Maize and Blue Spooks No. 6 Penn State with Overtime Win

Friday, November 1

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

(11-7, 3-2Big Ten)

Penn State

(13-4, 5-1Big Ten)

Team	1	2	OT 2	Final F
Penn State	0	1	0	1
Michigan	1	0	1	2

Maize and Blue Spooks No. 6 Penn State with Overtime Win

11/1/2013 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Leah Howard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: Michigan 2, #6 Penn State 1
Records: U-M (11-7, 3-2 Big Ten), PSU (13-4, 5-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Nov. 3 -- vs. Indiana (Phyllis Ocker Field), Noon

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior captain Rachael Mack (Bromsgrove, England/Bromsgrove School) scored the game-winning goal 8:10 into the overtime period to lift the University of Michigan field hockey team to a 2-1 upset victory over No. 6 Penn State on Friday afternoon (Nov. 1) at Phyllis Ocker Field. The win over Penn State, which was previously unbeaten in Big Ten play, is the third over a ranked foe this season for the Wolverines.

It was Mack's second overtime game-winner in four matches and again came from senior/junior Lauren Hauge (Tulsa, Okla./Holland Hall HS), who got open in PSU territory to initiate the attack on the right side of the field. She accepted a long forward pass from sophomore Caroline Chromik (Yorktown, Va./Grafton HS), dribbled the ball into the circle and hammered a hard, low shot on goal. Mack got her stick on it in front of the net, redirecting it up and into the opposite corner at the 78:10 mark.

Michigan led the majority of the contest, before the Nittany Lions took advantage of a late U-M yellow card to even the score with just 3:11 remaining in regulation play. Jacqueline Kenney fed the ball up and into the circle from the right side, creating an odd-man advantage for PSU deep, and Lauren Purvis carried the ball several steps before knocking in a low shot to the lower left corner of the cage to force overtime.

The Wolverines largely controlled the first half, outshooting PSU, 7-4, in the frame. Senior Michelle Roberts (Pocomoke, Md./Pocomoke HS) put U-M on the board early after capitalizing out of a scrum in front of the net. Senior/junior Ainsley McCallister (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) batted the ball into the circle, and after it bounced around a couple players, Roberts turned and knocked it out of the air and into the PSU cage at 6:58. It was her third goal of the season.

PSU responded to the early U-M goal with a corner opportunity, but fifth-year senior Haley Jones (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) turned away back-to-back shots on goal, stopping the direct shot on the turf before blocking the rebound up high. Jones was superb in the Wolverine cage, posting seven saves in the contest in the contest. She recorded a phenomenal save on the direct shot of another PSU penalty corner in the second half, laying out to block it with her stick and send it wide.

Nittany Lion goalkeeper Kylie Licata stopped five of seven U-M shots on goals.

Michigan outshot the Nittany Lions, 12-10, while PSU posted a narrow advantage in corner opportunities, 3-2.

The Wolverines will close out the regular season on Sunday (Nov. 3), hosting Indiana at noon at Ocker Field for a Maize Star Event and Senior Day.

GAME SUMMARY

By Periods	1	2	OT	F
Penn State	0	1	0	1
Michigan	1	0	1	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Michelle Roberts, 6:58 (unassisted)
2nd -- PSU, Lauren Purvis, 66:49 (Jacqueline Kenney)
OT -- U-M, Rachael Mack, 78:10 (Lauren Hauge)

Shots: U-M 12, PSU 10
Saves: U-M 7 (Haley Jones), PSU 5 (Kylie Licata)
Defensive Saves: None
Penalty Corners: U-M 2, PSU 3

NOTES

• With today's victory, the Wolverines improved to 16-24 in the all-time series against Penn State. The win snapped a three-game PSU win streak in the series.

• Michigan is 2-1 in overtime games this season. U-M defeated Ohio State, 3-2, two weeks ago (Oct. 20). Senior Rachael Mack similarly scored the game-winner with an assist to senior/junior Lauren Hauge. Mack boasts six game-winning goals this season and 17 in her career.

• The Wolverines are 7-0 at Phyllis Ocker Field this season, outscoring their home opposition, 29-6.

• Mack improved on her own school records in career goals (71) and career points (162). Mack has also matched a career best with 19 goals this season; she also tallied 19 last year. It ties the sixth-greatest single-season goal tally in program history.

• The Wolverines have matched or outshot their opponents in 15 of 18 games this season.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Marcia Pankratz
On today's team effort ... "It was outstanding. Everybody brought their A game today. It was a fantastic hockey match. They were very loose and confident and played with a lot of emotion. I just think that they knew in their hearts that this one was ours. Penn State is a great team. We beat a great team today."

On U-M's poise after Penn State tied the game late ... "We expect Penn State to be able to score against us; they're a great team. But I could see it in their eyes. They were not going to be denied this game today. I'm just really proud of them."

On standout performers ... "Haley [Jones] had some big-time saves. There were a lot of people who had big games. Ainsley [McCallister] played absolutely amazing. Sammy [Gray] had a great game. [Caroline] Chromik , [Lauren] Hauge and of course [Rachael] Mack scoring the clutch goal. I could go on and on through the whole team. It was a team effort. We did a great job of rolling the substitutions, which kept everybody fresh. Everyone knows that their role is important, and they really embraced that today. This was a tremendous team win, and I am really proud of them."

U-M Senior Rachael Mack
On the team performance ... "We played completely as a team. We had each other's backs the whole game, and we just played some really, really nice hockey. We played right to our game plan. Granted, they played well too. I just think we played a step above. We've been focusing this season on playing those full 70 minutes, and we really did that today -- and then some. It was a great team effort."

On her game-winning goal ... "We got it up the right side. Lauren [Hauge] was dribbling, and I just thought, 'This is going in the goal.' I was in the right spot and put it in. It was just great that we connected again. It just felt amazing."

On having her parents in town this weekend ... "I'm so glad they could be here. My mum has seen us play against Penn State before, and it was a similar outcome. It's just so nice to have them here."

U-M Fifth-Year Senior Haley Jones
On the win ... "I think today was the best we've played as a team -- as one unit -- and it really showed and made a huge difference. I think we knew that the game was ours; we were going to win it. It's all about how you handle adversity. After their goal to tie, we just really felt that today was our day and stayed composed."

On her play in goal ... "I think we were all really fired up. It helped that the defense absolutely killed it. I really, really trusted them, and it helped me stay confident and composed in the goalcage. With me, the less I think the better I'm going to play. So, I just knew that they were going to get the ball and whatever did come through was ready to go. Our defense really stepped up. They stay composed, held their ground and stayed strong -- against an aggressive team. That was huge."

U-M Senior Michelle Roberts
On the Wolverines' first half and her early goal ... "The team just came out with an intensity level like never before. We worked so well and so hard together. With my goal, the ball just popped out, and I finished it as hard as I could. It felt great because we've been really working on finishing together as a team. It all just came together."