MIAMI-The Hurricanes were able to overcome an early deficit and a plethora of penalties to blow out Temple 52-14.

The ‘Canes scored at will through the air and on the ground, and their defense held the Owls, the nation’s leading passing attack, to 21 yards passing.

The Hurricanes’ running backs had their best efforts of the season, with Jarrett Payton rushing for a career-high 115 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns. Freshman Tyrone Moss contributed 135 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown, with most of his touches coming in garbage time. Senior Jason Geathers ran for a score and hauled in a touchdown catch in the third quarter.

Quarterback Brock Berlin completed 16 of 26 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns in about two-and-a-half quarters of work. Derrick Crudup came in for the rest of the game and completed six of seven passes for 72 yards. The quarterbacks connected with nine different receivers.

Temple was led by Jamil Porter, who gained 84 yards on only six carries, including a 69-yard touchdown run that made the game 24-14 in the second quarter, the closest the Owls ever got to the Hurricanes.

The ‘Canes looked half-asleep on Temple’s first possession of the game, committing offside penalties on consecutive plays. Antrel Rolle fumbled Mike McLaughlin’s punt, giving the Owls a second chance on their opening drive. Porter then ran up the middle for a two-yard touchdown, giving the Owls a 7-0 lead before the Hurricanes got the ball on offense.

“We had a very auspicious start defensively,” Head Coach Larry Coker said. “We had two penalties in a row to allow them to have first downs….but we did a lot of good things today.”

The ‘Canes responded quickly, with Payton scoring on an eight-yard run to tie the game. The drive featured a 14-yard catch by Kellen Winslow and a 20-yard reception by Ryan Moore. After forcing the Owls to punt, Payton rumbled for a 14-yard touchdown to give the Hurricanes a 14-7 lead with 6:21 left in the first quarter.

The offenses stalled for the remainder of the opening quarter, but Jon Peattie extended the ‘Canes’ lead to 10 with a 21-yard field goal at the beginning of the second quarter. Another three-and-out for Temple led to another touchdown for the Hurricanes, with Berlin finding Geathers in the end zone for a 15-yard score.

It didn’t take long for the Owls to get themselves back into the game, as Porter broke loose for a 69-yard touchdown run on the first play of their next drive, cutting the ‘Canes’ lead to 10. Neither team would score before the half ended.

The Hurricanes stalled on their first drive of the second half, and it appeared that Temple would have a chance to make it a one possession game early in the third quarter. However, the ‘Canes decided to roll the dice with a fake punt and the gamble worked, with linebacker D.J. Williams taking a direct snap 61 yards for a touchdown, giving UM a 31-14 lead.

Coker credited the fake punt for breaking the game open.

“The second half was an impressive half for us,” Coker said. “The fake punt really ignited us, gave us some energy and momentum. It’s [the fake punt] one of those things where it’s great if it works and it’s not when it doesn’t. We really needed something to get us going.”

The Hurricane defense tightened up after the Williams touchdown, not allowing the Owls to mount a single drive in the second half. Berlin found backup tight end Kevin Everett for a three-yard touchdown to make the score 38-14, and on came Crudup.

Berlin was pleased to see Crudup get some prolonged action against Temple.

“I thought Derrick played really well, and I was happy for him to get in there and be able to play,” Berlin said. “He made some great throws and he played great.”

Despite concerns about the ‘Canes’ ability to play their best against lesser opponents, Coker didn’t appear to have any doubts that his team would come out to play.

“I think our attitude was good,” Coker said. “We had a good week of practice and I had no doubts about that.”

Coker was impressed with how the Hurricanes performed only a week after the Florida State victory.

“It was a good win for us, especially coming off an emotional win against Florida State where we really spent a lot of energy,” Coker said. “Those games can sometimes linger throughout the next week.”

-Eric Kalis can be reached at elk777bc@hotmail.com

The Hurricanes’ running game was extremely successful against the Owls. Jarrett Payton set a new career high for rushing yards and enjoyed his first 100-yard rushing effort of his career. Payton finished with 115 yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns. Payton’s two-touchdown performance was the first multi-touchdown game of his UM career. The senior tailback had 79 rushing yards on nine carries in the first quarter, and those 79 yards out gained the entire Temple team 79 to 51 in that frame.

Tyrone Moss also had a breakout performance, with a career high 135 yards on 15 carries. Moss only had 67 yards rushing this season entering the game and his 36-yard run was the longest of his short career.

The touchdown run by Jason Geathers was his first rushing touchdown since an 11-yard TD against Florida State last season.

Overall, the ‘Canes’ rushing attack exploded for a season high 342 yards, shattering the previous season high of 223 yards against East Carolina. Payton and Moss both had 100-yard rushing days, becoming the first duo to accomplish that feat since Clinton Portis and Frank Gore did it against Syracuse on November 17, 2001.

Special Teams Trickery

The fake punt that DJ Williams ran 61 yards for a touchdown was Miami’s first fake punt of the season and their second longest play of the year. It was also their longest touchdown run of the season. The special teams touchdown was the ‘Canes’ ninth non-offensive touchdown of the year.

Berlin Plays Sharp

Brock Berlin got off to a fast start, completing his first five passes for 59 yards, and then never looked back. Berlin did not throw an official incomplete pass until the second quarter and ended the day completing 16 of 26 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns. Berlin was relieved by Derrick Crudup in the third quarter. Berlin did not throw an interception for the first time all season.

Penalties Hurt ‘Canes again

Penalties continue to plague the Hurricanes, as they committed 12 penalties for 102 yards. The six holding penalties assessed on Miami was a season high. Overall, there were 21 penalties between the two teams for over 150 yards in a flag-happy afternoon.

Balanced Offense

Miami’s offensive strategy is based on providing a balanced attack and they achieved perfection in that area in the first half. The ‘Canes ended the first half with 284 yards of total offense, with 142 yards rushing and 142 yards passing. Also, the offense scored on their first four possessions of the game, building up a 24-7 lead. It was the first time all season that the offense opened the game with consecutive scoring drives. The ‘Canes also set a season high for total offense with 601 yards and could have scored on their first five possessions if not for a missed 39-yard field goal.

Miscellaneous

With the victory over Temple, the Hurricanes improve to 14-0 all-time on ESPN Regional Television, which also includes a 47-15 win over the Owls in 1997. The ‘Canes last win on ESPN Regional TV was a 42-17 victory over Rutgers last season…Jonathan Vilma’s fumble recovery in the first half that led to a field goal was his first of the season. Vilma and DJ Williams were both named to the Butkus Award semi-finalist list earlier in the week…The three-yard touchdown reception by Kevin Everett was his first touchdown catch as a Hurricane. Everett had two catches for nine yards on the day…The 69-yard touchdown run by Temple running back Jamil Porter was the longest running play allowed by UM this year. It exceeded the 65-yard scamper by Florida’s DeShaun Wynn on September 6th and was the longest run the ‘Canes have allowed since Cedric Houston of Tennessee broke off a 74-yard run on November 9, 2002…Punter Brian Monroe booted a 56-yard punt late in the second quarter, which was his longest punt as a Hurricane. His previous long was a 47-yarder against West Virginia…The attendance for the game was 49, 144.

The Miami humidity is finally starting to affect the soccer players. The game is getting late, but Anik Huffman is still sticking to her assignment. She runs down the right sideline, watching players react to the ball. Over time, it isn’t really the ball or the players that are moving, it’s the field itself.
Huffman sees the field widen and shorten with each movement of the ball. The ever-changing lengths of the field are never even or still.
As a midfielder, it is Huffman’s job to shorten the offensive side of the field and make the defensive side as long as possible for the opponent. There is one word that sums up her mission throughout of the game: transition.
“I widen the defense; it is about the width of the field. I have to keep the transition,” Huffman said.
Although this may appear to be far-fetched, this is how the game is played and won. To Huffman, the junior midfielder from Winter Park, Florida, this is how she perceives the game. She has always seen the game move rapidly and even as a child she preferred this speed.
“[I chose soccer] to play with my sister when I was seven, and it’s better than ballet,” Huffman said.
Huffman hasn’t changed her tempo since her high school days, where she was first team all-state during her final two years, scoring 12 goals and totaling 35 assists her senior year.
Aside from high school, one of the most influential experiences for Huffman was playing on club teams.
“[Soccer clubs] were a great experience to get to play with girls and see them now at various colleges,” Huffman said.
Huffman chose to come to UM in 2001 and as a freshman she played in all 20 games and was the team leader in shooting percentage.
“UM is like an adventure, it is a special place with great opportunities,” Huffman said.
As a junior, Huffman has assumed new responsibilities on the field. She now serves as a leader on the team and provides experience on a young squad.
“Being an upper classman gives me the experience to understand what the new players are going through,” she said.
Huffman has done an admirable job as a leader, already amassing four points on the year, good for fourth on the team. She currently leads the team in percentage of shots on goal at .727.
Miami is 8-6-1 on the season, which includes a recent loss to Notre Dame, the No. 2 team in the nation.
“It was disappointing losing to Notre Dame, but that is good that we were disappointed losing to the second best team in the nation,” Huffman said.
Huffman is excited about where the Hurricanes stand this year and where they will be in the future.
“The team morale is really good and the team is young. I feel we’re at the peak and everybody is really excited,” she said.
Hopefully the ‘Canes will be peaking at the right time if they wish to advance to the final four of the Big East and qualify for the NCAA tournament.

Spencer Weinkle can be reached at fontier33@yahoo.com

The Hurricanes edged Syracuse (8-7-1, 2-3-1 in the Big East) 2-1 on Sunday at Cobb Stadium in a crucial final regular season home match. The ‘Canes are 10-6-1 and 4-1 in conference play.

They now look ahead to successfully getting into the post season.

“It was a big game,” said junior Britney Butcher. “We need to start gaining points to get into the Big East Tournament.”

Sunday was Senior Day at Cobb, and graduating players Vonda Matthews, Michelle Provenzano, and Mary Luke were recognized.

“I got real excited before the game just playing all out for our seniors,” said Butcher.

Butcher and junior Lindsey Yach had the only goals of the game, with Yach also assisting Butcher’s score. Butcher and Matthews each had three shots on goal while junior Andrea Radice had one as well. Yach went one-for-one. Freshman goalkeeper Alex Alford made nine saves.

In the first half, junior Gitana Gotay turned the ball around to save the Orangemen’s first attempt at scoring. The offense looked aggressive in keeping the ball in control. After three shots on goal, Butcher’s fourth attempt was successful 33 minutes into the match, giving Miami a 1-0 lead. Alford managed four saves in the half.

The second half saw a more fierce competition with a Butcher-Yach pass that was miraculously fought off by Syracuse backup goalie Emily Kowalczyk. A ‘Cuse junior Kelly Bailie penalty shot sailed over the net, but sophomore Kristina Cristofori was able to follow it up with a goal at 71:54. Butcher kept the ball in a controlled dribble down the field, setting up and attempted a score that led Kowalczyk to knock her down. She was given a red card, and Cristofori, a field player, became goalkeeper. (The Orangemen’s starting goalie had suffered a dislocated thumb prior to the start of the match.) Yach was able to score off the penalty kick, giving the Hurricanes their final lead of the match.

“Between the two of them, [Yach] and Butcher, they were starting to read each other much better,” said Head Coach Tricia Taliaferro. “Tactically, being able to slip in between the backs to get those other chances, I think Butcher was one of the main reasons why we won today.”

Yach’s confidence in the team never made her doubt its abilities.

“First half I think we did awesome,” said Yach. “We let down a little bit in the second half for 10 minutes, but then we brought it back up and showed that we can finish the game where we started the game.”

Taliaferro, in her second year at UM after coaching at University of Illinois, enjoyed her first win over Syracuse as a collegiate soccer coach.

“I thought we did well,” said Taliaferro. “I think that’s one of the things we’ve been focusing in on is to be able to perform in the Big East games, and just being organized. Everybody contributed and created a lot of chances so I was pleased overall with our performance.”

Miami has two matches remaining, both in the Big East. Friday the ‘Canes take on Boston College in Chestnut Hill at 7 pm and Sunday they move just south, to Providence, for a 1 pm game. Coming into the Syracuse match, UM was ranked fourth in the Northeast division of the Big East, but will no doubt move up with the win.

“We’re just going to maintain what we’ve been doing,” said Taliaferro. “We’ve just been trying to clean up some things technically and create some chances. We’re not going to do anything different in the next week because I think our momentum is going, and we’re confident in the way we’re playing right now.”

Melissa Teich can be reached at melissateich@hotmail.com.

Men’s cross country
University of Miami junior Alex Brutvan finished second in a time of 26:04 to lead the Hurricanes’ men’s cross country team to a second-place finish at the 2003 Hatter Invitational in DeLand, FL.
Miami, which is ranked 12th in the South Region by the United States Cross Country Coaches Association, finished with 56 points. The University of Central Florida edged out the Hurricanes with 50 points.
Brutvan has been the Hurricanes’ top finisher at every event this season including a victory at the FIU Invitational. He has finished among the top-seven runners in four of five races this season.
Also running well for the Hurricanes was Tom Berry who continued his impressive freshman campaign taking fourth in a time of 26.45. Berry has three top-five finishes this season and has been Miami’s second best finisher at every meet.
The Hatter Invitational is the final tune-up for the Hurricanes before the Big East Cross Country Championships, October 31 in Van Cortland Park, NY.

Women’s cross country
University of Miami junior Marilyn Ruiz finished third in a time of 19:13 to lead the UM women’s cross country team to a victory at the Hatter Cross Country Classic in DeLand, FL.
Miami, which had recorded two second-place finishes in the season’s first three events, registered 50 points in recording its first victory of the season. The University of Central Florida took second with 55 points.
The Hurricanes had three runners finish in the top-6 including freshman Lindsay Rohrs, who placed fourth with a time of 19:14, and sophomore Melanie Schultz, who was sixth in a time of 19:18.
Miami returns to action on October 31 at the Big East Cross Country Championships in Van Cortland Park, NY.
Women’s Tennis
The University of Miami women’s tennis team won five-of-six singles matches in day two at the 2003 ITA Southern Regional Championships hosted by the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga.
No. 34 Megan Bradley the No. 1 seeded player in the A singles bracket defeated Sarah Suitor of Auburn in straight sets 6-3, 6-0. She improves to 9-1 on the fall season.
Mari Toro seeded No. 11 in the A bracket beat Nancy Peaden of Auburn 6-4, 6-1 in the second round.
Staci Stevens defeated Natalie Frazier of Georgia 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Newcomer Audrey Banada seeded No. 3 in the B bracket beat Nisrine Hajbane of Jacksonville 6-1, 6-1.
Sara Robbins beat Martina Janska of Auburn 6-2, 6-0 in the A consolation bracket.
Natalie Mikolich fell to Robin Stephenson of Alabama 6-2, 6-0.

Men’s Tennis
The Miami men’s tennis team wrapped up play at the 2003 ITA South Regional Championships co-hosted by the University of Memphis and the Racquet Club of Memphis.
Josh Cohen and Eric Hechtman teamed up to beat Michael Green and Joseph Jung of Alabama 9-7 in doubles play.
The duo fell to No. 5 Bo Hodge and John Isner of Georgia 8-3 in the round of 16.
No. 99 Cohen fell to No. 2 Hodge of Georgia 6-4, 6-3 in singles action.
John Hoyes II was defeated by Lee Walker of Memphis 6-4, 6-3 in singles play.
Tim Krebs and Colin Purcell fell to Miha Lisac and Jaime Rodriguez of Georgia State 8-6. The men’s tennis team will open the spring season hosting SMU Jan. 25 at Noon in Coral Gables, Fla.