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Hello everyone and welcome again to Ferris Sports Update. I'm your host Rob Bentley and
thanks for tuning in. On today's show we'll recap another big weekend for Bulldog Hockey.
We'll preview men's basketball and we'll touch base with Bulldog Volleyball. First up Bulldog
Hockey head coach Bob Daniels. Coach welcome back from the Upper Peninsula Thanksgiving
break and welcome back to the show. Good to be here Rob. Bulldogs this past weekend another
big weekend you went on the road after a six game homestand you take three of a possible
four points against the northern Michigan Wildcats. Yeah it's good you know we came off that six
game homestand and it's our you know we had a chance to play against northern up there and
while it was obviously Thanksgiving break up there too and I think it did diminish their
attendance still it was good to go on the road come away with three out of four points and it
sounds like a broken record every week but that's a good northern Michigan team. They did suffer an
injury to one of their key players on the Friday night game late and and that's going to set them
back but they're a really good hockey team and we're glad to kind of escape there with three
out of the four points. You got to be pleased with where you're at right now five weekends into the
WCHA and you've taken 18 out of a possible 20 points. Yeah we're really you know obviously very
thrilled to be to be there. I wouldn't have guessed that when the season started and we're really
happy to be there but we also really understand that you know what there's areas of our game that
just are not where it needs to be and we're kind of I say it every week but we're living a little
bit on borrowed time right now and we've got to you know on the defensive side of things we're not
as strong as we need to be even though we only give a goal each night and we're looking at the
highlights here you can see CJ Mott you know we're still leading on a pretty heavy and if anything
we actually again played better on the Saturday game where we ended up tied it just you know Friday
night all the pucks seem to be going in for us. Matt Robertson got the first goal of the game
on Friday and a four-to-one win for the Bulldogs he's really became a producer for the Bulldogs
had a goal on Saturday as well. He has become a producer and you know what we what we saw it in
him a year ago he just did not have the strength to get around the net to score the goals and and
then the start this year he was really good in practice but again we didn't see it come through
in the games we kind of sat him for four games he's come back and I think he's pretty much a
goal of the game since he's gotten back and I would anticipate him you know to remain here this
year and then throw his career to be one of our top scorers he's got that kind of talent.
Big goal here from Kyle Schump and then Brandon Encelmeni with the Bulldogs final goal of the night
you were able to capitalize on a couple power plays. Yeah we were and you mentioned Kyle Schump
freshman for us who's really he stepped in has looked like he's a veteran but it was good to get
a couple power play goals on Friday night and and actually get some scoring from our defenseman
again. As you go to Saturday night's game obviously the Bulldogs get the win on Friday night and
another tough contest on Saturday results in a one-to-one overtime tie. Yeah it was physical it
was tough you could and these highlights here was you're watching anytime it gets around either
net you can see it gets extremely physical and the highlight we're watching here is the opening
face-off they kind of come down and you get a pretty good opportunity right here and you know
in a game that's going to end one-one I hate to think we give up a goal in the first 15 seconds
of a game but you know we kind of sell ourselves back down and and and I really thought this was
one of our better games here. Interesting thing Rob at the end of this game it's one-one and
basically for the entire overtime we ended up short-handed we had to kill the entire five minutes
of overtime because of a checking from behind penalty on Jason Bingley. penalty kill obviously
as you mentioned successful on the weekend how important was CJ Mott in that and how did he
play this weekend? He was great really where he earned his uh his stripes was the Friday night
game especially earlier I think we were out shot 11 to 1 and in the first 10 minutes of that game
and without him we're down to nothing then we get our feet underneath us we start playing better
the second night in a you talk about the penalty kill but the second night in that
five-minute span I don't believe we get a shot on goal so the penalty kill really did his job.
The Bulldogs with the win obviously you stay unbeaten in the WCHA on Friday night a tie on
Saturday just talk about where you're at here as you have one one final weekend WCHA play left
before the holidays. Yeah we've got the one big weekend that's coming up another big test force
against uh Lake Superior State they're another team that I don't know where they are in the rankings
right now I wouldn't be surprised to see them up there near the top 10 right now they're a good
hockey team this will be another big test for us and then we do finish up with a couple non-conference
games before we hit the holidays. How important is this stretch as you get ready for the holiday
break to try to maintain some momentum as you head into the second half of the season? Well
it's really important and and I'd like to see us actually play better certainly on the Friday
nights the Friday nights for whatever reason we're not ready you know to an extent we do have a
target on our back right now we haven't been beaten in league we are a top 10 team in the country
and I think you know we've got the longest unbeaten streak in the nation right now so when we walk in
the rings we have to understand I mean there is a target on our backs and teams are we're getting
their best shot and for whatever reason we walk in on Fridays and we know it's almost like we're
caught off guard with how hard the other teams are playing and then we warm to the task so I'd
like to see us get off to a better start certainly or at least be able to match the intensity of
other teams when the puck is dropped. Obviously maybe the final time we'll have a chance to talk
with you until the second second semester Bulldogs at Lake Superior State this weekend then you've
got some non-conference matchups you mentioned Michigan Michigan State a tournament at Minnesota
just talk about those those challenges and how those will help prepare you for the second half
sure well that gives us an opportunity to kind of jump in and play some of the big 10 we'll play
hopefully by the end of the Minnesota tournament we'll play half the teams in the big 10 so that's
good and and we'll get a feel for how we are getting out of conference obviously Michigan's
having I think they're number two in the country they're having a great year Michigan State as
of late has been winning I think they they swept Princeton on the weekend Minnesota is the number
one team in the country so this is going to be it'll be good it'll be a good stretch as we prepare
for our final 16 games in conference CJ Mott still unbeaten in that kind of hard to believe just
just talk about what have been the keys to his success so far this year well you know he's picked
up where he left off a year ago he's an unbelievably hard worker I give a lot of credit to obviously
a Dave Sensor he's our goal-tending coach and then Charles Williams who works hard every single day
in practice and continues to push CJ so we're in an enviable spot where we've got two really good
goal tenders CJ is just right now I can't imagine a goalie in the country really playing better than
what what he's been playing obviously some of the younger kids have been big producers as well
just just talk about some of those youngsters and how they've really stepped up their games here
early on in the year well they came in and you know obviously we're led by our seniors in terms of
our upper-classmen in terms of Garrett Thompson and Buzio and Kane but all of a sudden you've got
a guy like Shemp and McDonald Mayhew you know they're in the lineup every single night Seth Adams
on defense we got Ryan Lowney so we're getting a lot of productivity from Freshman and I don't
believe our team would be where it is right now if our Freshman headman this headman's a good class
you know certainly we're being led by the upper-classmen but boy the Freshman have really
chipped in and it's been welcome this weekend Lake Superior State on the road what do you what do
you expect out of the Lakers well Jamie rocks an excellent coach they've got there'll be a big team
you know over the years I think in the neutral zone lake states but as good a team as we faced
they run some different things that you don't normally see they like to hit your blue line
in the middle of the ice and it's created a lot of heartburn for us so there'll be some things we
have to get prepared for they've got excellent goal-tending and they're the one team that's very
similar to us in this this regard they've got depth and scoring that goes through all four lines
and we've run into like last week in northern head depth through maybe two lines although they're
upper lines are as good as you're going to see but they don't have the depth throughout the entire
lineup that really you're going to see in Lake Superior State well coach best of luck to the
Bulldogs and best of luck as you get ready to close out this first half of the season thanks
Rob we'll be back with more fair fair sports update right after this fair state university
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welcome back to fair sports update time to talk men's basketball with us head coach Andy
broncombe and coach first of all welcome back to the show hey thanks for having me again
the season well underway here the bulldogs though first conference game first home game
this thursday night against lake area how how forward are you looking to that match up on
thursday well it's going to be good to be home so we've had some tough road contests here the
first part of the season and you know we had some exhibition games at home and that that home crowd
and the home rims that we're shooting on all the time they're going to be a little more friendly
and it's just going to be good to be back home as we talk about those first three games you've
played here so far a tough opener at louis back on november the 20th game that went down to the
wire certainly had every opportunity to win absolutely really satisfied with the way we played
against louis we played hard we made some big plays failed to make a couple plays down the
stretch and give them credit their guys stepped up and hit a couple big shots one three-pointer in
the corner that that really hurt us but overall you got to be satisfied with that type of effort
on the road against the quality team and if we can play like that during this conference season
we should be able to win a few games you played a couple of games right after that right before
the Thanksgiving weekend at winona state a difficult tournament against some very top-notch
competition yeah just it just proved to be too quick of a turnaround you know we came out of the
gates pretty hot against winona taking the early lead as many as six i think and then down five
at half but wheels kind of came off the second half we really got hurt in transition defense
and you know that that can be for a variety of reasons certainly you know a quick turnaround
is one of them but you know the lack of preparation there in the transition probably hurt us a little
bit so we've been able to touch touch on that quite a bit in our last few practices and hopefully
gain some ground there but then to again you know get on the court again the next day against
concordia who likes to get up and down and again we started out eight to zero i had the legs had
the momentum and that game was more of just just our playmakers who will make plays this year just
didn't didn't put the shots in that they're going to in that game so we had a lot of open looks a
lot of things that we um wanted to see it just didn't fall for us so you know we start the season
out with three tough ones and then you know we couldn't come up with a victory but a lot of
things to pull away and adjustments have been made and now we're home obviously those three
tough games against top-notch regional teams prepare you for the conference season which is
the ultimate goal just talk about those three games and how they prepared you for the start of
conference play well our exhibition all the way to those three games i mean we've we've played a
tough team every night so we're prepared for the conference because that's exactly how it is but
you know it's good and it's bad because we're prepared but it doesn't get any easier so um
um you know if we play well we'll be in the game and if we don't we'll lose so it um this particular
team this year is not to the point where we can play you know our b-game or c-game and still come
out with a win we got to play pretty well we know that so we'll keep developing our players and our
system that we're putting in place and um we'll we'll just keep at it i mean the guys are excited
i'm excited and we're staying positive so we're looking forward to these home games to kick off
this conference season and start to get a couple wins the challenge starts Thursday night against
lake urie as you start glee at play obviously the first home game but also the first conference
game uh talk about the storm uh much improved basketball team last season yeah you know what
they've since joining the conference here they have three or four seniors upperclassmen that
have kind of taken their lumps but played a lot in our conference and and now they're
pretty good players um and they like to play fast just like we would prefer to play so they're
going to press us a little bit and they're going to get up and down and they have some talented
players and along with some freshmen they're playing about three freshmen in the road main
rotation and those guys are stepping up big in the in preseason games and scoring some points for
them so it'll be you know pretty much down to the wire type of game pretty exciting for the fans to
watch and uh you know hopefully we can we've been just fortunate enough the last few times against
lake urie to to get to get the win but they've been good games over time last year i believe so
on saturday you come back uh you host the ashland eagles another one of those conference teams
that's uh always right there in the mix at the end of the season contending for a gleeak tournament
spot yeah again they have some some key returning players they lost a little bit so they're trying
to find themselves without avon yates who is a um several times all conference player but
they have some veterans and some good shooters and and you know again it will just be it's just
going to be a great game the the south um side of the conference has had a little bit of a wrap of
not being as strong as the north and this year i don't i don't think that's the case i think those
teams that have kind of joined our league and and maybe at the the beginning were bottom feeders
have now grown their programs and recruited the type of players into the gleeak that make them
you know i don't know if their contender is not everybody's contender i don't know if we are yet
but uh they're certainly um much improved and can definitely beat you so this the south is strong
the north is strong this conference is as good as it's ever been over the last few years the bulldogs
have been able to really establish a home court advantage at wink arena 10 and 1 in the conference
at home last season uh what does it take to kind of continue that trend well we got to get the win
that'll continue that that trend but uh it's just going to take discipline and and you know our team
our coaching staff everybody is is getting used to new roles you know our better players are getting
used to being on the front page of the scouting report and you know the coaching staff has new
roles and the new offense and so we're trying to speed that process up but um here we are in a
conference and we got to get a couple wins while we develop into our new roles so that'll be the
challenge yeah play a couple games on the road uh following the finals week uh after this opening
weekend home stand and then obviously a game against your alma mater in cornerstone uh right
before the holiday break uh just talk about this stretch as you get ready uh for the second half
of the season well we kind of look at these five games still to to really find ourselves you know
and uh hit january running with really the game plan for not only this season but kind of the
future blueprint um there's a there's a few things in our system that you know right now we're we're
sold on we're buying into but you know if you're going to make any changes you have enough games
under your belt to kind of really evaluate yourself and self scout and then in january kind of settle
into exactly what you want to do and then move forward but we got to get a couple wins none of
these games will be um givens that's for sure but if we can get into the new year with with some
winning experience and then just keep improving then we can we can finish out the conference
season strong bulldogs uh certainly as you get ready to start this home stand you've had an
opportunity to kind of evaluate your team here three regular season games three or four exhibition
games uh just talk about maybe what the strengths are of your team so far we're we're just going to
have to do it collectively you know we have a lot of things that we'd like to do and uh and i'm not
sure we're doing any of them well yet but we're we're drilling them we're we're committed to them
the guys are buying in so we're just getting better and better um the strength of our team um
what we want the strengths to be and what they will be as we continue to develop you know it's to
get defensive stops and push the ball that's where it all starts and then as you know collectively
we can do it with four or five guys scoring in double figures so each each night someone's
going to have to step up and you know so far we've been a little short of that but it's young guys
and and they're in new positions so there's no doubt we see that in practice every day guys
making great plays being playmakers so eventually we'll trans translate to the court and we'll win
those games well coach looking forward to the beginning of conference play the first home
games this weekend against Lake Erie on Thursday and Ashland on Saturday thanks Robert we'll be
back with more Ferris sports update right after this
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welcome back to Ferris sports update time to talk bulldog volleyball and with us head coach
Tia Brando Wilhelm and coach first of all welcome back to the show okay it's great to be back and
to have some volleyball to talk about last week we had you on and obviously the bulldogs kind of
unknown you felt you had a good chance to make the NCAA tournament that has came to fruition
number two seed going into this week's regional tournament yep we're very excited to be playing
still definitely congratulations to the bulldogs just talk about first of all what that means to
be involved in the NCAA tournament it's such an honor it's such an honor to be there only 64 teams
and there's 270 some teams and and division two and to just get one of those bids into the tournament
is a great honor but to get a bit in this region is fantastic they're just they're probably 11 or 12
really strong teams in the region this year so I see some of those teams don't get to be here and
we're just really excited that we're one of them and we have a chance to play on Thursday bulldogs
will play on Thursday against Lewis University down in Allendale at Grand Valley State a
2 30 p.m. matchup Thursday afternoon just just talk about taking on the Flyers a second time
you played them this season bulldogs a three to nothing winner in the first matchup but you can
kind of throw that out the window now it's postseason right you kind of throw everything out the
window and you just you everyone's going to play hard and you just it's going to be close games
and you're just going to have to see who comes out on top in each game and and we just all you
can really do at this point is just work your team and just try to be prepared and and just be ready
to play your best Lewis is a very athletic team they run a pretty aggressive fast-paced kind of
offense and they have an experienced crew at their outside and at their setting position so
they've got some you know they've got some tournament experience under their belt and those
players have been around and starting for a couple years so we expect them to play very well I know
you talked about the strength of this region obviously you've seen a number of these teams
throughout the season just talk about what it takes to maybe win some matches in this regional
tournament you know it's going to take it you're just going to it's going to be two or three point
games a lot and I think a lot of the matches will be will be close and even if they're 3-0 I think
it'll be within a few points in each set and it's just going to take that perseverance and just that
continual drive and just confidence and you know just do your best out there third straight year
the Bulldogs have been in the NCAA tournament the 18th time overall certainly speaks volumes
for the for the tradition and the history of Ferris State volleyball yeah we uh this is obviously
something that we expect every year is to be a part of the NCAA tournament and it's we expect and
want to do well in the tournament not just to make it so it's you know it's good to be back and
and we're excited about that and I love that it's just kind of an expectation for the team that they
that this is part of their regular part of their season last year you took on Lewis in the first
round of the NCAA tournament uh just talk about uh as you look back to that match uh in the NCAA
tournament uh what it'll take to beat the Flyers this time around well it was a really different
match last year we both had quite a few seniors on the team so it's a different teams facing each
other for sure they do have a couple players in key positions that have returned from last year
we have a couple as well and so it's it's definitely going to be a different kind of match
than we saw last year um again last year though it was really close sets and they were two and
three point games you mentioned some of those seniors the Bulldogs had last season obviously
you had to replace some some kids from last year uh just talk about uh some of the kids that have
stepped in and certainly made a big impact as you've made it back to the NCAA tournament well
certainly having a freshman setter come in and be able to lead our team has been really helpful
Stephanie has worked very hard to improve her game throughout the season she's very studious and
you know it's very intentional about trying to be better and you know to work hard for a team
I think probably the returning players that we had um did a really nice job leading the
young players and the new players and just bringing them into the fold um Angie Kent and
Brandy Marin as seniors have just done a great job leading the team and they they were very
intentional about the culture they wanted within the team and the relationships that they wanted
and they worked they worked really hard on and off the court to make those things happen
you've had a couple weeks here since since the Goliac tournament to kind of prepare
for the NCAA tournament what's what's been the focus over the last couple weeks
rest and recovery eat some turkey you know spend a little family time you know we had a
number of players that got to go home over Thanksgiving that hadn't been home since the
beginning of August so it was good for them to get home get a little break relax and just refresh
themselves renew and recharge this time of year obviously a one match at a time uh scenario for
the Bulldogs and everybody else uh just talk about going into a tournament with that mentality
knowing that you need a win to keep your season alive you know it's we always try to take every
every day one day at a time every match one at match at a time and I think for us it's just
you know you just you got to put yourself out there you got to do your best and just
leave nothing undone and then hopefully they it goes your way and but if it doesn't you want to know
when you walk off the court that you give everything you had as the Bulldogs get ready for the
NCAA tournament uh first of all I guess what what does it mean uh to be a part of this uh the Bulldogs
going back to the NCAA tournament for the third straight year it's great I think it's a great
tradition you know our players have worked hard to establish that I think the seniors that graduated
last year in the year before that you know the ones that really kind of turned the corner for
the program from being in there every couple years to getting three years in a row you know we
we got to give a lot of kudos to those alumni because they really set a standard for the rest
of us it's been a quick season but as you look back from where you are right now to where you
were maybe at the beginning of September when the season started just talk about how much your
team has grown oh wow I can't we don't have enough time for that it's just been incredible we've
grown in so many ways as a team on and off the court we've grown in our play I think our offense
has come along tremendously you know we have different things in our lineup now than we had
in September and early October I think our you know all phases of our first ball are passing
and our defense have improved a lot so I just every aspect of the game is better and you know
we're a different team we're looking back to the match we played against Lewis five weeks ago
and as you're watching it you think oh man that's awful we got to be better but then you realize
we really are a lot better than we were when we played them before coach obviously uh facing Lewis
here in the NCAA tournament this week and kind of unique how it works out four teams from the
Great Lakes Center League Collegian Athletic Conference four teams from the Great Lakes Valley
Conference and the two conferences matched up against each other here in the first round yeah
it's kind of like another round of the crossover so it's kind of interesting you'll see I mean
the the region is so deep and so strong this year so I thought it worked out well that there were
four from each conference but it's certainly not intentional they're just trying to pick
the best teams to get into the conference so I think it's a it's a nice match up to see to see
someone from a different from the other conference that you haven't played for a while and you know
just get a chance to kind of have a fresh opponent on the other side the crossover resulted in a
tie and maybe a chance to break that tie here in the NCAA tournament you know I hadn't thought
about that that's a great idea I think we'll have to work toward that best of luck to the bulldogs
and congratulations again on making the NCAA tournament thank you this has been another
episode of Ferris Sports Update a reminder you can follow all the action online at ferrisstatebulldogs.com
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