Michigan
3-0
Denver
1-1
Michigan Upsets No. 4 Denver in Top 10 Matchup at U-M Lacrosse Stadium
2/17/2024 5:46:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
» Michigan defeated No. 4 Denver 8-4, defeating a top-five team for just the second time in program history.
» Kaylee Dyer, Annabelle Burke and Julia Schwabe scored a pair of goals for the Wolverines.
» Erin O'Grady made a career-high 13 saves.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan women's lacrosse team took down No. 4 Denver 8-4 in its 2024 home opener on Saturday (Feb. 17) at U-M Lacrosse Stadium Saturday.
The win over the Pioneers marks just the second time in program history that the Wolverines have defeated a top-five team (No. 5 Notre Dame, 2022).
Five Wolverines contributed a goal to the victory, with Kaylee Dyer, Annabelle Burke and Julia Schwabe scoring two each.
Junior Jill Smith led the Maize and Blue draw team with four wins, while Maddie Burns added three and Lily Montemarano had two. As a unit, U-M dominated Denver on the draw, 11-5.
Junior Erin O'Grady posted a career-high 13 saves in her third start of the season, playing all 60 minutes in the cage. She also had six ground balls defensively, while Grace Callahan had two caused turnovers and three ground balls. Caroline Davis and Schwabe also picked up three ground balls, while Burns, Dyer and Jordyn Harrison all had two ground balls.
The Pioneers took an early 2-1 lead, but the Wolverine defense locked in and held the visitors scoreless until the final seconds of the first half. U-M added three more goals in the first quarter and two additional scores in the second to take a 6-3 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Schwabe led Michigan in the first half with two points, both on goals, while Burns won three its seven draw controls. O'Grady saved seven consecutive shots, holding the Pioneers scoreless for more than 20 minutes.
Burke scored the first and only goal in the third quarter as U-M carried a 7-3 advantage into the final 15 minutes of play. Denver challenged the Michigan defense in the early moments of the final frame, but the Wolverines answered with a goal of their own from the stick of Dyer and pushed the lead to its final tally of 8-4.
Michigan next travels to Los Angeles, Calif., for a Saturday (Feb. 24) contest against USC at 1 p.m. PST.
