No. 3 Seed Michigan Set to Host NCAA First, Second Rounds

» Michigan, the No. 3 seed at the 20121 NCAA Tournament, will face Miami (Ohio) in the NCAA first round on Friday (Nov. 12) at noon at Phyllis Ocker Field.
» Michigan is ranked seventh in the nation in scoring average (3.10) and scoring margin (1.95); Sofia Southam ranks second nationally with a 1.24 goals-per-game average and a team-best 21 goals.
» U-M owns a 20-16 record in NCAA Tournament play and has advanced to the semifinals in four of its 17 previous appearances.

THIS WEEK
NCAA FIRST, SECOND ROUNDS (Tournament Central)
Friday, Nov. 12 -- vs. Miami (Ohio) (Phyllis Ocker Field), Noon
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The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team (15-4) will host one of four NCAA first/second-round sites for the 2021 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship on Friday and Sunday (Nov. 12-14) at Phyllis Ocker Field.

The Wolverines will open tournament play against No. 25 Miami (12-10) at noon on Friday (Nov. 12), while the other first-round match will pit No. 10 Harvard (15-1) against No. 6 Louisville (16-3) at 2:30 p.m. The winners will advance to the quarterfinal game, which is slated for a 1 p.m. start on Sunday (Nov. 14).

2021 NCAA Tournament First/Second Rounds

Fri-Sun., Nov. 12-14
Phyllis Ocker Field (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

Friday, Nov. 12
Game 1 -- Michigan vs. Miami (Ohio), Noon
Game 2 -- Louisville vs. Harvard, 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 14
Game 3 -- Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.

NCAA Tournament Notes

• The Wolverines are making their 18th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and seventh in as many seasons. U-M owns a 20-16 record in NCAA Tournament play and has advanced to the semifinals in four of its 17 previous appearances, playing in the national title game three times -- most recently last spring. In 2001, the Wolverines captured the first NCAA championship for a Michigan women's team in U-M athletics history.

• Michigan is 11-5 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and is 14-12 during the first weekend of NCAA Tournament play. U-M has won eight out of its last 12 NCAA first-round matches.

• Twenty-six of Michigan's 31 NCAA Tournament games have been decided by just one goal, with U-M carrying a 15-11 record in those contests. Twelve of the Wolverines' 15 first-round games have been decided by a single marker, while all but two of U-M's eight quarterfinal matchups have been determined by a single goal.

• With its 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, Michigan ranks fourth among Big Ten Conference schools in the category. All of U-M's appearances have come over the last 23 years -- since 1999. Only Maryland (20) boasts more over the 23-year stretch.

• Michigan will host an NCAA first/second round site for the fifth time in program history and first time since 2017. U-M also hosted in 2001, 2004 and 2007. In the four previous instances, Michigan claimed its first-round matchup, while in 2001 and 2017, it advanced to the semifinals en route to its NCAA championship.

Michigan vs. the NCAA First/Second Round Field

Miami (Ohio): Michigan and Miami have met 18 previous times -- the Wolverines lead the series 16-2 -- but not in an official game since 2012, when Michigan claimed a 3-0 decision at Ocker Field. The teams did square off for an exhibition game in August, which U-M won 2-1 in Ann Arbor. Friday will mark the first ever NCAA Tournament meeting between the programs.

Harvard: Michigan leads in the all-time series against Harvard 3-0 and defeated the Crimson 3-1 in their last matchup in 2009. The programs have never before met in NCAA Tournament play.

Louisville: Michigan leads the all-time series against Louisville 12-4 and defeated the then-No. 3-ranked Cardinals 2-1 in this year's regular-season meeting on Oct. 10. Graduate student Halle O'Neill scored the game-winning goal on a late penalty corner in the fourth quarter. Michigan and Louisville have met twice in the NCAA Tournament in as many seasons, with Michigan winning 2-1 in a shootout in last season's semifinals.

Wolverine Bites

• Michigan lists seventh nationally with a 3.10 scoring average and seventh with a 1.95 scoring margin. Senior Sofia Southam ranks second with a 1.24 goals-per-game average this season -- behind North Carolina's two-time NFHCA National Player of the Year Erin Matson with 1.69.

• Southam has tallied 21 goals in 17 appearances this season -- tied for the fourth best single-season mark in program history and the most for a Wolverine player since Rachel Mack posted 21 goals in 2013. Southam boasts five multi-goal games and five game-winners. She entered the season with 11 career goals, while her previous season best was five as a freshman.

• Michigan ranks 14th nationally with a 1.15 goals-against average, while senior goalkeeper Anna Spieker individually lists 15th with a 1.22 GAA. The Wolverines have earned four shutouts with 12 complete-game efforts for Spieker. With 21 career shutouts, Spieker owns the second spot on Michigan's career leaders list. Sam Swenson (2014-17) owns the program record with 23 career shutouts.

• The Wolverines remained No. 2 in the final NFHCA coaches poll on the 2021 seasons -- behind No. 1 Rutgers. U-M owns 10 wins over ranked teams, including No. 1 North Carolina (3-2, Aug. 27) in the season opener and, more recently, No. 3 Rutgers (3-0, Oct. 22), No. 5 Northwestern (3-2 SO, Nov. 4) and No. 1 Iowa (3-2, Nov. 5). The Big Ten Conference boasts six of the top seven spots. [ NFHCA Coaches Poll ]

Last Time Out

The Wolverines defeated No. 5 Northwestern 3-2 in a shootout, and No. 1 Iowa, 3-2, in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals and semifinals before falling just short in the championship game, 1-0, against host Rutgers. Junior Nina Apoola netted the game-winning goal in the quarterfinal shootout, while senior goalkeeper Anna Spieker posted five saves and stopped four of five Wildcat attempts in the shootout. Michigan scored first and last in the semis against Iowa to avenge their regular-season shootout loss. Senior Sofia Southam had a hand in all three Michigan goals, most notably the gritty game-winner unassisted in the fourth quarter. In the championship final, the Wolverines dominated possession and outshot (12-3) and outcornered (4-1) Rutgers but were doomed by a second-quarter Scarlet Knights tally out of a scrum. [ Recaps: Northwestern | Iowa | Rutgers ]

Up Next

Fri-Sun., Nov. 19-21 -- NCAA Tournament Semifinals/Final (Phyllis Ocker Field) - Tournament Central