U-M Drops Opener to Tar Heels After High-Scoring Half

Saturday, August 26

Chapel Hill, N.C.

Noon

Michigan

(0-1)

North Carolina

(1-0)

Team	1	2	Final F
Michigan	0	1	1
North Carolina	0	3	3

U-M Drops Opener to Tar Heels After High-Scoring Half

8/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Leah Howard

Site: Chapel Hill, N.C. (Francis E. Henry Stadium)
Event: ACC/Big Ten Challenge
Score: #5 North Carolina 3, #8 Michigan 1
Records: U-M (0-1), UNC (1-0)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Aug. 27 -- vs. Wake Forest at ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Chapel Hill, N.C.), 2 p.m.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan field hockey, in its 2006 season debut at the fifth annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge, suffered a 3-1 setback against fifth-ranked North Carolina on Saturday (Aug. 26) at the Tar Heels' Francis E. Henry Stadium.

North Carolina broke open the scoreless affair midway through the second half with three quick goals within just a seven-minute window. The Tar Heels' Karen Mann opened scoring at 49:43, pulling senior goalkeeper Beth Riley (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area HS) out of the cage before sending a hard shot into the corner. Danielle Forword scored the eventual game-winner four minutes later -- at the 53:29 mark -- converting on a similar play deep in the U-M circle to put North Carolina ahead for good. UNC picked up its third consecutive goal from Illse Davids at 56:23 to cushion its advantage.

Junior Lucia Belassi (Paysandu, Uruguay/Liceo #1) registered the lone goal for the Wolverines, scoring unassisted at the 61:00 mark. Holding the ball deep in UNC territory, Belassi drew Tar Heel goalkeeper Brianna O'Donnell out of position before flipping the ball over the sprawling goalkeeper to put the Wolverines' on the scoreboard. It was the 11th career marker for the U-M forward.

The Wolverines narrowly outshot North Carolina 8-7 in the first half and controlled play for the final five minutes of the frame with an extended flurry around the Tar Heel striking circle. U-M fired five shots, including four on goal, and executed a pair of corners but were unable to find the back of the cage.

North Carolina claimed the final shot advantage with a 16-11, but U-M held the 4-3 advantage in penalty corners. Riley earned six saves in the U-M cage, while O'Donnell made seven stops on Michigan's eight shots on goal.

The Wolverines will conclude play in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on tomorrow (Sunday, Aug. 27), when they face off against perennial powerhouse Wake Forest in a 2 p.m. match at the Francis E. Henry Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Iowa will face North Carolina at noon in the day's first match.

MATCH SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Michigan	0	1	1
North Carolina	0	3	3

Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- UNC, Karen Mann, 49:43 (unassisted)
2nd -- UNC, Danielle Forword, 53:29 (unassisted)
2nd -- UNC, Illse Davids, 56:23 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Lucia Belassi, 61:00 (unassisted)

Shots: U-M 11, UNC 16
Saves: U-M 6 (Beth Riley), UNC 7 (Brianna O'Donnell)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, UNC 0
Penalty Corners: U-M 4, UNC 3
Penalty Strokes: None

NOTES

• With the loss, the Wolverines' all-time series record against North Carolina falls to 3-9.

• Appearing in her 63rd collegiate contest, senior goalkeeper Beth Riley took sole possesion of the Wolverine record for career games played by a goalkeeper. She previously shared the mark with Rachael Geisthardt (1992-95).

• Three Wolverines saw their collegiate debut in Michigan's season opener as freshmen Paige Laytos, Jenner Johnson and Alex Zeringue all earned playing time against the Tar Heels.

• In the second game of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Wake Forest defeated Iowa by a 6-0 margin.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Nancy Cox
On the season opener ... "For our intitial match of the season, and the first time our student-athletes competitively played together, we saw a lot of good things. We outshot them in the first half. We played a very good first 50 minutes of this game. Taking away from this, we will need to focus on finishing our opportunities and playing a more disciplined defensive game, but I think this was a great match. The outcome really could have gone either way. Overall, I think this was a good starting place for our season, and we are very excited to face Wake Forest tomorrow afternoon."