Michigan
5-10, 0-4B1G
Maryland
16-0, 4-0B1G
Wolverines Unable to Knock No. 1 Maryland from Unbeaten Ranks
4/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Site: College Park, Md. (Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex)
Score: #1 Maryland 14, Michigan 9
Records: U-M (5-10, 0-4 Big Ten), UMD (16-0, 4-0)
Attendance: 1254
Next U-M Event: Sunday, April 26 -- vs. Rutgers (Michigan Stadium), 1 p.m.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The University of Michigan women's lacrosse team outscored No. 1 Maryland, 5-3, in the second half to close an 11-4 halftime deficit before falling to the undefeated Terrapins on Saturday (April 18) at UM's Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. Sophomore Anna Schueler led the Wolverines with three goals, which all came in the second half, and sophomore goalie Allison Silber matched a career high with 14 saves.
The Terrapins opened the game on a 4-0 run, holding the Wolverines without a shot for the first 10 minutes of the contest. Michigan settled in and responded with back-to-back goals in less than a minute to cut Maryland's lead in half, 4-2. Sophomore Sophie duPhily fed sophomore Lauren Oberlander from the right elbow for the goal (19:25), and then sophomore Tess Korten converted a free-position goal (18:41) following a draw control win from Schueler.
Maryland scored an unassisted goal at the 17:40 mark, but sophomore Jess Angerman added another free-position goal for the Wolverines at 16:06 to keep the game close. The Terps pushed their lead to four goals, 7-3, with 14:45 left in the first half, and then both teams were held scoreless for nearly 13 minutes.
The final two minutes of the opening half featured five goals, including four from Maryland. Michigan's goal was one for the highlight reel, as sophomore goalie Allison Silber saved a free-position attempt by Maryland's Taylor Cummings and helped clear the ball successfully. In transition, Oberlander fed Korten for a quick low-backhanded scoop shot and the score. Maryland held an 11-4 advantage at the break.
Three key saves from Silber helped keep Maryland scoreless through the first 12-plus minutes of the second half, before the Terrapins netted two unanswered goals at 17:42 and 15:39 to go ahead 13-4.
Schueler then scored two of the next three goals to cut Maryland's lead to eight, 14-6, by the 4:07 mark. Schueler's second goal ignited a four-goal run by the Wolverines that concluded with an unassisted goal from Angerman with six ticks left on the clock. That run by the Maize and Blue brought it within five, 14-9, by the final buzzer.
The Wolverines will conclude regular-season play when they host Rutgers next Sunday (April 26) at 1 p.m. inside Michigan Stadium.
NOTES
• Anna Schueler recorded her sixth hat trick of the season and 11th of her career, scoring all three of her goals in the second half.
• Goalie Allison Silber matched her career high with 14 saves, including nine in the second half.
• With her two goals today, Jess Angerman continues to lead Michigan with 44 points on 30 goals and 14 assists. Her 44 points match her team-high 44 points from the 2014 season.
• With their goals today, Jess Angerman (2) and Anna Schueler (3) have each tallied at least one point in each of the last 14 games. Schueler is the only Wolverine to score at least one goal in each of those 14 games.
• Today's game marked the first meeting between Michigan and Maryland and the first time Michigan has faced a No. 1 team in program history.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Jennifer Ulehla
On her over thoughts on the game ... "Our first half, we didn't come out the way I hoped we would and I'm going to chalk that up to nerves and playing Maryland for the very first time. What I was incredibly happy with was at halftime, they made some adjustments and made the best of the second half and worked as a unit and played with a lot of energy."
On the team's defensive game plan with Maryland having so many offensive threats ... "With a team like Maryland, they're all threats, but with the defense we're playing, we just need to focus on executing our defense, which is a higher-pressure defense. We need to make sure we're getting out on the ball and shifting as they move the ball. Maryland has so many threats that you have to focus on playing as a unit."
On the last three games against ranked opponents ... "This three-game stretch was very important for us. Every single game we've done some really nice things. Against Penn State we had a really great first half. Against Notre Dame, we played incredibly well for about 75 percent of the game. Today, coming into Maryland, I think the nerves got to us a little bit in the first half, but I'm really proud for them to be able to come out and compete against such a great team in the second half. We're learning what it takes to compete at a very high level and hopefully taking that back to practice because that's where it's all going to come from. We need to compete like these teams in practice so we can prepare and get better each and every day."
On the team having fun playing together ... "When you're young, you tend to focus on the things you're not doing right, so our focus has been on celebrating all the little things that we do so great. I think that has really energized us and it's energized our bench. Everyone is very involved and when you're out playing top-ranked programs, it's exciting as a coach to watch these individuals compete and enjoy it. It's great to see them recognize that we can compete with these teams."
On playing her alma mater for the first time as the head coach at Michigan ... "It was incredibly exciting for me to be able to go back to my alma mater. But for me what was so special was to go back there representing such an incredible athletic and academic institution like Michigan. To have my team there working hard as we build this program, competing against my alma mater, was very special for me and something I'll remember for a lifetime."
