Wolverines Shut Out Northwestern to Advance to NCAA Semifinals

Sunday, November 12

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

(21-2)

Northwestern

(15-7)

Northwestern

Michigan

Wolverines Shut Out Northwestern to Advance to NCAA Semifinals

11/12/2017 5:41:00 PM | Field Hockey

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By: Leah Howard

» Michigan shut out No. 10 Northwestern, 3-0, in the NCAA quarterfinals; it was U-M's third win over the Wildcats as many weeks.
» Emma Way scored all three Michigan goals -- all on deflections in front -- to earn her second hat trick of the season and up her season goal tally to 13.
» Michigan advances to the NCAA semifinals for the fourth time in program history and first time since 2003.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Event: NCAA Tournament (Quarterfinals)
Score: No. 3 Michigan 3, No. 10 Northwestern 0
Records: U-M (21-2), NU (15-7)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Nov. 17 -- vs. Maryland - NCAA semifinals (Louisville, Ky.), 4:45 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team scored early in the first half and added two insurance tallies in the second to defeat No. 10 Northwestern, 3-0, in the NCAA quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 12) in front of 506 fans at Phyllis Ocker Field. With the victory -- the team's 18th in a row -- the Wolverines advance to the NCAA final four for the fourth time in the program history and first time since 2003.

Junior Emma Way netted all three Michigan goals to earn her second hat trick of the season and up her season goal tally to a career-best 13. All three came on deflections inside the circle, with three different Wolverine teammates earning the assists.

Michigan netted the first and game-winning goal just 8:10 into the contest. Graduate student Carly Bennett accepted a pass near the baseline on the left side of the circle and quickly fed it to the middle, where Way squeezed a tip-in goal between the left post and Wildcat goalkeeper Annie Kalfas.

The Wolverines struck again in similar fashion early in the second half -- at 38:57 -- to build their lead. Freshman Kayla Reed charged the right side of the circle and carried the ball to the baseline before whipping a centering pass to the middle, where Way got her stick on it and deflected it into the cage.

Way completed the hat trick about 12 minutes later, at the 50:55 mark, on a spectacular diving play on a pass from outside the circle. Sophomore Meg Dowthwaite got the ball on the Wolverines' own defensive 25 and carried it up and across the field to the left side, where she sent a hard reverse pass into the circle from the Northwestern 25. Way, who rushed past a defender to get alone, lunged with a low stick to tip it just inside the left post.

Northwestern outshot the Wolverines, 9-6, and outcornered them, 5-2, but the majority of the Wildcats offensive opportunities came after U-M's third goal. Senior goalkeeper Sam Swenson posted five saves for her 13th complete game shutout -- Michigan's 16th overall -- of the season, while Kalfas stopped two of U-M's five shots on goal.

It was the Wolverines' third win over Northwestern in a three-week window. Michigan will face another Big Ten rival in the NCAA semifinals next Friday (Nov. 17), taking on Maryland, who upset No. 2-seed Duke in the quarterfinals, at 4:45 p.m. at Trager Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.