Michigan Downs No. 11 Maryland to Claim Big Ten Regular-Season Title

Saturday, April 10

College Park, Md.

Noon

Michigan

(8-2, 6-0)

Maryland

(6-5, 4-3)

Michigan

Maryland

(Michigan Photography)

Michigan Downs No. 11 Maryland to Claim Big Ten Regular-Season Title

4/10/2021 4:18:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» No. 5 Michigan defeated No. 11 Maryland, 2-1, to capture the Big Ten title with a perfect 6-0 conference record.
» Lora Clarke scored the game-winning goal late in the third quarter, at 44:44, while Sarah Pyrtek tallied the game's first marker at 19:52.
» Michigan has claimed three of the last four Big Ten regular-season titles.

Site: College Park, Md. (Maryland Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex)
Score: #5 Michigan 2, #11 Maryland 1
Records: U-M (8-2, 6-0 B1G), UMD (6-5, 4-3 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, April 11 -- at Maryland (College Park, Md.), Noon

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team scored the go-ahead goal in the waning seconds of the third quarter and withstood a late charge in the fourth to defeat No. 11 Maryland, 2-1, and capture the Big Ten Conference regular-season championship on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 11) at the Terrapins' Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex.

The Wolverines wrapped the conference portion of their regular-season slate with a perfect 6-0 record. Only the first game in every two-game series counted toward the Big Ten standings this season. No other team has fewer than two conference losses. Michigan (8-2, 6-0 Big Ten) owns 11 Big Ten regular-season titles in program history -- the second most of any Big Ten school behind Iowa (12) -- and have now won six outright -- 2000, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2017, 2020.

Freshman Lora Clarke scored the game-winning goal with just 16 seconds remaining in the third quarter after tipping in a shot from senior Maya Gompper at the 44:44 mark. Gompper carried the ball into the circle from the right side and put a reverse chip on goal; Clarke, camped out directly in front of the cage, got her stick on it and redirected it into the lower left corner. It was her first collegiate goal.

Michigan withstood several Terrapin chances in the fourth quarter and got some luck with a rebound shot that went off the right post midway through the frame. Maryland (6-5, 4-3 Big Ten) drew a penalty corner in the final minute, but the Wolverines blocked the initial shot at the top of the circle and the rebound attempt went cross-cage wide. Michigan put the ball into the corner, where it ran off the remainder of the game.

Sophomore Sarah Pyrtek netted the game's first goal at the 19:52 mark on a highlight-reel redirection in front of the Terrapin cage. Junior Kathryn Peterson dribbled the ball into the circle from midfield and fired a tight-angle reverse shot to the front of the cage, where Pyrtek tipped it out of mid-air and just past the Maryland goalkeeper. Pyrtek leads the Wolverines with five goals this season.

Pyrtek had another apparent goal taken off the board early in the second quarter. She knocked it in out the scrum following a Michigan penalty corner, but it was ruled a back stick after an umpire conversation.

Maryland answered with a goal just minutes later, at 34:55, to even the game. The Terrapins got just far enough behind the U-M defense to get a clean pass into the circle and a redirection in front of the cage. It snapped the Wolverines' streak of four straight shutout wins.

Maryland outshot the Wolverines, 11-8, with the bulk of their shots coming in the attempted fourth-quarter rally, while corners were even at 2-2. Junior goalkeeper Anna Spieker posted five saves, while the Terrapins' Noelle Frost stopped four of six Michigan shots on goal.

The Wolverines will wrap up their weekend road trip Sunday (April 11), taking on the Terrapins at noon at the Maryland Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network+.