ANN ARBOR – Michigan senior defenseman Luca Fantilli was disappointed after losing at home to Michigan State on Saturday but not dejected.

A 3-1 defeat against the third-ranked Spartans was just a small blip in what otherwise has been a remarkable first half for the Wolverines.

They maintained their top spot in the national polls on Monday and head into a month-long winter break 16-4 and 7-3 in the Big Ten.

“I feel like a lot of people doubted our team this year, saying we’re too young, saying we’re soft, stuff like that,” Fantilli said postgame. “I mean, we’re 16-4 right now. It’s an unbelievable first half. Going on the Christmas break, that’s our expectation coming back, is to do the exact same thing. I think we just have to build off it.”

Michigan sputtered down the stretch last se

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