Wolverines Battle Past Kent State for Sixth Straight Win

Sunday, September 21

Kent, Ohio

Noon

Michigan

(6-2)

Kent State

(2-5)

Michigan

Kent State

Leslie Smith

Wolverines Battle Past Kent State for Sixth Straight Win

9/21/2014 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Leah Howard

Site: Kent, Ohio (Murphy-Mellis Field)
Score: #18 Michigan 3, Kent State 2
Records: U-M (6-2), KSU (2-5)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Sept. 26 -- vs. Maryland (Phyllis Ocker Field), 6 p.m.

KENT, Ohio -- The No. 18-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team extended its win streak to six straight games, using a late goal to battle past Kent State, 3-2, on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 21) at the Golden Flashes' Murphy-Mellis Field. After the Wolverines saw their two-goal advantage erased in the second half, fifth-year senior Leslie Smith (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey HS) converted on a penalty-corner opportunity at 59:13 to net the game-winning goal.

Michigan dominated the statistical categories, outshooting the Golden Flashes, 37-6, and outcornering them, 12-4, but struggled to finish against KSU goalkeeper Andrea Rinehart, who posted 15 saves, including 10 in the first half.

Smith hit the board on the Wolverines' 10th corner opportunity of the contest, with less than 11 minutes remaining in regulation, one-timing a pass from fifth-year senior Sammy Gray (Wilmette, Ill./North Shore Country Day School) and driving it to the lower right corner of the cage for her sixth goal of the season and fifth career game-winner.

The Wolverines particularly controlled the first half, outshooting Kent State, 18-2, with 11 shots on goal, but held just a narrow 1-0 halftime advantage. After Michigan just missed on several chances in a barrage midway through the frame, sophomore Courtney Enge (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) finally broke through at the 23:20 mark after stealing the ball from a KSU defender, dribbling into the circle and sliding it underneath a sprawling Rinehart. It was her fourth goal of the season.

U-M extended their lead to 2-0 just 13 seconds into the second half. With the Golden Flashes starting the frame a player down after a late green card in the first, Smith got the ball off the whistle and sent a high aerial into KSU territory. A defender missed the ball, and sophomore Eliza Stein (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) stepped behind her to corral it, carry it into the circle and dish a pass to senior Emy Guttman (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS), who redirected it into the cage.

Kent State responded quickly, however, scoring twice in the next 13 minutes to even the score at two goals apiece. Julia Hofman put the Golden Flashes on the board with a high shot to the top of the cage at the 40:38 mark and then assisted on their next goal seven minutes later, at 47:45, feeding a back-door pass to Alison Harmatz, who tipped it in to tie the game.

Michigan picked up the pace after the equalizer, posting seven shots and drawing three corners before regaining the advantage and holding on for the victory.

The Wolverines return home next weekend for a pair of Big Ten games -- against the conference's newest members -- at Phyllis Ocker Field. U-M will host Maryland at 6 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 26) before wrapping the weekend homestand against Rutgers at 1 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 28). Both games will be streamed live via BTN2Go.

GAME SUMMARY

By Periods	1	2	F
Michigan	1	2	3
Kent State	0	2	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Courtney Enge, 23:20 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Emy Guttman, 35:13 (Eliza Stein)
2nd -- KSU, Julia Hofman, 40:38 (unassisted)
2nd -- KSU, Alison Harmatz, 47:45 (Hofman)
2nd -- U-M, Leslie Smith, 59:13 (Sammy Gray, Shannon Scavelli)

Shots: U-M 37, KSU 6
Saves: U-M 0 (Sam Swenson), KSU 15 (Andrea Rinehart)
Defensive Saves: none
Penalty Corners: U-M 12, KSU 4

NOTES

• With today's victory, Michigan improved to 11-4-3 in the all-time series against Kent State. The Wolverines snapped a two-game KSU win streak in the series.

• After starting the season 0-2, U-M has won six straight games, outscoring its opposition, 25-5, over the stretch.

• With 37 shots, U-M posted its greatest shot total since posting 42 against Central Michigan on Sept. 17, 2004. Michigan has outshot its opponents in seven of eight games this season.

• Junior Shannon Scavelli owns a career-best three assists this season. With five goals, she is also just one shy of her career-high six, which she recorded last season. Sophomore Eliza Stein also owns a career-best two helpers this year.

• Fifth-year senior Leslie Smith earned her 75th career point on the game-winning goal.

• Senior Emy Guttman is the 11th different Wolverine player to score a goal this season.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Marcia Pankratz
On battling to claim the win ... "In every game, the dynamics are different based on the field, the umpires and the opposing team. It was a hard-fought game today, and I was really proud of how poised we stayed. We didn't get rattled, stuck to the game plan and worked hard to finish. We finished strong down the stretch and put the final goal in that we needed. That was a big game for us."

On struggling to finish and continuing to plug away ... "Kent State is a good team. They're well coached and disciplined. Their one-on-one low tackling is outstanding, and their goalkeeper was outstanding. She made some spectacular saves. We just kept after it, stayed focused and stayed on task. I was very pleased with that."

On veterans stepping up and scoring late game-winners ... "Both Ainsley [McCallister] and Leslie [Smith] are very experienced and outstanding field hockey players. They're smart, skilled and have confidence to carry the team when it's their turn. I think that's one of the strengths of our team; on any given day, we've got players who are stepping up in pressure situations and winning the game for the team."

U-M Fifth-Year Senior Leslie Smith
On her game-winning goal ... "It was a corner play. I got the ball from Sam [Gray] and shucked the ball hard into the right corner of the goal, lower backboard. What a beautiful sound."

On the Wolverines' numerous opportunities ... "We were getting good corners and had so many opportunities; we just weren't finishing. Our second goal was gorgeous -- just 13 seconds into the half. If we can keep that same momentum going throughout the game, we could have a full, solid 70 minutes. We're still having a few lulls here and there, but that also means we can still bring our level up."

On refocusing after Friday's win at Penn State ... "We try so hard to take things game by game, and that's so important. We were coming off a huge high after beating Penn State, and we had to check back into reality. I think, by the end of the game, we had really refocused and knocked it out. The result is what matters most. I'm proud of the team for battling that out. Kent State has a good team; they're a physical team. I think we can handle physical teams being in the Big Ten. As Marcia always says, it's a mark of a good team to win the games that are close."