2005 FDH vs. Boston University -- Notes & Quotes
11/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
N O T E S
With the win over Boston University, the Wolverines improved to 12-5 in NCAA Tournament games. They are 6-1 in first-round contests.
Fourteen of Michigan's 17 NCAA Tournament games have been decided by just one goal. The Wolverines are 10-4 in those contests.
Today's game was also the sixth NCAA Tournament overtime game for Michigan. U-M owns a near-perfect 5-1 mark when heading to the sudden-death frame.
Senior captain Lori Hillman earned a single-game personal best with three assists in today's win against Boston University. The performance also brought her season total to nine helpers, matching her career-best season mark.
With her three-assist performance, Hillman also moved to sixth among Michigan's career assists leaders with 27, tied with Sharon Cantor (1986-89). Hillman needs just one more helper to reach the fifth spot on the list, currently held by Kelli Gannon (28, 1997-2000).
Hillman registered her 87th game played for the Maize and Blue, giving her sole posession of the 10th spot among the Wolverines' all-time leaders in the category. She needs two more starts to reach the ninth position on the list, currently held by Courtney Reid (89, 1997-2000).
Junior/sophomore Eleanor Martin's goal was her second career game-winner and her first in the overtime period.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Nancy Cox
On the game ... "The first half was frightening, because our midfielders were making blind passes. The kids weren't executing the game plan as we had designed it and talked about it. At halftime, we had a discussion about that and what they needed to do to get back into the game. They climbed back into it because they did what we asked them to do. I think some of the seniors feel they have to put the team on their shoulders and carry them. When you're at this point in your season, it comes to faith and trust in one another. The ball distribution improved in the second half. We eliminated our blind passes, and that was the difference in the game. We finished our chances a lot better. They really turned it around in the second half, and that was so important."
Senior Captain Lori Hillman
On the difference between the first and second halves ... "I just think we came out in the second half with so much more fire, and we just had to get back to what has been working for us all season. We had to trust one another more than we've ever had to before and just stick to the game plan."
On advancing in the NCAA Tournament ... "I know I'm excited, and I know everybody else on the team is. Nancy said today, after the game, 'We're one of eight teams left in the country that get to play.' It's exciting to represent the university. We just have to lay it all out there, and I know that everyone is really fired and ready to go out from the start. Today was an interesting game, and maybe we weren't expecting it to be like that. At the same time, I think that it's okay to have a game like that, because it's good to have that in our back pocket and know that we can come back from relatively anything."
On having several close games this season ... "All year, whenever we were in overtime or we were down and had to come back, we were saying that it was great practice for postseason. We had to play overtime so many times, and we only lost once. I think that we're experienced and confident enough that if we have to go into overtime, we're ready."
Junior Goalkeeper Beth Riley
On the game ... "I think in the beginning of the game, we just struggled to make good passes to one another, we turned the ball over a lot. [Boston University] came out with a lot of fire, and I think we were a little surprised at that. We were kind of on our heels. But once we scored, we kind of got back into the groove. At halftime, we said we need to have faith in each other and connect with each other, make better passes. We played with a lot of fire in the second half, and that made a big difference."
