Michigan
Indiana
Wolverines to Hit the Road for Big Ten Matchups
10/10/2017 1:59:00 PM | Field Hockey
» No. 3 Michigan will hit the road for Big Ten games against Indiana (3 p.m., Friday) and No. 22 Iowa (Noon CDT, Sunday); with two wins this weekend, U-M would clinch at least a share of the Big Ten title.
» The Wolverines have won each of their last eight games, outscoring its opposition, 35-2, over the stretch; U-M has allowed only six total shots over its last three contests.
» Michigan leads the Big Ten with 3.62 goals per game and a 0.81 goals-against average, ranking sixth and third nationally in those categories, respectively.
THIS WEEK
Fri., Oct. 13 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), 3 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video
Sun., Oct. 15 -- at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), Noon CT
Live Stats | Live Video
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter
• Game Day Information: Phyllis Ocker Field Information | Free Admission
The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team (11-2, 5-0 Big Ten) will hit the road after four straight games at home with contests against Big Ten Conference foes Indiana and Iowa. Michigan will take on the Hoosiers (6-8, 0-4 Big Ten) at 3 p.m. on Friday (Oct. 13) at the IU Field Hockey Complex in Bloomington, Indiana. The Wolverines will wrap up the weekend with a noon CDT slate against No. 22 Iowa (5-8, 1-3 Big Ten) on Sunday (Oct. 15) at Grant Field in Iowa City, Iowa.
WOLVERINE BITES
• Michigan sits atop the Big Ten standings with 5-0 league record -- a game up on Northwestern and Penn State, who own identical 4-1 records -- and would clinch at least a share of the regular-season title with two wins this weekend. U-M is seeking its ninth Big Ten title in program history and first since 2011. With its eight regular-season crowns -- seven under head coach Marcia Pankratz -- Michigan boasts the second most of any Big Ten school behind Iowa with 11.
• The Wolverines lead the Big Ten -- and rank top 10 nationally -- in nearly all team offensive and defensive statistical categories. Most notably, Michigan ranks sixth in goals per game (3.62), fifth in scoring margin (2.64), third in goals-against average (0.81) and first in save percentage (.836).
• U-M extended its winning streak to eight games with a pair of wins this past weekend. It is the longest win streak since the Wolverines claimed 11 in a row during the 2015 season. Over its eight-game win streak, Michigan has outscored its opposition, 35-2, and recorded seven shutouts. U-M has only allowed six total shots over its last three games.
• The Wolverines moved up a spot to No. 3 in the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll, released Tuesday (Oct. 10). It is Michigan's highest team ranking since holding the No. 2 spot during the 2002 season. Michigan has posted a 7-1 record against ranked opposition this season -- the loss came, 2-1, against current No. 1 UConn. [ Full NFHCA Poll ]
• Michigan swept the Big Ten Player of the Week awards as sophomore Meg Dowthwaite, senior Katie Trombetta and freshman Kayla Reed claimed the offensive, defensive and rookie honors, respectively. It was the first weekly honor for each and the first offensive, fourth defensive and second freshman weekly accolades for the Wolverines this season.
• With Michigan's seven shutouts over the last eight games, senior goalkeeper Sam Swenson boasts a 0.86 goals-against average and .817 save percentage on the season, which leads the Big Ten and ranks third nationally in both categories. Among the NCAA's active career leaders, Swenson ranks second in GAA (1.08) and third in save percentage (.779). Of the 11 goals she's allowed this season, seven have come off an attack corner and another off a penalty stroke.
• Sophomore Meg Dowthwaite has scored 13 goals through 13 games this season and leads the Big Ten -- and ranks fifth nationally -- with a 1.00 goals-per-game average. Dowthwaite, who owns five game-winners (including both from last weekend) leads the conference and ranks sixth nationally with 2.54 points per game. She has scored in all but three games this season and boasts five markers over the last three.
• Junior backs Maggie Bettez and Regan Leavitt scored their first collegiate goals against Rutgers last Friday (Oct. 6), which makes them the sixth and seventh Wolverines to accomplish the feat this season. Fourteen different Wolverine players have recorded goals this season, which includes seven with multiple tallies.
• Junior Emma Way netted U-M's double-overtime game winner against No. 15 Maryland (Sept. 29) – her second overtime game winner of the season. She has surpassed her career best with eight markers this season and achieved new highs with eight assists and 24 points. She ranks sixth among the conference leaders with 0.62 goals per game.
• Michigan leads the nation in total attendance (5,257) -- nearly 1,000 more than second-place Virginia (4,492) -- and ranks second with a 584 average attendance. The Wolverines have boasted two crowds of 900 fans or more. Michigan has ranked top three in average attendance in three of four years since renovating Phyllis Ocker Field and upping its stadium capacity to 1,500. U-M led the nation in total attendance in 2015 with 5,443 fans.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Indiana -- The Hoosiers are 6-8 on the season and 0-4 in Big Ten play. Indiana halted a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 decision against Ohio in its most recent outing on Sunday (Oct. 8). Maddie Latino leads IU with nine goals, while Ciara Girouard owns six markers. Goalkeeper Katie Johnson carries a 2.57 goals-against average and .667 save percentage. Michigan owns a 15-8 advantage in the all-time series against Indiana but fell, 1-0, in last season's meeting in Ann Arbor; the Hoosier win snapped a seven-game U-M winning streak in the series.
Iowa -- The Hawkeyes enter the weekend with a 5-8 record and are 1-3 in Big Ten play after picking up a 4-3 win against Indiana in their latest conference game two weeks ago. Iowa fell to Duke, 4-2, in its most recent outing last Sunday (Oct. 8). Katie Birch leads the Hawkeyes -- and ranks among the Big Ten's leaders -- with 12 goals and four assists, while Madeleine Murphy owns seven goals. Goalkeeper Katie Jones has played every minute of the season for Iowa; she owns a 2.12 goals-against average and .678 save percentage. Michigan trails, 40-24, in the all-time series against Iowa but has claimed each of the last four meetings, including a 2-1 overtime win last year in Ann Arbor.
LAST TIME OUT
The Wolverines cruised to a pair of dominant wins over ranked opponents last weekend, defeating No. 20 Rutgers, 5-0, and No. 12 Stanford, 3-0, to extend their win streak to eight Michigan did not allow a shot in the Rutgers game and held Stanford without a shot until the final 10 minutes of the contest. Sophomore Meg Dowthwaite tallied three goals on the weekend, while freshman Kayla Reed notched two, including U-M's first penalty stroke attempt of the season. Senior goalkeeper Sam Swenson stopped all three shots on goal she faced for the shutouts. [ Recaps: Rutgers | Stanford ]
UP NEXT
Fri., Oct. 20 -- vs. Northwestern (Phyllis Ocker Field), 4 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 22 -- at Louisville (Louisville, Ky.), Noon
Tue., Oct. 24 -- at Central Michigan (Mount Pleasant, Mich.), 4 p.m.
