February 15, 2003

Site: Ann Arbor, Michigan (Oosterbaan Fieldhouse)

Scores: #5 Michigan 7, Wheeling Jesuit 3; #5 Michigan 8, Kenyon 5

Records: UM (0-0), Wheeling Jesuit (0-0), Kenyon (0-0)

Next U-M Game: Sunday, February 24 -- vs. Southern California (Los Angeles, Cal.), 1:00 p.m. PST

Sweep of Pre-Season Scrimmages Helps Michigan Prepare

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Senior attackman Ben Herbst (Pikesville, MD/Pikesville) scored a total of 3 goals and added 2 assists to lead Michigan to a pair of victories in preseason scrimmages against Wheeling Jesuit and Kenyon in Oosterbaan Fieldhouse tonight.

Each team played two regulation quarters against the other two teams, for a total of one full game for each.  In addition, each scrimmage ended with a short extra period that the teams used to give their entire roster a chance to get on the field.  Wheeling Jesuit and Kenyon squared off first as Michigan watched.

The Wolverines came out firing against Wheeling Jesuit, building a 3-0 lead in the first three minutes.  Justin Gal (Amherst, Mass./Milton Academy) scored first just 1:14 into the quarter, and Bobby Groenke (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) tallied another less than one minute later.  Brian Marchena (Troy, Mich./Country Day) picked up a loose ball along the sideline when the Michigan ride created a turnover, beat everyone to the goal, and snuck the ball past Cardinal goalie Nick Asmo to build the early lead.

Wheeling Jesuit answered with three straight, one in the first and two early in the second, to tie it up.  However, in the last five minutes Herbst scored two and assisted another to Marchena, and Paul Mans (Palo Alto, Cal./Gunn) added one to close it out.

In the second scrimmage, this time against Kenyon, Michigan once again jumped out to a 3-0 lead.  Sloan Buchan-McGilliard (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) found Herbst at 10:47 for the first, and just 33 seconds later Herbst hit Jeff Hanna (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) for the second goal.  Hanna snuck behind the defense for the third goal at 9:20 off a Jason Gratson (Clinton Twp.,Mich./DeLaSalle) feed.

Just like the first scrimmage the Lords battled back to tie it up 3-3, but Michigan scored the next four to take a commanding 7-3 lead early in the second quarter.  Kenyon got within two with 7:54 remaining, but Groenke beat his man from behind the goal with 6:00 remaining to finish the scoring.

Michigan leaves Friday for their spring trip to Los Angeles.  The Wolverines will play five games in ten days on the West Coast, beginning with their opener at Southern California next Sunday, February 24 at 1:00 p.m. PST.