Michigan
2-0
UC Davis
1-1
Powerful Offense Propels Michigan to Victory at UC Davis
2/9/2019 11:55:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
» Michigan opened 2019 with two victories in California, after it defeated UC Davis, 17-5 on Saturday.
» Chandler Kirby tied a career-high with four goals.
» Adriana Pendino recorded her second straight hat-trick, netting three goals.
» Michigan will play its home opener on Friday (Feb. 15) when it welcomes Central Michigan to U-M Lacrosse Stadium.
Site: Davis, Calif. (Jim Sochor Stadium)
Score: Michigan 17, UC Davis 5
Records: U-M (2-0), UC Davis (1-1)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 15 -- vs. Central Michigan (UM Lacrosse Stadium), 3 p.m.
DAVIS, Calif. -- The University of Michigan women's lacrosse team will make its trip back to Ann Arbor with two wins under its belt after it defeated UC Davis, 17-5, on Saturday (Feb. 9) to close opening weekend on the West Coast.
Junior Chandler Kirby paced the Wolverines offensively, tying a career-best four goals on four shot attempts, while senior Adriana Pendino notched her second straight hat-trick with three goals against the Aggies. Junior Lilly Grass recorded her second straight two-goal performance, and both junior Molly Garrett and sophomore Caitlin Muir notched their first multi-goal performances with two each.
In all, nine Wolverines found the back of the net with freshman Erin Garvey, junior Catherine Granito, sophomore Maggie Kane and freshman Kaitlyn Mead scoring a goal each. The goals by Garvey, Granito and Kane mark back-to-back games in which the trio has found the back of the net.
Kaitlyn Mead led Michigan on the draw control with four wins, while Garrett had three and senior Gabby Burns had two. Defensively, junior Quinn Melidona and senior Madison Richardson had three caused turnovers each and Richardson added a team-best four ground balls, while sophomore Erin Daly and junior Sydney Whitaker had three.
In net, senior Mira Shane earned the start making one save before senior Alli Kothari subbed in to finish the game with four saves for the Wolverines.
Freshmen Hailey Mead, Kelly Poole and Morgan Whitaker made their U-M debuts against the Aggies in the second half.
Five minutes in, the Michigan offense struck as Kaitlyn Mead found Kirby open on the right side. She drove from right-to-left and found the middle of the net before Grass made a spin move to her left moments later to put U-M up, 2-0. The Aggies responded with their first goal of the game but just minutes later, the Wolverines saw back-to-back goals from the freshman duo of Garvey and Kaitlyn Mead.
Muir was the fifth player to find the back of the net with her first of the night before UC Davis netted their second goal of the game. Michigan rattled off six unanswered goals, including three consecutive from Kirby to take an 11-2 advantage with 7:50 to play in the first half.
UC Davis ended its nine-minute scoring drought with a tally with 6:25 left, but Michigan once again responded with two goals to start a running clock with a 13-3 lead and 1:42 remaining the in the first half.
Kirby led the Wolverines with four goals in the first 30 minutes, while Grass and Muir both added two goals in the opening half. In all, eight Wolverines got on the scoreboard in the first half.
The offensive tear did not end in the second half as Michigan quickly added four goals, with two apiece from Pendino and Garrett to extend U-M's lead to 17-4 with 15:48 to play.
The Aggies would find one final goal in the remainder of the running-clock second half as Michigan moved to 2-0 overall.
The Wolverines will open the 2019 home campaign Friday (Feb. 15) when they welcome Central Michigan to U-M Lacrosse Stadium. Draw is set for 3 p.m. [ Tickets ]
