Weekly Release #6

Upcoming Schedule
Friday, Sept. 28 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 4 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 30 -- vs. Miami (Ohio) (Phyllis Ocker Field), 1 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 5 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 9 -- at Kent State (Kent, Ohio), 3 p.m.

This Week's Lineup
The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team (6-4, 2-0 Big Ten) will square off against a pair of regional opponents this weekend. The Wolverines travel to Columbus, Ohio, to face rival Ohio State on North Turf Field Friday (Sept. 28) at 4 p.m., before welcoming Miami (Ohio) on Phyllis Ocker Field Sunday (Sept. 30) at 1 p.m.

Scouting the Opponents
Ohio State -- The Wolverines own a 27-22-1 record against Ohio State and have won 13 of the last 18 meetings against the Buckeyes. In last season's meeting, U-M suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss after it knotted up the score with a pair of second-half tallies. The Buckeyes own a 5-6 mark as they head into the weekend, and OSU is 1-0 in Big Ten action after it defeated Indiana 2-1 last Friday (Sept. 21). For more information on Ohio State, visit www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com.

Miami (Ohio) -- Michigan has dominated the all-time series against Miami with a 10-1-1 record against the RedHawks. In last season's meeting between the two programs, the Wolverines scored five unanswered goals, including three within the last 11 minutes of the contest, to rally from an early three-goal deficit to win, 5-3. Five different U-M players tallied goals, including Lucia Belassi (Paysandu, Uruguay/Liceo #1) and Ashley Lennington (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle HS), who both added assists to record multi-point efforts. The RedHawks enter the weekend with a 3-6 record and lost their last two outings, falling to Kent State and Ohio by 3-1 margins last weekend (Sept. 22-23). For more information on Miami (Ohio), visit www.muredhawks.com.

Big Ten Standings and Statistics
Throughout the 2007 season, the latest standings and statistics from the Big Ten Conference can be found by visiting the Big Ten's website.

STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll
After claiming back-to-back wins over nationally ranked Big Ten opposition -- then-No. 3 Iowa and then-No. 7 Penn State (Sept. 21-23) -- Michigan climbed four spots to the No. 8 position in the latest edition of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) poll of the top 20 teams in NCAA Division I, released on Tuesday (Sept. 25). The poll is available on the NFHCA's site.

STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll (9/25/07)

Rank, Team (first-place votes) Points 1. North Carolina (40) 952 2. Maryland (8) 919 3. Connecticut 804 4. Wake Forest 753 5. Michigan State 737 6. Iowa 703 7. James Madison 630 8. MICHIGAN 615 9. Penn State 566 10. Boston College 559 11. Ohio 409 12. American 393 13. Old Dominion 331 14. Boston University 296 15. Duke 277 16. Louisville 274 17. Albany 206 18. Delaware 173 19. Virginia 172 20. Stanford 62

Statistically Speaking ...
National statistics, compiled by the NCAA, will be released every Monday during the season. Statistics can be accessed at NCAA Field Hockey.

Rookie Sensations
The U-M rookie class has made an immediate contribution to the 2007 Wolverine squad, evidenced recently by a pair of timely goals last weekend in Michigan's sweep against Iowa and Penn State (Sept. 21-23). Freshmen Vanessa Sekhon (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Collingwood School) and Meredith Way (Newmanstown, Pa./Warwick HS) teamed up on the deciding marker in double overtime against Iowa, as Sekhon accepted a pass from her classmate and swept the ball to the opposite corner of the cage for her second game winner of the season. Two days later against Penn State, it was Way's turn, as she tallied the only goal her team would need early in the opening half. The two rookies have combined for half of Michigan's game-winning markers this season.

Week After Week After Week
Sophomore Paige Laytos (Lititz, Pa./Warwick HS) was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Monday (Sept. 24) in recognition of her efforts in U-M's weekend sweep over a pair of nationally ranked conference opponents. Laytos notched the Wolverines' first goal against Iowa last Friday (Sept. 21), setting a stretch of three unanswered goals en route to a thrilling 3-2 double-overtime decision. The Wolverine sophomore also played a major role in Michigan's outstanding defensive play, which allowed no shots and no penalty-corner opportunities to either weekend opponent in the second half. Michigan has claimed three Big Ten weekly in honors in three weeks as Laytos' nod joins back-to-back offensive citations for senior captain Lucia Belassi.

Ironman
Senior captain Lucia Belassi has appeared in every game of her U-M career, currently boasting 77 total games played with 42 consecutive starts. Belassi is on track to crack Michigan's top-10 leaders in career games played. She needs eight to reach the 10th spot, currently held by Jeanne Shinn (85, 1997, 2000). Junior Stephanie Hoyer (Englewood, Colo./Chrerry Creek HS) has achieved similar status and made her 54th career appearance in the Wolverines' Sunday contest against Penn State (Sept. 23), while sophomore Paige Laytos has started all 30 games of her collegiate career.

Lending a Helping Hand
Three veteran Wolverine players have already matched or set new personal bests in assists this season. Seniors Jillianne Whitfield (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) and Lucia Belassi and junior Michaela McDermott (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights HS) all owned five helpers after just eight games played this season. Whitfield and Belassi each equaled their previous season best -- with Whitfield doubling her career total -- while McDermott has set a new standard for herself. She entered the 2007 season with just one prior assist.

On the Horizon
The Wolverines will continue Big Ten play next weekend with a road contest against intrastate rival Michigan State. U-M will travel to East Lansing, Mich., Friday, Oct. 5, for a 4 p.m. meeting in the MSU Field Hockey Complex.

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423