Wolverine Rally Falls Short Against No. 8 Virginia in NCAA Opener

Friday, November 15

Evanston, Ill.

2:30 PM CT

Michigan

(15-5)

Virginia

(14-4)

Michigan

Virginia

Lora Clarke, center (Michigan Photography)

Wolverine Rally Falls Short Against No. 8 Virginia in NCAA Opener

11/15/2024 7:20:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» No. 6 Michigan scored late to pull within one goal but fell to No. 8 Virginia 2-1 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
» Kate McLaughlin scored a redirection goal with 1:33 remaining and Michigan drew a penalty corner in the waning seconds but could not overcome the deficit.
» U-M outshot UVA 11-8, including a 10-1 advantage in the second half, and outcornered them 8-2.
» Michigan finished its 2024 season with a 15-5 record, captured the Big Ten Tournament title and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the 20th time in program history.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team pulled within one goal with 1:33 remaining in the fourth quarter and despite a late penalty corner, could not complete the comeback in a 2-1 loss to No. 8 Virginia in the NCAA Tournament first round on Friday afternoon (Nov. 15) at Northwestern's Lakeside Field.

Michigan outplayed Virginia throughout the second half, outshooting the Cavaliers 10-1 and outcornering them 7-0, but struggled to control the ball inside the UVA circle or finish on its corner chances.

Graduate student Kate McLaughlin broke through at the 58:27 mark to get U-M on the board. Sophomore Esmée de Willigen carried the ball up the middle and into the circle and fed a pass to the right post, where McLaughlin came sliding in to redirect the ball in for her team-best 13th goal of the season.

The Wolverines regained possession after the goal and drew a penalty corner with just 18 seconds remaining. Graduate student Lora Clarke's shot from the right arc was blocked and sailed high over the cage. Two balls came on the field for the long corner, and the umpires stopped the clock with :03 left. Michigan got the ball back into the circle but did not have enough time to earn a corner call.

Virginia scored first early in the second quarter, at 19:41, on its second of back-to-back corners. Suze Leemans got her stick on the direct shot in front of the U-M cage and deflected it high into the netting behind sophomore/freshman Hala Silverstein.

Michigan nearly answered on its first corner of the game later in the quarter. Graduate student Erin Reilly's shot from the arc was also tipped high in front, but a UVA defender batted it out of the air on the goal line.

Despite Michigan's command in the third quarter, it could not generate scoring chances in the Virginia circle. U-M took the only shot of the frame on a late penalty corner; Reilly's shot got through to the goalkeeper but was kicked away.

The Wolverines carried the momentum into the fourth quarter, but it was the Cavaliers who converted to build on to their lead. With Michigan down a player on a two-minute green card, UVA passed the ball into the circle from the right corner and finished on a reverse chip in front of the cage at 50:11.

In all, Michigan outshot UVA 11-8 and posted an 8-2 advantage in penalty corners. Silverstein tallied four saves -- all in the first half -- while Cavalier goalkeeper Nilou Lempers posted three saves in addition to the second-quarter defensive save.

Michigan completed its 2024 season with a 15-5 record, including a 5-3 mark in Big Ten Conference play and captured the Big Ten Tournament title before returning to the NCAA Tournament for the 20th time in program history.