to me. Knowing that
I belong in the sports world as a
woman; knowing that I can share
that passion and experience with
everyone around me; knowing that
I am wholeheartedly supported by
all the women here, but also all the
men, who look up to me and uplift
me in all I do.
Women’s Month in The Daily’s
sports section was the child of
women writers before me who also
found their place in the newsroom
and knew they wanted to share
those joys. They wanted to high-
light female athletes and coaches
that otherwise wouldn’t get the
spotlight. And they wanted to do it
by uplifting other female writers —
encouraging them to step outside
their comfort zones, use their voic-
es and challenge the limits of what
this industry was before them.
The beautiful thing about grow-
ing up a sports fan was that it
always gave me an outlet. I never
had nothing to do. There was
always a game on or a new ESPN
clip to watch. Sports was always
there for me. I had my family to go
to every Buccaneers game with,
something I didn’t realize wasn’t
a normal thing. I didn’t realize
not every family prioritized going
to football games over Hebrew
school.
But I guess religious experienc-
es are different for everyone.
Growing up with sports was
somewhat of a religious experi-
ence for me. It gave me something
to root for. It was something that
I couldn’t impact and something
that didn’t need to impact my life,
but at the same time, it was my
world. Whether the Bucs won or
lost each Sunday dictated my mood
for the week. On weeks we won,
which were few and far between
when I was young, my dad would
wake me up by asking, “Guess
what?” To which I would answer,
“The Bucs won!” Starting off my
day with the win in mind was all I
needed to keep me going until the
next game.
Playing sports was equally
as important to me growing up.
Somehow, I fell in love with golf at
a young age. For me, the most soli-
tary sport of all made me feel seen.
Being on a golf course made me
feel at home.
As I grew older, though, I craved
the support of a team. I ran track
and played golf through middle
school, but I wanted to be part
of something larger than myself.
And, at its core, that’s what sports
really is — being part of something
greater than just yourself. So I
joined the lacrosse team. Along
with five of my best friends, play-
ing for my school’s lacrosse team
was the highlight of my high school
experience. Playing on a team is an
experience you can get nowhere
else. You are held accountable
for your actions, but you have an
entire group of supportive women
by your side every step of the way.
Lacrosse gave me some of my
fondest memories. Early morn-
ing practices, late night bus rides
GRACE BEAL/Daily
after beating our rival for the first
time, pregame jam sessions, help-
ing friends through career altering
injuries. Sports mimics life in that
way. You go through the highest
highs and the lowest lows all with
the same people you would go to
war for.
Sports have defined nearly
every facet of my life. Because of
how unique it is to be a woman
so passionate about sports, it has
come to represent me. I mark key
moments in my life through mem-
orable sports moments.
I remember the first Bucs play-
off game, a crushing loss I wit-
nessed in person. I remember
when Dwight Howard returned
to the Magic only to crush my
heart and leave the next year, and
I thought my whole childhood
was over. I remember when Tom
Brady came to the Bucs in 2020.
Pandemic be damned I was over
the moon, thinking for sure the
world would end before he played
for us. I remember when the Bucs
won the Super Bowl in the midst of
a pandemic, a bright light in one of
the hardest years for everyone.
Execution leads Michigan to 7-3
victory over Ohio State in
Big Ten semifinal
JOHN TONDORA
Daily Sports Writer
The blueprint was always there.
It was never a question of talent, or
game plan.
It was always about the execu-
tion.
Disciplined, clean, five-on-five
hockey. Capitalizing on opponents’
mistakes and playing the best
even-strength game possible. It’s
dangerously simple, but for the No.
4 Michigan hockey team (23-11-3
overall, 13-10-2 Big Ten), it made
all the difference in its 7-3 Big Ten
semifinal victory over No. 9 Ohio
State (20-14-3, 11-11-2).
“I think our five-on-five game
is one of the best in the country,”
freshman forward Gavin Brindely
said. “When we stay disciplined,
we’re out of the box, (and) I think
we’re a tough team to beat.”
The Wolverines have preached
the necessity of their even-strength
play all season. Yet, as the most
penalized team in college hockey
averaging nearly 18 penalty min-
utes per contest, Michigan rarely
has the opportunity to showcase
that skillset.
Nevertheless, thanks to zero
penalty minutes and evidently
clean play, the Wolverines couldn’t
script a better first period if they
drew it up themselves. Gifted a 1-0
lead by freshman forward Gavin
Brindley 23 seconds into the game,
Michigan came out with an energy
that continuously overwhelmed
the Buckeyes.
“We got pucks in, got pucks
behind them, rim to the bottom on
their (defense) a lot and just pre-
vented us from turning the puck
over in the neutral zone,” senior
forward Nick Granowicz said. “…
They couldn’t get as many opportu-
nities as they did last time.”
Up 3-0 just 10 minutes into the
frame, the Wolverines’ success-
ful play was contagious. Finished
checks, pucks dumped in deep and
five-foot passes all compounded
toward controlling play well into
the second period.
But what was perhaps most
impressive: Michigan refrained
from any penalties for more than
30 minutes — a nearly insurmount-
able task in previous contests. The
Wolverines had preached the same
keys to success all season. And they
had finally begun to click.
That is, until a cross-checking
penalty committed by sophomore
defenseman Luke Hughes put
Michigan wholly on the defensive
for the first time all night.
Just 18 seconds later, a cross-
crease tap-in by forward Jake
Wise gave Ohio State life and cut
the deficit to 3-1. In classic fash-
ion, the only team that could beat
the Wolverines was themselves.
Throughout the entire night, when
Michigan strayed away from its
discipline — and thus five-on-five
play — it opened the door for the
Buckeyes.
“That was another point of
emphasis this week — discipline,”
Granowicz said. “Play between
the whistles, don’t let them get in
between our heads. Don’t take any
extra penalties we don’t need to.
We like our chances five-on-five.”
And while a 4-1 goal by freshman
forward Adam Fantilli momentari-
ly assuaged the damage, the Wol-
verines fell back into their old ways
as an errant trip by sophomore
forward Mark Estapa once again
reopened the door for Ohio State, as
it converted on the powerplay for a
4-2 score early in
the third period.
Though
it
eventually
pulled
away,
Michigan’s
deviations from
five-on-five play
were the only
moments
that
kept the Buck-
eyes from sink-
ing.
“It kind of got goofy at the end
of the second, or the beginning of
the third where they were calling
more penalties,” Michigan coach
Brandon Naurato said. “But I
thought our guys did a great job
of being disciplined.”
The Wolverines did not play
nearly as perfect a game in the
third period. As the desperation
of the waning minutes of Ohio
State’s Big Ten Tournament run
propelled it toward the chaos and
disruption that earned it success
thus far, the Buckeyes pressed on
the gas. Ohio State kept it inter-
esting, converting on a six-on-five
goal courtesy of its own empty
net for its final tally.
Yet as the puck slid across the
goal line for two empty net goals
that iced the game, Michigan
won a resounding 7-3 contest to
clinch a spot in next week’s Big
Ten Championship game. Now,
they’ll face Minnesota in the
Twin Cities for the second season
in a row, defending last season’s
Big Ten Championship hanging
in the balance.
An achievement that, despite
the ups and downs of a regular
season managed by a first-year
interim head coach and an over-
whelmingly youthful roster, was
the culmination of a year’s worth
of growth and development. In a
game that played out in the style
the Wolverines strove toward all
year.
They couldn’t have scripted it
any better.
ICE HOCKEY
SportsMonday: Where are the positives?
After Sunday’s NCAA Tourna-
ment bracket announcement, what
we all already knew is official:
The Michigan men’s basketball
team is a failure.
With no bid to the Big Dance, the
Wolverines’ season is effectively
over, with only a meaningless NIT
playoff left on the horizon. Normally,
now would be the point to look at the
positive takeaways from the season
and have optimism for the future.
So I sat, trying to pull positives
out of the air like a magician search-
ing for a rabbit. But the magic never
came. I stuck my hand deeper into
the hat, still, I was unable to conjure
up any semblance of fur, rabbit or
otherwise. The only thing I found
was delusional justifications for
Michigan’s misfortune, and forced
narratives that didn’t really fit.
Coach Juwan Howard and the
2022-23 Wolverines have given
Michigan fans nothing to celebrate
and little to look forward to. There’s
nothing concrete to hold on to, cling-
ing only to hope.
Perhaps I seem cynical. Perhaps
that’s true. But tell me: Where do I
find positives in a team that failed to
make the NCAA Tournament with
a former Big Ten First-Team center
and two potential NBA draft picks?
What do I look at and say, “I think
the Wolverines are going to bounce
back next year?”
Hunter Dickinson is a tired
story. He’s good, but he wasn’t good
enough this year to punch Michi-
gan a ticket to the Big Dance. He
promotes his podcast in post-game
almost as much as he talks about his
flailing team. Multiple times, he’s
shown poor attitude on the court,
sometimes getting yelled at by How-
ard. He’s undoubtedly talented, but
he’s obviously not enough on his
own, and I’m not sure he’s the best
player for the future of this program.
Even if you believe he is, there’s no
guarantee he stays, with a possibility
to transfer or test his professional
basketball waters.
Speaking of professional aspira-
tions, freshman wing Jett Howard
is a lock to leave for the NBA. He’s a
top-end scoring talent, and despite
his obvious ineptitude on defense, is
slotted as a lottery pick.
Then there’s the case of sopho-
more guard Kobe Bufkin. Bufkin is
the bright spot in the Wolverines’
world of darkness. He improved all
season, on offense and defense. In
my opinion, he was the most impor-
tant factor in Michigan’s limited suc-
cess. He is being mocked in the first
or second round of NBA drafts, and
sometimes even as a lottery pick. If
he gets a first-round guarantee from
a team, I don’t see why he wouldn’t
go.
If Bufkin comes back, he would
be where a Michigan fan can
find promise. Bufkin can elevate
this team next year, and a return
announcement from him would
move the needle for me on my pro-
jection for next season’s squad —
especially if he continues to develop.
The other two places I can clear
off the debris and find players to
affix my hope is with two freshmen,
center Tarris Reed Jr. and guard
Dug McDaniel. Both, especially
the latter, developed throughout
the season. They have promise and,
maybe more importantly, show that
Juwan can develop players.
But, on the other side of the
coin, redshirt freshman forward
Will
Tschetter
looks
abysmal,
junior forward Terrance Williams
II regressed and there’s not much
else to have confidence in as far as
untested players go.
Michigan’s recruiting class isn’t
much to gawk at either, ranking
40th in 247sports’ recruiting rank-
ings with just two commits. There
are no knights in shining armor
coming to save the Wolverines.
Worst of all, it felt that Juwan lost
his hold on his team this season. His
players lacked effort and heart, even
with their season on the line.
“When you notice in timeouts
and you see some dejected, unhappy
young men, and it’s the early part
where there’s maybe 10 minutes
left or seven minutes left in the
ballgame,” Juwan said after the Big
Ten Tournament loss to Rutgers. “I
think it’s my job as a leader to uplift
(the players) and encourage them,
because I saw the looks on their
faces.”
That didn’t really happen. They
looked depressed, and their on-
court effort reflected that. Through-
out the entire season, Michigan
failed to close out games, lacking the
mental and physical toughness to
get the results it wanted.
Last season’s team struggled
with similar issues — issues that
only worsened this season. That is
the biggest glaring issue. Will that
trend continue? Can Juwan fix that
next year despite failing to do so this
year?
I’d like to believe so, but there’s no
proof that says he can.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
NICHOLAS STOLL
Daily Sports Writer
MARIA DECKMANN/Daily
/Courtesy of Sydney and Lauren Sung
WOMEN’S MONTH
ANNA FUDER/Daily
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