Michigan
Harvard
OT Victory Extends U-M Win Streak to Seven Games
10/7/2001 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Ocker Field)
Score: #3 Michigan 2, Harvard 1 (OT)
Records: U-M (10-2), Harvard (4-4)
Next U-M Match: Friday, Oct. 12 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 3 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior Catherine Foreman (Happy Valley, South Australia/Westminster School) scored her first goal of the season 1:54 into overtime to give the No. 3-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team a 2-1 win over Harvard on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 7) at Ocker Field. The win gives Michigan its seventh straight win of the season and 10th overall (10-2) while Harvard falls to 4-4.
Michigan opened the scoring 5:03 into the first half on a goal by junior Molly Powers (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest HS). Powers, while diving, chipped the ball past Harvard goalkeeper Kate Zacarian for her sixth goal of the season. Foreman added her eighth assist of the year, moving her career total to 52 assists, only four away from the Michigan career record.
Five minutes later, the Crimson struck back as a scramble in front of the net following a shot left goaltender Maureen Tasch (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) out of position when Eliza Dick converted on a rebound opportunity. That would prove to be the only ball that Harvard could get past the stout Michigan defense as Harvard managed only four shots on goal for the game and had no penalty corners. Michigan, however, was able to pepper the Harvard defense with 21 shots, including 11 on goal.
U-M had two prime opportunities to break the 1-1 tie in the second half as the Wolverines were awarded two penalty strokes. Sophomore Stephanie Johnson (Houston, Texas/Kinkaid HS) took both penalty strokes for the Maize and Blue, but she was unable to sneak one by the Harvard goalie. Michigan and Harvard failed to score in the second half to send the game to overtime.
In the extra stanza, Michigan wasted little time in ending the contest. With the Wolverines moving upfield, Foreman stepped up in the 7-on-7 play to take a shot from the top of the circle, which found its way to the back of the cage for the Michigan win.
Michigan will hit the road next week, traveling to Ohio for a pair of games. The Wolverines head to Columbus on Friday, Oct. 12, to face No. 10-ranked and co-Big Ten leader Ohio State, followed by a Sunday, Oct. 14, meeting with No. 11 Ohio in Athens.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | OT | F |
| Harvard | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Michigan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Molly Powers (6), 29:57 (Catherine Foreman)
1st -- Harvard, Eliza Dick (3), 24:30 (Tiffany Egnaczyk)
OT -- U-M, Foreman (1), 13:06 (unassisted)
Shots: U-M 21, Harvard 4
Saves: U-M 2 (Maureen Tasch), Harvard 9 (Kate Zacarian)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, Harvard 2 (Natalia Berry, Katie Turck)
Penalty Corners: U-M 9, Harvard 0
Penalty Strokes: U-M 2 (Stephanie Johnson -- wide, wide), Harvard 0
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Marcia Pankratz
On Harvard goalkeeper Kate Zacarian ... "She's a fantastic goalkeeper and we recruited her as well. She's a remarkable kid -- very athletic, very tall. We knew she'd really help keep Harvard in the game and we'd have to stay persistent and patient to really try to get balls past her."
On motivating the team throughout the game ... "You're going to have matches like that where you face adversity like that, whether it's self-inflicted adversity or not, it's going to happen. We tried to talk about it every time we had a break and talk about the fact that if you're going to be a championship team you're going to have to battle through adversity and find a way to win anyway. I was really proud of the fact that we could do that today."
On Molly Powers' goal, Michigan's first of the game ... "She is just a natural goal-scorer. She knows exactly where to be in the circle at all times. She just understands and anticipates really well and she's been doing it for three years."
On the adjustments made for overtime ... "Well, it's a major adjustment because you're going from 11 players down to seven and so we'd already organized our lineup and I think we really are the fastest team in the country so I think it's really advantageous for us to play 7-on-7. We feel confident going into the overtimes and so it worked out for us."
On trying not to let down after big win at Michigan State ... "What happens is that you're so cognizant of not having a letdown that sometimes you get tense. I think that's on your mind a little bit. We tried very hard to stay focused on the fact that sometimes after a big match there is a letdown in your performance. We talked about it so much that they might have been a little bit tight."
U-M Senior Defender Catherine Foreman
On her thoughts leading to the goal ... "I wasn't really thinking. I just came into the circle and I wanted to shirt since the defender wasn't really coming towards me. I just took the shot and hoped it went okay, just looking for a rebound. I just got lucky and it went in."
On the play of the goalie at the end of the game ... "She was running out and I caught her in mid-step and she stepped with her left foot and couldn't get her right foot out. She was just coming out and just missed it."
NOTES
• Catherine Foreman netted her first career game-winning goal in the contest and the third goal of her career. Foreman also tallied an assist in the win, bringing her career total to 52. She is five helpers away from the Michigan career assist mark, currently held by Courtney Reid (56 from 1997-2000).
• Michigan improved its record to 6-0 on Sundays.
• The Wolverines won their second straight game in overtime and have a 2-1 mark this season in games that go into an extra stanza. Michigan defeated No. 7 Michigan State 2-1 on Thursday (Oct. 4) in East Lansing.
• Michigan extended its season-high winning streak to seven games and has won 10 of its last 11.
• Prior to today's game, Michigan was a perfect 3-for-3 in penalty strokes. Stephanie Johnson has taken all of Michigan's penalty stroke attempts.
• Michigan has allowed no more than one goal in each of its last seven games.
