Michigan
Wake Forest
Michigan Falls to No. 1 Wake Forest in NCAA Semifinals
11/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Site: Amherst, Mass. (Garber Field)
Event: NCAA Tournament (Semifinals)
Score: #1 Wake Forest 1, #6 Michigan 0
Records: U-M (17-6), WFU (21-1)
Next U-M Match: Season Completed
AMHERST, Mass. -- The University of Michigan field hockey team saw its 2003 season ended on Friday night (Nov. 21), suffering a 1-0 defeat to top-ranked Wake Forest in the NCAA national semifinals at Garber Field on the campus of the University of Massachusetts. The Demon Deacons' Claire Laubach scored the game's only goal at 47:40 on one of Wake's six penalty corners to move the Demon Deacons into the championship game.
Michigan and Wake Forest played an even first half, with each team recording just one shot. The Demon Deacons also received the only penalty corner of the first half, with freshman goalkeeper Beth Riley (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area HS) stopping Kelly Doton's shot from the top of the circle. Michigan had two breakaway chances in the first 35 minutes, but each scoring attempt went wide of the cage.
The second half was a different story, as the teams combined for 10 shots on goal and seven penalty corners. Wake Forest scored its only goal on the fourth of four straight penalty corners when Laubach received a pass from Doton to the left of the cage and beat Riley for the score. Michigan got its best chances to tie with under three minutes remaining in the game when it was awarded back-to-back penalty corners and almost scored the equalizer, but senior Stephanie Johnson's (Houston, Texas/The Kinkaid School) shot from the left side of the circle was ruled too high.
The Demon Deacons outshot the Wolverines 8-4 and out-cornered Michigan by a 6-2 margin. Riley stopped two of Wake's three shots on goal, while Wake Forest's Katie Ridd did not see any shots.
The Wolverines finish the season with a 17-6 record and their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, as well as their third trip to the NCAA semifinals in the past five years.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wake Forest | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- WFU, Claire Laubach, 47:40 (Kelly Doton)
Shots: U-M 4,WFU 8
Saves: U-M 2 (Beth Riley), WFU 0 (Katie Ridd)
Defensive Saves: None
Penalty Corners: U-M 2, WFU 6
Penalty Strokes: None
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Marcia Pankratz
On the game ... "I thought Wake Forest played a wonderful game and stayed true to their being defending national champs. I'm proud of our team for playing such a close, hard-fought battle, and hopefully it was exciting hockey for the fans."
NOTES
• The loss marked Michigan's first-ever in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. U-M entered the contest 2-0 in the semis.
• The shutout defeat was the first for the Wolverines in their NCAA Tournament history.
• Michigan was held scoreless for just the third time this season.
• The Wolverines have won 17 or more games in each of the last five seasons.
• Stephanie Johnson equaled Jessica Rose's school record for games played with her 93rd career outing.
• Beth Riley finished the season with a school-record 0.82 goals-against average and is the first player in school history to record a GAA under 1.00 for the season.
• Riley also tied the Michigan single-season record for fewest goals allowed (14), equaling the mark set by Jonnie Terry (1982) and Nancy Hirsch (1981). Terry played 14 games and Hirsch saw action in 13 contests, but Riley tied the record while playing in 18 games.
