Michigan
Iowa
Fronzoni Nets Winner as Wolverines Shut Out No. 6 Iowa
10/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior April Fronzoni (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West HS) scored with 13:17 remaining in regulation to break a scoreless tie and give the University of Michigan field hockey team to a 1-0 victory over the sixth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 4) at Ocker Field.
| | This Riley stop of a penalty stroke was one of her three saves in the shutout. |
Fronzoni's tally, scored during one of the Wolverines' eight second-half penalty corners, was a redirection of a shot by senior Kristi Gannon (Escondido, Calif./San Pasqual HS), who sent a rocket of a shot to Fronzoni, who was camped out at the right post. The ball ricocheted off Fronzoni's stick and into the net past Iowa goalkeeper Barb Weinberg.
The two teams played an even first half with Michigan outshooting the Hawkeyes 6-4. Iowa had the best scoring opportunity with 12:31 remaining in the opening stanza when freshman goalkeeper Beth Riley (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area HS) stopped a penalty stroke by Iowa's Lauren Stiver.
The second half was all Michigan as U-M outshot Iowa 15-1 and took eight penalty corners to the Hawkeyes' two. The Wolverines had a chance to take the lead 2:23 in the frame when they were awarded a penalty stroke after an Iowa defender kicked away what would have been a goal by freshman Jill Civic (Wescosville, Pa./Emmaus HS) after Weinberg was caught out of position. Senior Stephanie Johnson (Houston, Texas/The Kinkaid School) took the shot, but Weinberg denied the effort to keep the game scoreless.
Iowa's lone shot in the second half did not come until two minutes remaining in the game.
Weinberg made nine saves in the loss, while Riley stopped all three shots she faced to record her sixth straight win and third shutout of the year.
The Wolverines will now hit the road, traveling to Louisville, Ky., on Monday (Oct. 6) to face No. 18 Louisville in a non-conference affair. Game time is slated for 3 p.m. at Trager Stadium on the U of L campus.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- U-M, April Fronzoni, 56:43 (Kristi Gannon)
Shots: U-M 21, Iowa 5
Saves: U-M 3 (Beth Riley), Iowa 9 (Barb Weinberg)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, Iowa 2 (Heather Schnepf 1, Shelby Roche 1)
Penalty Corners: U-M 13, Iowa 4
Penalty Strokes: U-M 1 (Stephanie Johnson - missed), IOWA 1 (Lauren Stiver - missed)
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Marcia Pankratz
On the match ... "They (Iowa) are very good and we are very evenly matched. I think it was just back and forth and it was just up to the kids' execution and their decision-making on who was going to win. At halftime we told them to stay patient and relentless. I think we did that really well in the second half and once we had a ball go in, it helped us relax and even helped us open the game up even more."
N O T E S
Michigan has won eight of its last nine games, including four straight.
U-M has won nine of the last 11 meetings with Iowa, including five straight.
The Wolverines have won the last nine Big Ten matches, dating back to the 2001 campaign.
April Fronzoni's goal moved her career point total to 135, just one shy of the school record held by Mary Callam, who recorded 136 from 1976-79.
Fronzoni recorded her 60th career goal and sits four shy of the all time record, held by Callam (64 from 1976-79).
Beth Riley made her fifth start of the season and improved her record to 6-0. Three of Riley's decisions have been shutouts.
Contact: Paul Thomas (734) 763-4423
