Michigan
(7-4, 3-0Big Ten)
Ohio State
(5-7, 1-1Big Ten)
Belassi's OT Game-Winner Sends U-M Past Ohio State
9/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Site: Columbus, Ohio (North Turf Field )
Score: #12 Michigan 3, Ohio State 2 (OT)
Records: U-M (7-4, 3-0 Big Ten), OSU (5-7, 1-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Sept. 30 -- vs. Miami (Ohio) (Phyllis Ocker Field), 1 p.m.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Senior captain Lucia Belassi (Paysandu, Uruguay/Liceo #1) notched the game-winning goal 1:40 into the overtime frame, leading the No. 8-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team to a 3-2 decision against rival Ohio State on Friday afternoon (Sept. 28) on North Turf Field. U-M extended its winning streak to five straight games.
The Wolverines (7-4, 3-0 Big Ten) dominated in the overtime frame, drawing an immediate corner opportunity, and holding the ball in Buckeye territory for the full 1:40 of extra time. U-M benefited from a player advantage in the extra frame, as Ohio State's Natalia Ciminello sat on the sideline after she received a yellow card in the closing minutes of the second half, and the penalty was carried over into overtime. Belassi's direct shot off the corner was blocked, but she got the ball back in the same spot moments later, accepting a pass from sophomore Paige Laytos (Lititz, Pa./Warwick HS) and one-timing it past OSU goalkeeper Lindsay Quintiliani. It was Belassi's second game winner of the season.
Ohio State took the initial advantage in the match, as Yesenia Luces used a redirection to beat U-M goalkeeper Paige Pickett (Dallas, Texas/Episcopal School of Dallas) at the 14:40 mark. Linda Haussener rifled the ball into the circle on a long hit on the left sideline and found Luces camped out on the far post. Luces dove to get her stick on the ball, sending it high into the U-M cage.
Fifth-year senior captain Kristen Tiner (Houston, Texas/The Kinkaid School) wasted little time before she evened the score, collecting her second goal of the season less than three minutes later -- at the 17:34 mark -- on the direct shot off of Michigan's first penalty-corner opportunity of the contest. Senior Jillianne Whitfield (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) set up in the stop position and -- with the ball in motion -- she sprinted to the center as Tiner stepped in, wound up and blasted a low shot that hit an OSU defender's foot and redirected high past Quintiliani.
The Wolverines added another tally in the closing moments of the frame to take a 2-1 advantage into the halftime intermission. Laytos initiated the play, carrying the ball up the center of the field before she dished a long forward pass to sophomore Kelly Fitzpatrick (Hummelstown, Pa./Palmyra Area HS), who snuck behind the OSU defense after subbing in from the right sideline. Fitzpatrick took the ball into the circle unattested and fired a low shot around a sprawled Quintiliani, who had sprinted out of the cage to challenge the play.
The advantage was short-lived, however, as Ohio State struck early in the second half to knot the score a two a piece. The goal was similar to the first OSU tally and came off a long hit from the left side. Michaela O'Malley collected the marker, diving near the far post to redirect it.
Both teams had quality scoring chances in the closing minutes of the second half. Junior Stephanie Hoyer (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) just missed on a 2-on-1 situation with Fitzpatrick deep in the OSU circle. With the ball on the right side, Fitzpatrick pulled the OSU goalkeeper out of the cage before she fed a cross pass to Hoyer, who dove to redirect just inches wide. Moments later, with less than two minutes remaining on the clock, Pickett stood tall to stop a hard, high shot from Haussener to force the overtime frame.
Shots (11-11) and penalty corners (5-5) were even in the contest. Pickett earned four saves in the U-M cage, while Ohio State's Quintiliani stopped three of Michigan's six shots on goal.
The Wolverines will wrap up the weekend on Sunday (Sept. 30) with a home contest against Miami (Ohio). The game is slated for a 1 p.m. start at Phyllis Ocker Field.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | OT | F |
| Michigan | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Ohio State | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- OSU, Yesnia Luces, 14:40 (Linda Haussener)
1st -- U-M, Kristen Tiner, 17:26 (Michaela McDermott)
2nd -- U-M, Kelly Fitzpatrick, 31:21 (Paige Laytos)
2nd -- OSU, Michalea O'Malley, 38:53 (Jena Cacciatore)
OT -- U-M, Lucia Belassi, 71:40 (Laytos)
Shots: U-M 11, OSU 11
Saves: U-M 4 (Paige Pickett), OSU 3 (Lindsay Quintiliani)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, OSU 0
Penalty Corners: U-M 5, PSU 5
Penalty Strokes: None
Team Stats
Luces, Yesenia
Assisted By: Haussener, Linda
Deflected in from long hit
14:40
Tiner, Kristen
Assisted By: McDermott, Michaela
Tipped in following penalty corner
17:26
Fitzpatrick, Kelly
Assisted By: Laytos, Paige
Breakaway around keeper
31:21
O'Malley, Michaela
Assisted By: Cacciatore, Jena
Long shot, diving hit in
38:53
Belassi, Lucia
Assisted By: Laytos, Paige
Top of circle
71:40
