Michigan
Ohio State
Michigan to Host No. 4 Ohio State in Ranked Showdown on Sunday
10/3/2024 1:34:00 PM | Field Hockey
Promotions
Oct. 6
• Blue Out the Buckeyes -- Fans are encouraged to wear blue to show support for the Wolverines.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) will host a top-10 Big Ten Conference showdown when it hosts No. 4 rival Ohio State (9-0, 1-0 Big Ten) on Sunday (Oct. 6) at 1 p.m. at Phyllis Ocker Field. The matchup will be streamed live on B1G+.
Notes
• The Wolverines boast a seven-game win streak after dropping their season opener 2-1 to No. 2-ranked and two-time defending NCAA champion North Carolina on Aug. 30. Among the wins, Michigan defeated Wake Forest 2-1 in its other game of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Sept. 1) and opened the Big Ten slate with a 3-0 win over Michigan State on Sept. 23. The Wolverines have moved up in each NFHCA poll this season and are ranked No. 6 nationally.
• Michigan has outscored its opposition 39-10 over the first five weekends of the season, including a 23-2 differential over the last four games. The Wolverines have already surpassed their entire 2023 total (38). Twelve U-M players have scored at least one goal this season with four boasting five goals or more. Graduate student Kate McLaughlin leads the Wolverines with a career-best nine goals, while senior/junior Abby Tamer is one away from her career high with eight goals.
• The Wolverines lead the nation with a 4.88 goals-per-game average and ranks second with a 3.63 scoring margin. McLaughlin ranks fourth nationally -- and second in the Big Ten -- with 1.50 goals per game and Tamer is sixth with 1.00 goals per game. Tamer also ranks ninth nationally with 0.75 assists per game. Four Wolverine players rank among the nation's top-40 leaders in the scoring average category; graduate student Erin Reilly is 25th (0.75) and fifth-year senior Pilar Oliveros is 38th (0.63).
• Michigan has been sensational on its attack corner this season, capitalizing on 22 of 63 total opportunities for a 34.9 percent conversion rate. Reilly and Oliveros have combined for half of U-M's goals on direct corner strikes; both own career highs -- Reilly with six goals and Oliveros with five. On the flip side, Michigan has allowed just two goals off 29 penalty corners against.
• Sophomore/freshman Hala Silverstein and senior/junior Caylie McMahon have combined for a 1.25 team goals-against average and .688 save percentage. The duo boasted three consecutive shutout wins against Ohio, Central Michigan and Michigan State from Sept. 13-23.
• Two of Michigan's 10 total goals allowed have come off penalty strokes. McMahon also earned a penalty-stroke stop late in U-M's win at Michigan State (Sept. 23).
• Michigan earned a 3-0 win in its Big Ten Conference opener against MSU. Tamer, freshman Eva Bernardy and graduate student Lora Clarke scored for the Wolverines, while Silverstein and McMahon combined for five total saves.
• Ohio State enters the weekend still undefeated with a 9-0 record and a 1-0 mark in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes are coming off a 4-3 overtime win against No. 13 Louisville last Sunday (Sept. 29). Makenna Webster leads OSU with 10 goals and nine assists, ranking top five nationally in goals per game and assists per game, while goalkeeper Abby Danson owns a 0.94 goals-against average and .806 save percentage. Michigan carries a 43-27-2 advantage in the all-time series against OSU, but the Buckeyes snapped a 13-game U-M win streak in the series with a 6-1 decision last season in Columbus.
