Fourth-Quarter Surge Leads U-M Past MSU in B1G Tournament Quarterfinals

Wednesday, April 21

Iowa City, Iowa

11:00 AM CT

Michigan

(11-2, 6-0)

Michigan State

(2-14, 1-7)

Michigan State

Michigan

Tina D'Anjolell (Big Ten Conference)

Fourth-Quarter Surge Leads U-M Past MSU in B1G Tournament Quarterfinals

4/21/2021 2:41:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» No. 2 Michigan scored twice in the fourth quarter to defeat Michigan State, 3-1, in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
» Sarah Pyrtek and Kate Burney scored on fourth-quarter penalty corners; Tina D'Anjolell tallied U-M's first goal in the second quarter.
» Michigan outshot the Spartans, 26-1, and outcornered them, 6-0.

Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Grant Field)
Event: Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals
Score: #2 Michigan 3, Michigan State 1
Records: U-M (11-2), MSU (2-14)
Next U-M Event: Thursday, April 22 -- vs. #4 Iowa - Big Ten Tournament Semifinals (Iowa City, Iowa), 4 p.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team scored twice in the fourth quarter to surge past in-state rival Michigan State, 3-1, in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Wednesday afternoon (April 21) at Iowa's Grant Field. It was the Wolverines' eighth consecutive win.

With the victory, Michigan (11-2) advances to face fourth-ranked Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals at 4 p.m. CDT Thursday (April 22) at Grant Field.

The Wolverines dominated the contest, outshooting the Spartans, 26-1, and outcornering them, 6-0, but was pushed late when MSU scored in the waning minutes in the third quarter to tie the game. Michigan responded with two penalty-corner goals in the fourth quarter, scoring at 48:51 and 53:49, and did not allow the Spartans inside its defensive circle over the final 15 minutes of play.

Sophomore Sarah Pyrtek scored the game-winning goal on the Wolverines' first fourth-quarter marker, and it came with a large dose of confusion. She corralled off a blocked corner shot, carried it to the right side of the circle and swept a lifted shot high to the top shelf of the MSU cage. The umpires initially called it no-goal, then changed it to a goal, then no-goal again and finally, on review, it stuck. It was Pyrtek's team-best sixth goal of the season.

Pyrtek also contributed to the Wolverines' final marker off another penalty corner less than five minutes later. She stopped the ball on the arc, found space on the right side on a give-and-go with senior Halle O'Neill and lifted it on goal. Senior/junior Kate Burney, who inserted on the play, got her stick on it midair to give it an insurance tap into the cage -- her second goal of the season and in as many games.

Junior Tina D'Anjolell gave Michigan its initial lead at the 17:16 mark early in the second quarter. Like both of Pyrtek's shots that led to goals, D'Anjolell found open space on the right side of the circle and sent a bouncing shot to the far post. The ball hit the post and bounced into the net for her third of the season.

Michigan State scored its goal after a turnover inside the Wolverine 25. Lia Sinisi got behind the U-M defenders and snuck a shot underneath diving junior goalkeeper Anna Spieker at the 42:30 mark. It was just the sixth goal allowed by Spieker this season and over the last eight games.

Michigan did not allow another MSU shot for the remainder of the game.