Michigan
Michigan State
Foreman's OT Goal Lifts Wolverines to Second Final Four
11/11/2001 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Ocker Field)
Event: NCAA Tournament (Quarterfinals)
Result: #7 Michigan 2, #7 Michigan State 1 (OT)
Records: U-M (16-5), MSU (16-6)
Next U-M Game: Friday, Nov. 16 -- vs. Princeton at NCAA Semifinals (Kent, Ohio), 4:30 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For the second time this season the No. 7-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team beat the No. 7 Michigan State Spartans by a score of 2-1 in overtime. However, this time the stakes were much higher as Sunday's (Nov. 11) victory propelled the Wolverines into their second Final Four appearance in three years. Senior defender Catherine Foreman's (Happy Valley, South Australia/Westminster School) goal in overtime clinched the win for Michigan in its NCAA second-round match at Ocker Field.
Michigan took advantage of an early Michigan State letdown on defense, which gave the Wolverines a penalty stroke. Freshman forward Adrienne Hortillosa (Chula Vista, Calif./Bonita Vista HS) got behind the MSU defense, drove and deked the MSU goalkeeper, but her shot at the open net deflected off of a Spartan defender, leading to the penalty stroke. Sophomore defender Stephanie Johnson (Houston, Texas/The Kinkaid School) converted on her fourth penalty-stroke goal of the year to give Michigan the lead with 27:53 left in the first half.
Michigan State was able to tie the game at one apiece as it capitalized on a penalty corner at 14:07 of the first half. Bridget Cooper wristed a shot high into the left side of the Michigan cage with assists going to Lisa Mitchell and Julia Adams.
After the first half of play, shots were even with both teams attempting four, but Michigan State had two saves to Michigan's one. The Spartans out-cornered the Wolverines 3-1.
In the second half, Michigan staved off multiple Michigan State scoring chances in the last 20 minutes of play. Michigan senior goalkeeper Maureen Tasch (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) had three saves in the period as the defense held strong against five Michigan State penalty corners in the half. The Maize and Blue appeared to get a break with 3:22 remaining as a Michigan State player was given a yellow card and forced to sit, leaving MSU one person down for five minutes. Michigan was unable to capitalize on its opportunity, and the game went into overtime.
Michigan controlled the 7-on-7 play in overtime, taking the only three shots in the extra stanza. The final, decisive shot by Foreman came after she received a pass from fellow defender Kristi Gannon (Escondido, Calif./San Pasqual HS) near the top of the circle, drove in from the right side, shot and scored the game-winner as the Michigan State goalkeeper could only get a piece of the ball as it bounced into the back of the Spartan cage.
Michigan will now face No. 6 Princeton, which defeated No. 2 Old Dominion 2-1 in another NCAA quarterfinal on Sunday. U-M's Final Four matchup with Princeton will take place on Friday, Nov. 16, at 4:30 p.m. at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. No. 1 Maryland, which shut out No. 18 Syracuse 6-0, and No. 3 Wake Forest, which defeated No. 10 Virginia 5-1, will compete in the other national semifinal.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | OT | F |
| Michigan State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Michigan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Stephanie Johnson, 27:53 (penalty stroke)
1st -- MSU, Bridget Cooper, 14:07 (Lisa Mitchell, Julia Adams)
OT -- U-M, Catherine Foreman, 9:54 (Kristi Gannon)
Shots: U-M 15, MSU 10
Saves: U-M 4 (Maureen Tasch); MSU 5 (Lauren Hess)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, MSU 0
Penalty Corners: U-M 10, MSU 8
Penalty Strokes: U-M 1 (Stephanie Johnson), MSU 0
NOTES
• Catherine Foreman's overtime game-winner was just her second goal of the season and the fourth of her career. Her other goal this season was also an overtime game-winner, against Harvard on Oct. 7, and each of her career goals has come at home. Foreman holds the Michigan career assists record with 60.
QUOTES
Michigan State Head Coach Michele Madison
On the game ... "It was a fabulous game. I think it was a great showing of what kind of hockey you have in the state of Michigan and in the Big Ten. It could have gone either way. We had a goal called back, that could have made a difference, but that's how it was. They scored in overtime. We had to play short two times and it was just back and forth. Michigan had momentum in the first half, and then we got it back in the second half, as there was another switch in momentum. So, I thought it was a great hockey game."
On Michigan State's first goal, which came on a penalty corner ... "It's called a 69. Bridget Cooper does it and she practices it quite often. She scored on it last year, so we decided to use it in the tournament since Michigan goalkeeper Maureen Tasch does lay on the ground pretty early and it worked, so we we're happy about that."
Michigan Head Coach Marcia Pankratz
On her thoughts on the game ... "It was very exciting. I'm so happy we were able to have top-level hockey here in Ann Arbor. Really, my hat's off to Michigan State. They're a tremendous, tremendous hockey team. They have great skill, great heart. They knew it was going to be another battle of overtime and I think they've done a tremendous job. It was certainly worth the price of admission today."
On how her players will react in the Final Four ... "I think there's nothing like experience. Our seniors and our juniors have been there and I think that they'll bring that experience with them this weekend and it will really help us."
On the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry ... "Well, there's not a whole lot left to say except for it's Michigan-Michigan State. It's just a rivalry that goes well beyond field hockey. Especially now that we were fifth and they were sixth in the country and they're very talented. It's just a rivalry that has a lot of emotion to it in-state. I think it brought out the best talent in both teams, and the umpires had their hands full and I think they did a good job of controlling the game."
U-M Senior Defender Catherine Foreman
On scoring an overtime goal in her last game in Ann Arbor ... "I think we still have another two games to go, so my career's not over yet, but it's great. We're pretty happy. We were lucky to get this weekend. We didn't win against Penn State (the final home game of the regular season), which would have been our last game, and now our team really pulled through today and, as far as seniors go, I feel as though we're pretty happy."
On her rolling game-winning shot ... "I didn't do it purposely. We were just talking about how we were trying to blow it by their goalie. It was just a mishit, so I guess I just got lucky."
On what she was thinking about before she took the shot ... "I was first thinking about the traffic in front of the goal, obviously that first and then, well, I didn't really have time to think."
U-M Senior Midfielder Ali Balmer
On her thoughts on her third NCAA Tournament appearance ... "Well, I know for us we've been telling our underclassmen that it's the best feeling ever to be in the Final Four. First of all, they treat you so well! They kind of pamper you there. We told the girls that it's the coolest thing ever. When you walk out on the field Friday, it's like you just get chills. It's the greatest thing ever. It's a big deal to be on that field in the finals with 3,000 people watching. My sophomore year we were on that field and it's the best feeling ever, so we just try to communicate that feeling to our underclassmen as to how great it feels and how rewarding it feels."
U-M Freshman Forward Adrienne Hortillosa
On her first rush of the game that led to the penalty stroke ... "I've had a lot of fast breaks, especially yesterday. Today, I was really focusing on capitalizing on them. I just pulled to the left and it seemed like there was an open goal and I had my head down so I took a reverse hit shot. Then I was lying on the ground and I saw it hit the girl's foot so I was kind of disappointed, but I had a lot of faith in Stephanie Johnson. She's been working really hard on her strokes and we have a lot of confidence in our team."
