Morris' Hat Trick Propels Wolverines Over Old Dominion

Saturday, September 10

Ann Arbor, Mich.

10:00 AM

Michigan

(3-3)

Old Dominion

(2-3)

Old Dominion

Michigan

Morris' Hat Trick Propels Wolverines Over Old Dominion

9/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior/junior captain Katie Morris (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) registered her first career hat trick to lead the University of Michigan field hockey team to a 4-3 victory over Old Dominion on Saturday (Sept. 10) at Phyllis Ocker Field. The non-conference win was Michigan's third straight and evened the Wolverines' season record at 3-3.

Outshot and outcornered by the Lady Monarchs throughout the contest, U-M kept the score close as the two teams evenly exchanged goals and neither led by more than one tally. Morris' game-winner came with just over 10 minutes remaining in the match on a redirected shot from junior back Kara Lentz (Manchester, Mass./St. Paul's School). Lentz took a sweeping shot off a free hit just outside the striking circle, playing the ball across to Morris deep on the right side. The U-M captain got her stick on it, tipping it into the high near corner for her third marker of the game. With the narrow, one-goal advantage, the Wolverine backfield clamped down on defense, controlling the play to the neutral zone and holding ODU to just two shots in the final 10 minutes of play.

Freshman Erin Dallas (Marlowe, N.H./Keene HS) opened the game's scoring at the 5:54 mark to give the Wolverines an early advantage. Dallas carried the ball deep into the Lady Monarch zone and from the middle of the striking circle took a shot which was stopped by ODU goalkeeper Mary Cate Gordon. Dallas picked up her own rebound and sent a high shot into the upper right corner for her second goal of the season.

The U-M lead was short-lived, however, as the Lady Monarchs stole the advantage with a pair of goals over the subsequent four minutes. Katelyn Smither knotted the score at 1-1 after corralling the ball during a scrum in front of the U-M cage and slamming it past Wolverine goalkeeper Beth Riley (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area HS) on the far side at the 7:05 mark. Just two minutes later, Denise Admiraal put Old Dominion ahead on the scoreboard, tipping a shot from Nicolien van Nispen into the high left corner.

Morris collected her first goal of the match at the 17:11 mark to send the teams into halftime with a deadlocked 2-2 score. Lentz took a hard shot off a Michigan penalty corner that was halted and cleared by the Lady Monarch defenders. Morris stormed in to pick up the ball in front of the cage and maneuver it past Gordon.

Old Dominion regained the lead quickly after the start of the second frame as Janelle Engle sent a low shot into the bottom left corner directly off a Lady Monarch penalty corner opportunity at 37:58. U-M again battled back from the deficit, catching Gordon out of position at 53:49 to even the score. The U-M backfield sent a long lead pass to freshman Stephanie Hoyer (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS), who chased after a ball alone to bear down on the ODU cage. Coming out beyond the cirlce, Gordon got to the ball first but could not control as junior Mary Fox (St. Louis, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy) picked it up and dumped it into the circle, where Morris was waiting to send it into the open net.

Old Dominion held a 17-10 advantage in shots, including a 10-6 lead in the first half, and outcornered the Wolverines 10-3. Riley was again solid in the U-M cage, stopping nine of ODU's 12 shots on goal, while Gordon made four saves in the Lady Monarchs' losing effort.

U-M will head north on Tuesday (Sept. 13) to square off against intrastate rival Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant, Mich. The non-conference match is slated for a 4 p.m. start at the Chippewas' Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

MATCH SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Old Dominion	2	1	3
Michigan	2	2	4

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Erin Dallas, 5:54 (unassisted)
1st -- ODU, Katelyn Smither, 7:05 (Darcy Pinchbeck)
1st -- ODU, Denise Admiraal, 9:15 (Nicolien van Nispen)
1st -- U-M, Katie Morris, 17:11 (unassisted)
2nd -- ODU, Janelle Engle, 37:58 (Caroline Nichols, Dana Sensenig)
2nd -- U-M, Morris, 53:49 (Mary Fox)
2nd -- U-M, Morris, 59:21 (Kara Lentz)

Shots: U-M 10, ODU 17
Saves: U-M 9 (Beth Riley), ODU 4 (Mary Cate Gordon)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, ODU 0
Penalty Corners: U-M 3, ODU 10
Penalty Strokes: None

Q U O T E S

Head Coach Nancy Cox

On today's win ... "It's a tremendous win for the program, because yesterday we played a quality Miami (Ohio) team and had to turn around today with less than 24 hours rest and play Old Dominion, who is a perennial contender year in and year out in their conference and in the NCAA Tournament. For our program, it's a great win in the perspective of not having had 24 hours rest. Our kids were able to perservere through a little bit of adversity. It was a great win for Michigan."

On Michigan battling for the victory ... "What was clearly demonstrated today on the field was our senior leadership. They are expected to; they know what their role is. Katie Morris came back with a pretty significant foot contusion from yesterday's match, playing on that foot and having a hat trick. That's a testimony to the senior leadership and the type of leadership that's expected of every Michigan Wolverine."

On the Wolverines' improvement ... "The growth and development across the board, every one of our 22 kids, they all recognize that every day, they have to come to practice and they have to come with their sole objective being to improve with their skill development. We are nowhere near where we're going to be and where we need to be to get back to where we want to be. That being said, we're all progressing; everyone and every class."

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423