Michigan
5-5, 0-1
Ohio State
9-2, 1-0
Wolverines Drop Inaugural Big Ten Contest at No. 18 Ohio State
3/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Site: Columbus, Ohio (Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium)
Score: #18 Ohio State 13, Michigan 5
Records: U-M (5-5), OSU (9-2)
Attendance: 297
Next U-M Event: Thursday, April 2 -- vs. Northwestern (Michigan Stadium), 7 p.m. (TV: BTN)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The University of Michigan women's lacrosse team dropped a 13-5 decision to No. 18 Ohio State on Friday (March 27) in the inaugural Big Ten Conference matchup for both teams at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The Buckeyes outscored U-M, 8-2, in the first half, while the second half was more evenly matched with OSU holding a 5-3 advantage.
The Wolverines opened all scoring for the day, as U-M scored on a fast break just 1:45 into the game. Sophomore Brooke Pancoast pushed the ball over the restraining line to sophomore Anna Schueler, who fed sophomore Madeline Dion in the middle of the eight-meter arc for the score.
The Buckeyes responded with four straight goals, including two from Mary Kate Facchina, to take a 4-1 lead at the 19:57 mark. Sophomore Kim Coughlan ended OSU's run with an unassisted goal, as she doll-dodged past her defender outside the 12-meter arc and drove down the right lane and shot high at 19:12.
Over the next four minutes, Ohio State rallied to score four unanswered goals, all coming from different Buckeyes, to take an 8-2 lead with 15:25 remaining in the first half. During the last 15 minutes of the half, neither team could manage to score and both teams committed four turnovers. The Buckeyes took an 8-2 advantage into the break.
The scoreless streak for both teams continued for the first 8:04 of the second half until OSU's Katie Chase scored at the 21:56 mark, ending a 23:29 scoring drought for both teams and giving Ohio State a 9-2 lead. The Buckeyes added back-to-back goals separated by just 18 seconds (18:45 and 18:28) to push their lead to nine, 11-2.
Sophomore Anna Schueler ended 31:42 of scoreless play for the Wolverines, as she drove hard down the right lane and fired a shot into the bottom left corner at 17:26, to make the score 11-3.
With the score 12-3 in favor of OSU, Michigan tallied two unanswered goals to cut the Buckeyes' lead to seven, 12-5. Freshman Mae Tarr, who entered the game for the first time halfway through the second half, received a pass from sophomore Jess Angerman and scored just outside the crease. Coughlan notched her second goal of the game on a free position opportunity with 7:43 left on the clock.
Ohio State capped all scoring for the day, as Jackie Cifarelli scored off of Rainey Hodgson's fourth assist to produce the final score of 13-5.
Michigan goalie Allison Silber made nine saves, while OSU's Tori DeScenza tallied 11 stops.
Michigan will now return home to host Northwestern in its first Big Ten home game on Thursday (April 2) at 7 p.m. inside Michigan Stadium. The matchup can be seen live on the Big Ten Network.
NOTES
• Today's contest between Michigan and Ohio State marked both team's inaugural Big Ten Conference game.
• With the loss, Michigan moves to 5-5 overall.
• Michigan forced half (8) of Ohio State's 16 turnovers, while committing 14 of its own.
• Madeline Dion continues to lead Michigan in caused turnovers with 18, including two today, which is a program record for caused turnovers in a season.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Jennifer Ulehla
On starting Big Ten Conference play today ... "What a great day! Prior to the game we were incredibly excited and honored to get out and compete in the Big Ten Conference. It's something that's really special and something we've waited for a long time. It's exciting that the Big Ten in sponsoring women's lacrosse and it was a great day to honor women's lacrosse and be a part of the Big Ten Conference."
On the team's keys to the game and how the team executed ... "Prior to the game, we talked about first and foremost winning the draw -- that's always a key. And along with that we wanted to fight hard for 50/50 balls. We really wanted to have each other's backs going up against a rival like Ohio State. We always talk about valuing possession, whether it be working hard to get a caused turnover or taking care of it as we're getting the ball up the field. The final thing we thought was really important today was going out as a team and earning the respect of the Big Ten -- this is the beginning of that journey and we wanted to get out there and put together 60 minutes in our first Big Ten opportunity. I think overall, it was a disappointing game for us -- more so in the first half, but even in the second half -- the 60 minutes as whole was disappointing. We didn't come out as competitive as we wanted to. The conditions as the game wore on and how cold it had gotten probably have a little bit to do with that 20-plus minutes where there was a lot of ugly lacrosse. I think the positive thing was that they did make some adjustments at halftime, but against the Big Ten you can't just play the second half, you're never going to be able to compete if you're not putting together as much of 60 minutes as possible."
