Wolverines Put Up Nine on VCU in Lopsided Victory

Sunday, September 14

Ann Arbor, Mich.

1:00 PM

Michigan

(4-2)

VCU

(1-4)

VCU

Michigan

9/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Leah Howard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: Michigan 9, VCU 1
Records: U-M (4-2), VCU (1-4)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Sept. 19 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 4 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan field hockey team scored early and often en route to its most lopsided victory of the season, earning a 9-1 victory over VCU on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 14) in front of 337 fans at Phyllis Ocker Field. The Wolverines capped their homestand with four straight wins.

Several Wolverine underclassmen highlighted the victory as sophomores Courtney Enge (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) and Sina Lampe (Bergisch Gladbach, Germany/Gymnasium Herkenrath) posted two goals apiece, while sophomore/freshman Carly Bennett (Narragansett, R.I./Hotchkiss School) and freshmen Morgan Malone (Granby, Conn./Wyoming Seminary) and Veerle Lubbers (Arnhem, Netherlands/Stedelijk Gymnasium) all recorded their first collegiate goals.

Michigan scored in spurts in the first half, netting two early in the frame, two midway through and two late. Junior Shannon Scavelli (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland Shrub Oak) opened scoring at the 5:52 mark, taking advantage of a flurry in front of the net to lunge in and tip a cross pass from sophomore Eliza Stein (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) past VCU goalkeeper Kendall Clifton for her third goal of the weekend. Bennett followed just 90 seconds later, at 7:22, with her first career goal, getting her stick on fifth-year senior Sammy Gray's (Wilmette, Ill./North Shore Country Day School) hard shot from the VCU defensive 25 and redirecting it in.

The Wolverines turned away three VCU corner opportunities before their next scoring surge. Lampe netted a spectacular backhand goal at the 24:16 mark, lifting a high shot from the baseline left of the goal and finding the opposite top corner. Enge, who assisted on Lampe's goal, scored her own just two minutes later, at 26:13, corralling her own rebound in front and knocking it in past Clifton.

Michigan added two more in the final minute to pad its lead to 6-0 at the halftime break. Fifth-year senior Ainsley McCallister (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) carried the ball into the circle, spun and fired a shot from the top of the circle; Malone dove to redirect it for her first collegiate goal at 34:18. The Wolverines struck again with time expired; Clifton stopped back-to-back shots off the corner but could not clear as Enge knocked in the rebound for her second goal.

The Rams broke had the better opportunities early in the second half and broke through to spoil U-M's shutout streak at the 59:44 mark, converting on their third penalty corner of the half. Freshman Katie Trombetta (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East HS) earned a defensive save on the initial corner shot, but Nicola Breeman was in position to collect the rebound and knock it into the Wolverine cage.

Michigan responded with three goals in the final eight minutes -- all out of scrums in front of the VCU goal. Lampe netted her second of the contest, batting in a bouncing ball at the 63:59 mark, while Lubbers and Stein followed with similar goals -- low shots from the left post -- within the next four minutes.

The Wolverines outshot VCU, 17-8, but were outcornered, 6-2. Freshman Sam Swenson (Harrogate, England/Ashville College) and junior/sophomore Chris Lueb (Den Bosch, Netherlands/Staples (Conn.)) split time evenly in goal, registering two saves apiece, while Clifton earned six saves for VCU.

The Wolverines will hit the road next weekend for two games. U-M will open Big Ten Conference play against Penn State at 4 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 19) in State College, Pa., before closing the weekend against Kent State at noon on Sunday (Sept. 21) in Kent, Ohio.

GAME SUMMARY

By Periods	1	2	F
VCU	0	1	1
Michigan	6	3	9

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Shannon Scavelli,5:52 (Eliza Stein)
1st -- U-M, Carly Bennett, 7:22 (Sammy Gray)
1st -- U-M, Sina Lampe, 24:16 (Courtney Enge)
1st -- U-M, Enge, 24:13 (unassisted)
1st -- U-M, Morgan Malone, 34:18 (Ainsley McCallister)
1st -- U-M, Enge, 35:00 (unassisted)
2nd -- VCU, Nicola Breeman, 59:44 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Lampe, 63:59 (Bennett)
2nd -- U-M, Veerle Lubbers, 66:02 (McCallister)
2nd -- U-M, Stein, 67:44 (Bennett)

Shots: U-M 17, VCU 85
Saves: U-M 4 (Sam Swenson 2, Chris Lueb 2), VCU 6 (Kendall Clifton)
Defensive Saves: U-M 1, VCU 1
Penalty Corners: U-M 2, VCU 2

NOTES

• With today's win, Michigan improved to 2-0 in the all-time series against VCU.

• U-M extended its home winning streak to 15 straight games, dating back to a 3-2 overtime win against rival Michigan State on Oct. 12, 2012. The Wolverines boasted a perfect 8-0 home record last season at Ocker Field.

• Michigan has outscored its home opposition, 19-1, this season.

• Michigan's nine goals against VCU marks the program's greatest single-game total since scoring 10 vs. Ball State on Oct. 6, 2013.

• Sophomores Courtney Enge and Sina Lampe both recorded their first multi-goal efforts.

• Enge, sophomore/freshman Carly Benett, freshmen Morgan Malone and Veerle Lubbers have all scored their first collegiate goals this season.

• Fifth-year senior Ainsley McCallister added two assists to up her season total to a career-best nine. Her previous best was eight, which she registered as a sophomore (2011) and a junior (2013). She boasts 1.5 assists per game this year.

• With five goals already this season, junior Shannon Scavelli is just one goal shy of her career best.

• Junior/sophomore Parker Procida made her collegiate debut in the second half. Procida missed much of last season with injury.

• Freshman goalkeeper Sam Swenson has not allowed a goal in her last four appearances, a stretch of 225:29 played. She currently boasts a 0.70 goals-against average and .812 save percentage this season.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Marcia Pankratz
On the number of tip goals ... "We really emphasized to our forwards all week in practice to get in the right position and have good discipline so they could get a good touch on the ball. They were really able to do that today. I was proud of them for making that adjustment."

On other emphases for the weekend ... "We're always trying to play quickly and play at that Michigan tempo, especially to prepare us as we get into Big Tens. So, we were really trying to keep the tempo up. It's not always an easy thing to do."

On several positives from today's game ... "We have a couple players banged up, so it was nice to give them a chance to rest. We got a chance to see players at different positions to give them some experience. We're going to need them next weekend. We had some younger players score goals, which helps with confidence. Those were some great positives."

U-M Sophomore Sina Lampe
On her backhand goal in the first half ... "Scoring goals always feels great, especially if you can score a really nice one. Courtney [Enge] gave me a perfect ball, and I just shot and didn't think too hard about it. It went in. I was happy."

On feeling more adjusted this season ... "My freshman year, I was a little homesick, coming all the way from Germany. Now I know everyone really well and feel more confident. I'm more comfortable with the style of American hockey. It's a lot faster, a lot more running and more physical. I've gotten a lot stronger. My goal is to score more goals and just constantly improve. There's always something you can do better. That's what I'm working on."

U-M Sophomore/Freshman Carly Bennett
On the focus for the forwards ... "One of the things we really stressed for this game was to finish and, as forwards, get your sticks down near the goal for those long shots across the circle. I think five of the goals were tips from having our sticks down. That was exciting. We definitely nailed that today."

On getting her opportunity to play after redshirting last season ... "I didn't know what to expect coming into the year. Over the summer, I told myself to work hard and do my thing. I've been starting since our second game. That's a huge transition, and I'm still getting used to it. There are still some nerves, but I'm getting more comfortable. It's been great."