Michigan
(2-3-0)
Ball State
(1-4-0)
Wolverines Rally Past Ball State
9/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Site: Muncie, Ind. (BSU Turf Field)
Score: #16 Michigan 4, Ball State 3
Records: U-M (2-3), BSU (1-4)
Next U-M Match: Saturday, Sept. 13 -- vs. St. Louis (Muncie, Ind.), 1 p.m.
Boxscore
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Senior back Sarah Wilhite(Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey HS) scored with just 8:21 remaining in regulation to propel the No. 16-ranked University of Michigan field hockey teampast Ball State, 4-3, on Friday (Sept. 12) at BSU Turf Field. The Wolverines trailed by a goal at halftime but scored a pair of unanswered markers in the second frame to claim their second win of the season.
Michigan dominated the second half of the contest, outshooting the Cardinals 10-2 and outcornering them 5-1, and used its penalty-corner opportunities to score both of its late markers. The gamewinner came on a broken corner as Wilhite -- who moved to the front of the cage after inserting the ball -- got her stick on a midair ball to redirect it past BSU goalkeeper Tiffany Shifflett and claim her first tally of the season. Sophomore midfielder Meredith Way(Newmanstown, Pa./Warwick HS) picked up an assist on the play after flicking the ball into the air from the top of the circle.
The U-M duo also contributed to Michigan's tying marker at the 44:20 mark as Way collected her fifth goal of the season on the direct shot originating from her team's first penalty-corner opportunity of the half. The Wolverine striker received the ball at the top of the circle, wound up and blasted a hard, low shot to the farside corner. In addition to Wilhite's helper for the insertion, senior/junior forward Heather Wiley(San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines HS) earned an assist on the stop.
Michigan took the game's first advantage when freshman forward Jess Allen(Gibbsboro, N.J./Eastern Regional HS) scored her first collegiate goal at the 13:06 mark. Wilhite initiated the play, carrying the ball down the left side of the field and into the circle before dishing a cross pass to Allen, who corralled and lifted over a sprawling Shifflett. Allen is the fourth Wolverine player to tally her first college goal in U-M's five games this season.
The two teams traded goals at the half's midway point. Ball State knotted the score at 1-1 on a goal by Caitlin Maguire, but Michigan responded less than five minutes later when sophomore/freshman midfielder Katie Adams(Hudson, Ohio/Hudson HS) scored on a point-blank deflection at the 23:42 mark. Sophomore forward Zara Saydjari(Skowhegan, Maine/Skowhegan HS) dribbled down the right side of the field to set up the play, feeding a farside pass to Adams, who redirected the ball behind Shifflett.
Ball State took advantage of a series of U-M breakdowns in the closing minutes of the half to steal away the advantage with back-to-back goals in a narrow 46-second window. The first came after U-M coughed up the ball in its own territory and Brittany Hammer managed to convert on a baseline shot at the 32:18 mark. Just moments later, Hannah Jones scored on BSU's next shot, finding space between the pads of senior/junior goalkeeper Paige Pickett(Dallas, Texas/Episcopal School of Dallas).
Michigan posted significant advantages in shots (20-7) and corners (6-1) in the contest. Pickett and sophomore/freshman Christi Barwick(San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines HS) split time in the U-M cage but combined for zero saves. On the other side, Shifflett earned six stops in the Ball State cage, while the Cardinals added a pair of defensive saves to stop eight of Michigan's 12 shots on goal.
The Wolverines (2-3) will wrap up weekend action tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 13) with a non-conference game against St. Louis. The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. at BSU Turf Field in Muncie, Ind.
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Ball State | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Jess Allen, 13:06 (Sarah Wilhite)
1st -- BSU, Caitlin Maguire, 19:02 (Brittany Hammer)
1st -- U-M, Katie Adams, 23:43 (Zara Saydjari)
1st -- BSU, Hammer, 32:18 (unassisted)
1st -- BSU, Hannah Jones, 33:04 (Brooke Macgillivary)
2nd -- U-M, Meredith Way, 44:20 (Wilhite, Heather Wiley)
2nd -- U-M, Wilhite, 61:39 (Way)
Shots: U-M 20, BSU 7
Saves: U-M0 (Paige Pickett 0, Christi Barwick 0), BSU6 (Tiffany Shifflet)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, BSU 1
Penalty Corners: U-M 6, BSU 1
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Allen, Jess
Assisted By: Wilhite, Sarah
GOAL by MICH Allen, Jess (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Wilhite, Sarah.
13:06
MAGUIRE, Caitlin (3)
Assisted By: HAMMER, Brittany
GOAL by BSU MAGUIRE, Caitlin, Assist by HAMMER, Brittany, goal number 3 for season.
19:02
Adams, Katie
Assisted By: Saydjari, Zara
GOAL by MICH Adams, Katie, Assist by Saydjari, Zara.
23:43
HAMMER, Brittany
GOAL by BSU HAMMER, Brittany.
32:18
JONES, Hannah
Assisted By: MACGILLIVARY, Brooke
GOAL by BSU JONES, Hannah, Assist by MACGILLIVARY, Brooke.
33:04
Way, Meredith
Assisted By: Wilhite, Sarah , Wiley, Heather
GOAL by MICH Way, Meredith, Assist by Wilhite, Sarah and Wiley, Heather.
44:20
Wilhite, Sarah
Assisted By: Way, Meredith
GOAL by MICH Wilhite, Sarah, Assist by Way, Meredith.
61:39
