Michigan
Ohio State
Fronzoni's Last-Minute Goal Lifts U-M Over Buckeyes
9/24/2000 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Freshman forward April Fronzoni (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West HS) scored with 56 seconds left in regulation to break a 1-1 tie and give the fourth-ranked Michigan field hockey team a 2-1 win over No. 16 Ohio State on Sunday (Sept. 24) at Ocker Field. Fronzoni broke through a two-on-one block with a minute left to give the Maize and Blue its eighth straight win.
Michigan chipped away at the net throughout the first half, with nine shots on goal, but Ohio State's defense kept the Wolverines scoreless. Ohio State scored first with 15:56 left in the first half, and the Buckeyes held strong and went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.
Michigan had three opportunities to change the momentum of the game, but one shot hit the cross bar, followed by two more hitting the post. Finally, with 13:36 left in the game, sophomore Molly Powers (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest HS) scored with an assist from freshman Kristi Gannon (Escondido, Calif./San Pasqual HS).
The game continued up and down the field with both teams playing strong defense. With the game looking as though it was heading into overtime, Fronzoni took on two Ohio State players and scored with only 0:56 left in regulation.
Michigan's goalkeeper, junior Maureen Tasch (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) had a quiet second half as the Wolverines' stingy defense kept the game on the opposite end of the field.
U-M head coach Marcia Pankratz was excited about the last-minute victory. "The players stayed patient until the end and we kept our defense strong. It was very exciting for us and the fans. It was a total team effort."
The Wolverines (10-1, 2-0 Big Ten) will head to Iowa City, Iowa, to face the University of Iowa on Friday (Sept. 29) at 4 p.m. CDT.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
| Ohio State | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Michigan | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- Mariana Solorzano, 15:56 (Kimberley Reedy)
2nd -- Molly Powers, 13:36 (Kristi Gannon)
2nd -- April Fronzoni, 0:56 (unassisted)
Shots: U-M 23, OSU 5
Saves: U-M 1 (Maureen Tasch), OSU 5 (Allison Blanton)
Penalty Corners: U-M 18, OSU 4
Contact: Jason Binge (734) 763-4423
