Michigan
Southwest Missouri State
Powers' Hat Trick vs. SMS Helps U-M Extend Win Streak
10/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Grant Field)
Score: #2 Michigan 5, Southwest Missouri State 2
Records: U-M (12-1), SMS (3-7)
Next U-M Match: Friday, Oct. 18 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), 6 p.m. EST/CDT
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Michigan field hockey team defeated Southwest Missouri State 5-2 on Saturday (Oct. 12) in a neutral-site contest at Iowa's Grant Field to extend its winning streak to 11 games. Molly Powers (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest HS) scored once in the first half and twice in the second half for the No. 2-ranked Wolverines. Goalkeeper Molly Maloney's (Lake Bluff, Ill./Lake Forest HS) bid for a fourth consecutive shutout was denied but the goalkeeper did make three saves in the contest.
In the first half, Michigan jumped out to a early two-goal lead with goals from Powers and sophomore midfielder Jessica Blake (Perth, Western Australia). Powers scored on an indirect corner just 18 seconds in the game with an assist on the play to junior defender Kristi Gannon (Escondido, Calif./San Pasqual HS). Blake finished the first-half scoring at the 11:58 mark on a direct corner from sophomore defender Katy Moyneur (Escondido, Calif./San Pasqual HS) and sophomore defender Kate Dillon (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central HS).
SMS had six chances in the circle and one penalty corner in the first half, but no ball found its way to the back of the cage. The Maize and Blue took 12 shots on goal in the period thanks to seven penalty corners, but SMS's Jessie Liniger made four saves to keep the Bears within reach.
Michigan's defense and offense continued to put on the pressure in the second half of the match to give it the victory. SMS scored first in the second half, however, drawing the game to a one-goal lead for the Wolverines when Bethany Henrick scored on a penalty stroke with 15:55 remaining in the second.
Michigan countered quickly though, and at 14:03 left in the second, Gannon notched her lone goal of the game on another direct corner after being set up by Blake and Dillon to put the Wolverines back up by two. The Bears never drew closer as Powers added two more goals off penalty corners, the final one with 11 seconds remaining, to score her second career hat trick and help Michigan secure the victory in the middle game of a three-game road trip.
Michigan (12-1, 3-0 Big Ten) will return to conference action Friday (Oct. 18) against Indiana in Bloomington, Ind. Game time will be 6 p.m. EST/CDT.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
| SMS | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Michigan | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Molly Powers, 0:18 (Kristi Gannon)
1st -- U-M, Jessica Blake, 23:02 (Katy Moyneur, Kate Dillon)
2nd -- SMS, Bethany Henrick, 59:05 (Penalty Stoke)
2nd -- U-M, Gannon, 60:57 (Blake, Dillon)
2nd -- U-M, Powers, 66:57 (Gannon)
2nd -- SMS, Abbey Rolfe, 69:07 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Powers, 69:49 (unassisted)
Shots: U-M 26, SMS 6
Saves: U-M 3 (Molly Maloney), SMS 8 (Jessie Liniger)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, SMS 1
Penalty Corners: U-M 12, SMS 4
Penalty Strokes: U-M 0, SMS 1
NOTES
• Michigan is tied with Lafayette for the longest winning streak in the nation at 11 games. U-M's record winning streak is 12, set in the 2000 season.
• The Wolverines have defeated the Bears in four straight games dating back to 1997.
• Molly Powers' second career hat trick gives her the lead on the team with 13 goals and ties her for fourth all-time with April Fronzoni (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West HS) for career goals with 42. Powers owns sole position of seventh in career points with 89.
• With her two assists against SMS, Kristi Gannon entered Michigan's top 10 in career assists with 18. She has set a personal record with seven assists in a season.
