Wolverines Dominate Rival MSU in Big Ten Opener

Friday, September 15

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

(5-2)

Michigan State

(3-5)

Michigan State

Michigan

9/15/2017 9:50:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan cruised to a 6-0 win against in-state rival Michigan State in its Big Ten opener.
» Six different Wolverines scored goals; Emma Way, Carly Bennett, Katie Trombetta and Meg Dowthwaite all posted a goal and an assist.
» Sam Swenson recorded four saves -- all late in the second half -- to secure Michigan's second straight shutout and third in five games.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: #8 Michigan 6, Michigan State 0
Records: U-M (5-2, 1-0 Big Ten), MSU (3-5, 0-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Sept. 22 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 3 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team kicked off its Big Ten Conference schedule in dominate fashion, cruising to a 6-0 victory over in-state rival Michigan State on Friday evening (Sept. 15) in front of 987 fans at Phyllis Ocker Field. It was the Wolverines' second straight shutout and third of the season.

Six different Wolverines scored in the contest, including sophomore Meg Dowthwaite, who tallied a team-best seventh marker of the season and has scored in six of seven games, and freshman Kragen Metz, who became the third Wolverine to tally her first collegiate goal this season. Michigan tallied 15 goals over its last two games.

The Wolverines jumped on MSU early with intense pressure inside the 25, before converting on their first penalty-corner opportunity of the game, at the 8:37 mark. After inserting, junior Emma Way moved to the left post and got her stick on Dowthwaite's direct shot about shin high to redirect it into the cage. Michigan struck again less than two minutes later, at 10:17, when graduate student Carly Bennett took a pass from sophomore Guadalupe Fernandez Lacort to the left side of the circle and swept a cross-cage shot to the lower right corner. Like Way, it was her fourth goal of the season.

Michigan added two more before the end of the half to take a 4-0 lead into the break. It was an all-Dutch effort on the Wolverines' third goal, when sophomore Fay Keijer tipped a blasted shot from graduate student Esther de Leijer from the nearside right post at 17:45. Senior Katie Trombetta scored on the direct shot off another successful penalty corner late in the half, at 28:33, finding the lower right corner on a rocket from the top of the circle.

With Metz subbed in last second after U-M was issued a delay-of-game green card at the start of the second half, the Wolverine freshman found herself in the right place to net her first collegiate goal. De Leijer charged into the MSU circle unchallenged and whipped a pass to the front of the cage, where Metz extended to get her stick on it and redirect it into the goal.

Dowthwaite wrapped up the game's scoring about five minutes later, at 40:55, after one-timing a pass from Trombetta on an odd-man rush into the circle. Dowthwaite, Trombetta, Way and Bennett all posted one goal and one assist in the game.

Michigan held MSU without a shot until midway through the second half, ultimately outshooting the Spartans, 20-6, and outcornering them, 6-2. Senior goalkeeper Sam Swenson recorded four saves to secure the complete-game shutout -- her second of the season -- while MSU goalkeeper Katie Miller also made four stops on 10 U-M shots on goal.

Tweet of the Game

Fan flags ???? out in full force at @umichfldhockey! 987 fans at Ocker Field to help us past Sparty! #GoBlue #BeatState pic.twitter.com/fGHG3kFz7m
— MICHIGAN H.A.I.L. (@umichhail) September 16, 2017

Michigan (5-2, 1-0 Big Ten) will return to the road next weekend for two more Big Ten rivalry matchups, traveling to face Ohio State at 3 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 22) in Columbus, Ohio, before heading to State College, Pennsylvania, to face Penn State at noon on Sunday (Sept. 24).