Wolverines Fall in Overtime to No. 20 California

Thursday, September 25

Ann Arbor, Mich.

5:00 PM

Michigan

(3-6)

California

(6-1)

Team	1	2	OT 2	Final F
California	1	1	1	3
Michigan	0	2	0	2

9/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Leah Howard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: #20 California 3, #19 Michigan 2 (OT)
Records: U-M (3-6), Cal (6-1)
Next U-M Match: Saturday, Sept. 27 -- vs. Northwestern (Ocker Field), 11 a.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For the second time in as many games, the No. 19-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team could not quite complete its late comeback, falling 3-2 in overtime against No. 20 California on Thursday evening (Sept. 25) at Phyllis Ocker Field. Down two goals late in the contest, the Wolverines scored twice in the final eight minutes of regulation to force extra time.

The Golden Bears drew back-to-back overtime penalty corners and Ashley Glosz took advantage of open space in the U-M striking circle during the latter, netting the game-winning goal 4:37 into the extra frame. Glosz accepted the push at the top of the arc before carrying it to the left side and firing a backhand shot to the opposite corner. The loss was Michigan's second straight in overtime.

The Wolverines evened the score with a pair of rapid goals -- coming just 53 seconds apart -- in the waning moments of the second half. Sophomore Zara Saydjari (Skowhegan, Maine/Skowhegan Area HS) put Michigan on the board at the 62:09 mark with a narrow-angle effort from her knees from the left side. Saydjari lost her balance after collecting the ball along the left post on a pass from sophomore Alicia Mayer (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove HS), but Saydjari maintained control from her knees and with Cal goalkeeper Kelly Knoche out of position to challenge, pushed the ball into the opposite lower corner for her third goal of the season.

U-M scored again on its next opportunity less than a minute later. Junior Kelly Fitzpatrick (Hummelstown, Pa./Palmyra Area HS) drew a quick penalty corner when a Cal defender knocked her down within the Golden Bear 25-yard line as she carried the ball into offensive territory on the restart.On the ensuing corner opportunity, senior captain Sarah Wilhite (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey HS) picked up her sixth goal of the season when, after inserting the ball to initiate the play, she got her stick on the direct shot from sophomore striker Meredith Way (Newmanstown, Pa./Warwick HS) and redirected it past Knoche.

California opened the game's scoring in the closing seconds of the first half as Kellie York capitalized on the scramble following a Bears' penalty corner to bat in a point-blank goal alongside the left-side post with just 13 seconds remaining. Cal also scored its second tally -- coming at the 59:09 mark late in the second half -- on the penalty corner when Katie Knoche converted on the direct shot, redirecting it high off the stick of a U-M defender. Rachel Moffit and York earned assists on the stop and the push, respectively.

Cal outshot the Wolverines 14-8 and outcornered them 11-4, boasting a 7-3 corner differential in the second half. Sophomore/freshman goalkeeper Christi Barwick (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines HS) earned seven saves in the Michigan cage, while Knoche stopped three of U-M's five shots on goal.

Michigan will open Big Ten Conference play on Saturday (Sept. 27) with an 11 a.m. contest against Northwestern at Phyllis Ocker Field.

GAME SUMMARY

By Periods	1	2	OT	F
California	1	1	1	3
Michigan	0	2	0	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- Cal, Kellie York, 34:47 (unassisted)
1st -- Cal, Katie Knoche,59:03 (Rachael Moffitt, York)
2nd -- U-M, Zara Saydjari, 62:09 (Alicia Mayer)
2nd -- U-M, Sarah Wilhite, 63:03 (Meredith Way)
OT -- Cal, Ashley Glosz, 74:37 (Andrea Lo)

Shots: U-M 8, Cal 14
Saves: U-M 7 (Christi Barwick), Cal 3 (Kelly Knoche)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, Cal 0
Penalty Corners: U-M 4, Cal 11

NOTES

• With the loss, Michigan fell to 5-2 in the all-time series against California. The Golden Bears have won the last two meetings.

• Senior back Sarah Wilhite extended her point streak to eight consecutive games with her game-tying tally tonight. Wilhite boasts a team-leading six goals and 10 assists over the span.

• Sophomore/freshman goalkeeper Christi Barwick's tallied a career-high seven saves against the Golden Bears. Her previous high was five, which she recorded in back-to-back games against Albany and Connecticut last weekend (Sept. 19-21).

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Nancy Cox
On Michigan's performance ... "It is admirable that with seven minutes left in the match and down 2-0, we came back in the game. That's who we are. We have to be resilient this year. We have to be a blue-collar team, and we have to play to the tactics. So, we are finding goal scorers. Besides everyone looking around for someone to do it, I think that the other forwards are seeing that, 'Okay, I can do it.' Zara [Saydjari] scored the first goal with seven minutes to go, stepping up and putting the ball in the back of the net. Sarah Wilhite, not traditionally being a goal scorer, is putting the ball in the back of the net. The thing that we need to really improve upon is our midfield possession passing from midfield to forward."

On the Wolverines' goalkeeping ... "I think that Christi Barwick and Paige Pickett are doing exactly what we need them to do day in and day out. They're competing for that position. Today, Barwick did a great job in goal."

U-M Senior Back Sarah Wilhite
On her reaction to the game ... "We felt such a high after UConn, and I think was wanted to bring that into this game. I don't think it really clicked until the last seven minutes of the second half and we came back in seven minutes and not many teams could do that. I think we do feel a little deflated right now but really what counts is Big Tens. So, this is only the beginning, and it just gets us ready for Big Tens. Yes, they are losses but not the losses that matter."

On positives to take from the defeat ... "I think our corner execution is great. Another thing that was evident in this game that we need to work on is we need to use the outsides more. We shouldn't be going down the middle where other teams are strong. We really got to use those outside lanes. When we did, we got into the circle and we got a corner. The more corners we get the more we can execute, because that's really working for us."

On her response to Michigan's first goal ... "I ran back, looked at Meredith [Way] and said 'Okay, now we need number two, and we've got plenty of time.' She shot and I scored the second goal and that motivated us all. After that second goal, we were good to go. But Cal just got some breaks in overtime."