U-M Uses Penalty Corner Conversion to Rally Past ODU

Friday, September 7

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

(2-3)

Old Dominion

(1-4)

Old Dominion

Michigan

9/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Leah Howard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: #15 Michigan 4, #9 Old Dominion 3
Records: U-M (2-3), ODU (1-3)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Sept. 9 -- vs. Connecticut (Phyllis Ocker Field), 2 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team persevered through a high-scoring first half to rally back from an early deficit and claim a 4-3 decision against No. 9 Old Dominion on Friday (Sept. 7) at Phyllis Ocker Field. Down by two goals midway through the opening frame, the Wolverines registered three unanswered tallies to secure the upset victory.

With the score knotted up at three apiece after the first half, Michigan quickly set the tone in the second, holding the Monarchs to just four shots -- one on goal -- through the final 35 minutes. Freshman Vanessa Sekhon (West Vancouver, B.C./Collingwood School) recorded the lone goal of the second frame, scoring on an impressive solo effort at the 45:14 mark to give U-M its first and final advantage. Sekhon collected the ball within Old Dominion territory and carried down the left side into the scoring circle -- a play which pulled out ODU goalkeeper Kelly Driscoll to challenge. Lifting the ball over the sprawled goalkeeper, Sekhon found the opposite corner of the ODU cage for her first collegiate goal.

Old Dominion had twice carried the lead in the opening frame after scoring within the first minute of the game and adding back-to-back goals at the midway point. Kathleen Shea gave the Monarchs the early advantage at the 55-second mark when she slammed in a rebound while camped at the left side. The Monarchs' later goals also came from the left post as Loran Hatch and Katie Ueberroth both scored on redirections within less than two minutes of each other.

The Wolverines rallied back from both deficits, however, using penalty-corner opportunities to score all three of their first-half markers. Junior Stephanie Hoyer (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) first neutralized the score at the 17:02 mark, taking advantage of the chaos in front of ODU cage to get her stick on senior Lucia Belassi's (Paysandu, Uruguay/Liceo #1) direct shot and tip it low past Driscoll for her first goal of the season.

When Old Dominion reestablished control just minutes later with its consecutive goals, the Wolverines responded with two quick tallies of their own, successfully converting their final two corner opportunities of the half. Belassi again initiated the play from the striker's position, feeding a pass deep to the right side of the ODU goal, where senior Ashley Lennington (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle HS) one-timed it in. U-M converted again a little more than two minutes later -- at the 27:43 mark -- when Belassi found the back of the cage herself, ripping a direct shot past Driscoll on the blocker side. 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.

Michigan outshot the Monarchs 15-10 and outcornered them 8-4, including a 6-1 differential in the first half. Junior/sophomore goalkeeper Paige Pickett (Dallas, Texas/Episcopal School of Dallas) earned one save in the U-M cage for her second win of the season, while Driscoll stoped four of Michigan's nine shots on goal.

The Wolverines will wrap up the weekend homestand on Sunday (Sept. 9) with a non-conference match against No. 3-ranked Connecticut. The game is slated for a 2 p.m. start at Phyllis Ocker Field.

MATCH SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Old Dominion	3	0	3
Michigan	3	1	4

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- ODU, Kathleen Shea, 0:55 (unassisted)
1st -- U-M, Stephanie Hoyer, 17:02 (Lucia Belassi)
1st -- ODU, Loran Hatch, 17:21 (Titia Beek)
1st -- ODU, Katie Ueberroth, 19:43 (Beek)
1st -- U-M, Ashley Lennington, 25:26 (Belassi)
1st -- U-M, Belassi, 27:43 (Jillianne Whitfield, Michaela McDermott)
2nd -- U-M, Vanessa Sekhon, 45:14 (unassisted)

Shots: U-M 15, ODU 10
Saves: U-M 1 (Paige Pickett), ODU 5 (Kelly Driscoll)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, ODU 1
Penalty Corners: U-M 8, ODU 4

NOTES

• With Friday's (Sept. 7) win, Michigan improved to 4-6 in the all-time series against Old Dominion. The two teams are 2-2 in their last four meetings against each other.

• Senior Lucia Belassi played a hand in Michigan's first three tallies of the contest, earning a goal and two assists. It was the eighth multi-point effort of Belassi's career.

• Junior Michaela McDermott collected her third assist of the season on Michigan's third goal. McDermott entered the 2007 season with one career assist and point.

• With her goal in the second period aganst ODU, freshman Vanessa Sekhon was the second Michigan player to earn her first collegiate goal in as many games. Junior/sophomore Heather Wiley scored the Wolverines' first goal against Maryland last Sunday (Sept. 2).

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Nancy Cox
On Michigan's ability to rally back ... "I think they personified resiliency today -- to come back from a deficit that early on in the match. It's one of the things that our group of student-athletes really prides itself on. Just like any other Michigan team, we're going to continue to fight for 70 minutes. If it requires 85 minutes, we'll fight for 85 minutes. We, as a coaching staff, are very pleased with our team today in terms of ability to overcome adversity, rise above it and see that they can be the team that the coaching staff continues to tell them that they can be."

On Michigan's tactical play ... "In regards to execution of the game play, once our group embraced the notion of really playing to the exterior and not bringing the ball into the middle of the field but allowing the play to build up from the backfield to the outside channels, we started to see what we can do. Great credit to Beth (Anders) and Old Dominion. They were playing four in the midfield, and we adjusted with our midfield slide. Tactically, I think that our team did what we needed them to do in order to tactically succeed. The outcome at the end of the match demonstrated our perseverence."

On standout individual performances ... "Paige Laytos was drawing corner opportunities for us. She was distributing the ball through the midfield for us. When we reference the word resiliency, and, in terms of being a resilient performer, Paige is the type of student-athlete in our program that I would hope all of our young women want to model themselves after. She, Steph Hoyer, Lucia Belassi -- they all had big games today. More importantly, it was a great win for the program and a total win for the program."

On Michigan's penalty corner conversion ... "Kudos to Michaela McDermott, Jillianne Whitfield -- the people who control the components and pieces of it. They did it, and it was very well-executed today. Let's hope that momentum continues into Sunday's match."

U-M Sophomore Midfield Paige Laytos
On today's game ... "We really put a good game out today. Our resiliency to come back after falling behind in the first minute -- that shows we do have some good mental toughness. The first eight minutes were sloppy, and we can't have that ever again. We just can't have those defensive breakdowns in the first several minutes if we want to reach the Elite Eight or NCAA Tournament. So far this season, we have been a second-half team, so, hopefully, we're starting to realize that we need to make those changes sooner. We need to play every one of those 70 minutes; every minute counts."

On Michigan's ability to play with the best teams in the country ... "I think we are one of best teams in the country. Once everyone else realizes that, I think we'll be good to go and we will establish ourselves as the best. I think we can win a national championship as long as we believe and as long as we realize that to be the best you have to practice and you have to constantly play at the best level you can possibly be. Once we all click and get that and understand exactly what it takes, we're going to make a lot of great things happen this year. I think it started last weekend against Maryland. Everyone realized that we can play with the No. 1 team. Now we have to understand that it's not that we can play with them but that we will."

On the penality corner execution ... "I think we have one of the best corner units in the country. Between (Kristen) Tiner, Lucia (Belassi) and Jillianne (Whitfield), we have the experience, and everyone knows exactly where they need to be. So, we're getting the shots, and we're getting the goals."

U-M Freshman Forward Vanessa Sekhon
On her transition to college field hockey ... "It's been a big adjustment, especially coming from Canada, where they have a pretty different style of play. The team and the coaches have helped make that adjustment a lot easier. I've learned a lot from everyone, and I've really enjoyed everything."

On her game-winning goal ... "Somehow I got the ball on the left side of the circle. The goalie slid, and I just curled and did a punch shot -- which is probably one of the ugliest shots that you could ever do. But it worked and went into the side corner. I was a little unsure that it counted at first, because everyone seemed silent. But it did, and it helped put that 'W' up on the board. It was pretty exciting."

On how Michigan's offense is coming together ... "The more we play together, we're starting to jell and adapt to each other's playing styles. We know who is going where, so we can better read off of each other and score more goals."