U-M Takes Down No. 9 Northwestern in Come-from-Behind Fashion

Friday, October 17

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

(10-5, 5-1BIg Ten)

Northwestern

(10-5, 4-1Big Ten)

Northwestern

Michigan

U-M Takes Down No. 9 Northwestern in Come-from-Behind Fashion

10/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: #14 Michigan 2, #9 Northwestern 1
Records: U-M (10-5, 5-1 Big Ten), Northwestern (10-5, 4-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Oct. 24 -- vs. Michigan State (Phyllis Ocker Field), 3:30 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Battling through a steady, driving second-half rainstorm, the No. 14-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team rallied from an early deficit, scoring two goals on penalty-corner conversions to defeat No. 9 Northwestern, 2-1, on Friday evening (Oct. 17) in front of 453 fans at Phyllis Ocker Field. With the victory, the Wolverines improved to 5-1 in Big Ten Conference play while dealing Northwestern its first conference loss of the season.

Michigan, which outcornered the Wildcats, 11-5, in the contest, capitalized on penalty-corner opportunities late in each half to claim its two goals. With the score deadlocked for much of the second frame, senior Emy Guttman (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) broke through with the game-winner at the 56:03 mark, redirecting junior Lauren Thomas' (Aylesbury, England/Aylesbury HS) sweeping direct shot into the top right corner of the cage. It marked Guttman's second goal of the season.

The Wildcats pressured in several bursts over the remaining 14 minutes, but Michigan withstood, turning away a pair of penalty corners and two Northwestern shots to hang on for the win.

Northwestern struck first in the contest on a confusing goal at the 7:36 mark. Charlotte Martin shot the ball near the top of the circle -- the Wolverine defenders believed outside -- and it trickled through the circle and into the cage. It was determined that Dominique Masters got her stick on it and redirected it before it rolled in.

The Wolverines responded by commanding the remainder of the half, outshooting the Wildcats, 9-1, and outcornering them, 8-0. After several failed penalty conversions, U-M broke through in the waning minutes of the half, at 31:19, as fifth-year senior Leslie Smith (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey HS) rocketed a direct shot to lower left corner to extend her scoring streak to five straight games. Freshman Veerle Lubbers (Arnhem, Netherlands/Stedelijk Gymnasium) and fifth-year senior Ainsley McCallister (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) earned assists on the stop and the insert, respectively.

In all, Michigan outshot the Wildcats, 12-5, and outcornered them, 11-5, through 70 minutes of play. Freshman goalkeeper Sam Swenson (Harrogate, England/Ashville College) earned four saves -- all in the second half -- while Northwestern's Maddy Carpenter stopped five of U-M's seven shots on goal.

The Wolverines will remain at home next weekend, hosting in-state rival Michigan State at 3:30 on Friday (Nov. 24) before wrapping up their home schedule against New Hampshire at 1 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 26) at Phyllis Ocker Field. Friday's Big Ten match will be aired live on the BTN.

GAME SUMMARY

By Periods	1	2	F
Northwestern	1	0	1
Michigan	1	1	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- NU, Dominique Masters, 7:36 (Charlotte Martin)
1st -- U-M, Leslie Smith, 31:19 (Veerle Lubbers, Ainsley McCallister)
2nd -- U-M, Emy Guttman, 56:03 (Lauren Thomas, McCallister)

Shots: U-M 12, NU 7
Saves: U-M 4 (Sam Swenson), NU 5 (Maddy Carpenter)
Defensive Saves: none
Penalty Corners: U-M 11, NU 5

NOTES

• With tonight's win, Michigan improved to 23-30 in the all-time series against Northwestern. U-M snapped a two-game Wildcat win streak in the series.

• Fifth-year senior Leslie Smith has scored in five straight games, upping her season total to a career-best 11 goals this season. She has scored in nine of 15 games this year.

• Senior Emy Guttman owns five career game-winning goals.

• With 16 assists on the season, fifth-year senior Ainsley McCallister moved to eighth place among U-M's all-time single-season leaders in the category, where she is tied with Sarah Wilhite (2008). McCallister needs one more helper to reach the seventh spot, currently held by Catherine Foreman (17, 2001).

• McCallister boasts five multi-assist games this season.

• Michigan has not allowed more than two goals in each of its last 14 games. Freshman Sam Swenson owns a 1.33 goals-against average.

• Michigan has matched or outshot its opponent in every game since its season opener. U-M has held its opponents to single-digit shots in each of the last six games.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Marcia Pankratz
On battling to a close win ... "I was really proud of how patient and relentless our team was tonight. It could have gone either way. We've had some games lately that have been heartbreaking at the end, so I was just really proud of our team with the way we stayed focused and tough, stuck with the game plan and just kept after it. It was a big step."

On playing in the rain ... "It doesn't change things very much. It's field hockey, and you never know what's going to happen. The ball plays really fast in the rain. The key is trying to keep their grips dry. Beyond that, the strategy doesn't really change."

On withstanding the Northwestern attack at the end ... "They're a great team. They're very skilled, and they gave us all the pressure we could manage. But our defense is really experienced. They've done well down the stretch. They are a great defense, and I was really proud of them -- Mackenzie [Ellis], Sammy [Gray] and Lauren [Thomas]. They were such fantastic."

On the corner execution ... "We had an awful lot of opportunities, and they finally started to fall. That was the difference."

U-M Senior Forward Emy Guttman
On her game-winning corner goal ... "We had a lot of corners; we just needed to execute. We were focused on finishing. I knew it was coming to me. I just made sure I had my stick down."

On enjoying a weekend off ... "This is our first weekend off since our preseason down in Virginia Beach. We've had two games every weekend since. So, we'll take a couple days to enjoy this one. It will be a great opportunity to rest up and heal up before we get back to work preparing for Michigan State."

U-M Fifth-Year Senior Midfielder Ainsley McCallister
On bouncing back from the early deficit ... "We couldn't let ourselves get down. I knew that we could come back and win it. We just had to stay positive and put our minds to it. They have a great goalie, so we really stressed getting rebounds, keeping our sticks down in the circle and being relentless with our attack. It paid off."

On carrying on the momentum from tonight's win ... "This feels amazing. It feels like all the hard work is paying off. We're coming together. We just need to stay focused. We can't look past anyone. Every team in the Big Ten is tough. We need to take what we did well here tonight, look at the things we need to work on and build on those."

U-M Freshman Goalkeeper Sam Swenson
On Northwestern's goal ... "It was a tricky situation, because it was hard to see. It was an awful goal, and I really should have had it. There was something about the way it bounced and the trap and the touch. Sometimes you let in bad goals, but we were able to step up and give it back to them."

On her second-half play ... "I think it really annoyed me that I let in this rubbish goal. I just wanted to show that I really can play well. I just thought, 'You're not getting another one past me,' and I stepped up. I trust my defense so much, so I just focused on playing how I play. You need to work as a team."