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

Saturday, August 25

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

(0-1)

North Carolina

(1-0)

North Carolina

Michigan

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

8/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Leah Howard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Event: Big Ten/ACC Challenge
Score: #3 North Carolina 3, #12 Michigan 1
Records: U-M (0-1), UNC (1-0)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Aug. 26 -- vs. Wake Forest at Big Ten/ACC Challenge (Phyllis Ocker Field), 2 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team, in its 2007 season opener, suffered a 3-1 setback against No. 3 North Carolina Saturday (Aug. 25) on day one of the sixth annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Phyllis Ocker Field. The contest remained scoreless until the second half when UNC connected three times within a 14-minute window to establish its final advantage.

Both teams created several scoring opportunities in the opening frame -- with the Tar Heels flurrying the U-M scoring circle early and the Wolverines pressuring late with a pair of penalty corners -- but neither team could convert. Junior/sophomore goalkeeper Paige Pickett (Dallas, Texas/Episcopal School of Dallas) tallied four first-half saves in the Michigan cage and charged a pair of attacking UNC players to neutralize break-away situations.

North Carolina broke open the scoreless contest at the 46:33 mark, capitalizing on the scramble succeeding its first penalty corner of the game. The direct shot was blocked in front of the U-M cage, but Jesse Gey corralled the ball out of the scrum and batted it past Pickett. The Tar Heels extended their lead eight minutes later -- at 54:49 -- on a successful penalty stroke by Rachael Dawson. UNC had been pressuring in front of the Michigan cage when the foul occurred, and Dawson converted on the ensuing stroke with a hard shot to the bottom left corner.

The Wolverines recorded its lone goal of the match on a penalty corner opportunity midway through the frame. Senior captain Lucia Belassi (Paysandu, Uruguay/Liceo #1) scored on the direct shot from the top of the circle as the ball deflected high after hitting the pack in front of the cage. Senior Jillianne Whitfield (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) and junior Michaela McDermott (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights HS) earned assists on the stop and the push, respectively.

North Carolina added an insurance goal less than three minutes later, however, to cap the game's scoring and seal up the non-conference win. After a give-and-go with Katelyn Falgowski at the top of the U-M circle, Dawson carried the ball deep, forcing it through the crowd in front, and found the back of the cage for her second tally of the game.

UNC outshot Michigan 20-9 in the contest -- actual shots on goal were 10-4 -- while U-M outcornered the Tar Heels 6-4. Pickett earned seven saves in the U-M cage, while Brianna O'Donnell and Jackie Kintzer each played a half for North Carolina, combining for three saves.

The Wolverines will conclude play in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Sunday (Aug. 26), when they face off against perennial powerhouse Wake Forest in a 2 p.m. match at Ocker Field. Iowa will face North Carolina at 11 a.m. in the day's first match.

MATCH SUMMARY

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

Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd-- UNC, Jesse Gey, 46:33 (unassisted)
2nd-- UNC, Rachael Dawson, 54:49 (penalty stroke)
2nd -- U-M, Lucia Belassi, 57:31 (Jillianne Whitfield, Michael McDermott)
2nd -- UNC, Dawson, 60:07 (Katelyn Falgowski)

Shots: U-M 9, UNC 20
Saves: U-M 7 (Paige Pickett), UNC 3 (Brianna O'Donnell 1, Jackie Kintzer 2)
Defensive Saves: U-M 1, UNC 0
Penalty Corners: U-M 6, UNC 4

NOTES

• With the loss, the Wolverines' all-time series record against North Carolina falls to 3-10.

• Four Wolverines saw their collegiate debut in Michigan's season opener as freshmen Alicia Meyer, Zara Saydjari, Vanessa Sekhon and Meredith Way all earned playing time against the Tar Heels.

• In the first game of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Iowa defeated Wake Forest by a 3-0 margin.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Nancy Cox
On the U-M penalty corner... "We outcornered Carolina today, and they outshot us. So, obviously, it's about executing the opportunities we have in corner situations. The one goal that Lucia (Belassi) scored was a beautiful goal, and it was well executed. So, it will be a matter of building on the momentum of that great execution, because, in that particular instance, the insertion was dead-on, the stick stop was dead-on, and the corner strike was where it needed to be. I am pleased how we worked in a competitive situation for corner execution."

On what Michigan will need to work on... "I am quite displeased with our defensive footwork in the circle inside our defensive 25. Anytime we have a Maize and Blue defender on their hand and knees swinging at a ball -- that's not Michigan defense. So, we'll need to spend a considerable amount of time on defensive footwork and taking pride in what it is in terms of execution in the circle and what that looks like, and in terms of being accountable for defensive positioning and defensive footwork."

On junior/sophomore goalkeeper Paige Pickett... "I was particularly pleased today with Paige Pickett. She had the opportunity, obviously, to compete last spring as a starting goalkeeper. I think rolling into the first match of the season against the prohibitive favorite to win the national crown this year, in Carolina, she showed us everything that we thought she would be as a goalkeeper."

On the freshman class' debut... "The incoming group certainly brings greater speed to our program. We have some young women who are very poised over the ball, and they demonstrated that today. But now they have to step it up a notch in terms of when they're being marked tightly, how to flash and receive the ball under pressure and how to prevent a defender from stepping up and making a intercept on them."