Wolverines Slip Past Pacific in OT in NCAA First Round

Saturday, November 13

Ann Arbor, Mich.

11:00 AM

Michigan

(17-5)

Pacific

(11-10)

OT 1

Pacific

Michigan

Wolverines Slip Past Pacific in OT in NCAA First Round

11/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

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By: Leah Howard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Ocker Field)
Event: NCAA Tournament (First Round)
Score: #5 Michigan 2, Pacific 1 (OT)
Records: U-M (17-5), Pacific (11-10)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Nov. 14 -- vs. Michigan State in NCAA Second Round (Ocker Field), 2 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship after registering a 2-1 overtime decision against Pacific on Saturday (Nov. 13) at Ocker Field. Senior captain Adrienne Hortillosa (Chula Vista, Calif./Bonita Vista HS) tallied the game-winning goal at the 77:39 mark following the Wolverines' 25th penalty corner of the contest.

Hortillosa's goal was her third overtime tally of the season and sent the Wolverines to the NCAA second round for the fifth time in six years. After sophomore Mary Fox (St. Louis, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy) inbounded the ball to Hortillosa on U-M's first corner of the overtime frame, the Wolverine senior fed it to junior Lori Hillman (Gibbsboro, N.J./Eastern Regional HS) on the other side of the circle. The pair set up a give-and-go as Hortillosa one-timed a sweeping shot from the left side of the circle to beat Pacific goalkeeper Kim Myers low to the left corner.

Despite playing on the defensive for a majority of the game, Pacific held a one-goal lead until midway through the second half. The Tigers' Jen Chaney opened the scoring early in the contest, scoring an unassisted goal at the 8:40 mark after carrying the ball into the U-M circle and sending a low sweeping shot into the far lower corner on Pacific's first shot of the game.

Junior/sophomore Katie Morris (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) scored her fourth goal of the postseason with the game-tying goal at 57:29, tipping a shot from senior Jessica Blake (Perth, Western Australia/St. Mary's Anglican) to the top of the cage. The goal came after a U-M corner, during which sophomore Kara Lentz (Manchester, Mass./St. Paul's HS) inbounded the ball to Blake at the top of the circle. The Wolverine senior blasted the ball toward the Tiger cage, where Myers made the initial save. The rebound dribbled back to Blake, who carried it to the center of the circle and took another shot. Morris, who was camped out on the right side of the goal, redirected the ball high past a diving Myers.

The Wolverines dominated throughout the contest, outshooting Pacific 33-3 and recording a 25-0 advantage in penalty corners. Sophomore goalkeeper Beth Riley (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area HS) made one stop to earn the victory in the U-M cage, while Myers posted 13 saves for the Tigers.

The Wolverines will face Michigan State, a 4-0 winner over Boston College 4-0 in the second first-round match, in the NCAA quarterfinal round Sunday (Nov. 14) at 2 p.m. at Ocker Field

MATCH SUMMARY

Team	1	2	OT	F
Pacific	1	0	0	1
Michigan	0	1	1	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- UP, Jennifer Chaney, 8:40 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Katie Morris, 57:29 (Jessica Blake)
OT -- U-M, Adrienne Hortillosa, 77:37 (Lori Hillman)

Shots: U-M 33, UP 3
Saves: U-M 1 (Beth Riley), UP 13 (Kim Myers)
Defensive Saves: None
Penalty Corners: U-M 25, UP 0
Penalty Strokes: None

NOTES

• The Wolverines improved their all-time series record against Pacific to 5-0.

• U-M owns a 5-1 record in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

• Ten of Michigan's 13 NCAA Tournament games have been decided by one goal. U-M is 8-2 in those contests.

• The Wolverines recorded a season-high 25 penalty corners and equaled their second highest single-game shot output with 33.

• U-M has three overtime victories this season; senior Adrienne Hortillosa has scored the game-winner in each of those decisions.

• Hortillosa has scored four goals in NCAA Tournament action during her career, and along with an assist, has tallied nine points.

• With her second-half goal, junior/sophomore Katie Morris tallied her 18th marker of the season, taking sole possession of the U-M record for most goals by a sophomore after being tied at 17 with Marty Maugh (1980).

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Marcia Pankratz
On the number of scoring opportunities ... "Everyone gets a little tighter and tighter, and it gets harder and harder when you have a lot of opportunities and you keep missing. The key is to stay patient, stay relaxed and confident as best you can and just keep shooting; that's all you can do. If you can do that, it'll eventually happen the way we were dominating the half. It's hard when you're in there; the emotions get involved and pressure starts to build. I think it was good for us; when you don't have your best game and you can still win, that's a good attribute to have."

On senior Adrienne Hortillosa ... "She left it to be dramatic today. You go with your best players in the clutch situations in the biggest games, and she certainly came through for us as usual. That's why she's the Big Ten Player of the Year."

On the game tactics ... "We played nice ball possession, which was one of the things we really wanted to do. I think our field of play was strong, and we played poised, passed the ball well and played good team hockey. I was happy with the way we played."

U-M Senior Adrienne Hortillosa
On the team's victory ... "I think we're really peaking at the right time. We had tons of shots on goal. Pacific is a great team; they have a fantastic goalie. Their style is to kind of bash it down the field, and I think we adjusted well to that."

On her overtime goal ... "Corners in overtime should really translate into a goal, because there's only three people flying out of there. So, there's a lot less defensive support. It was really supposed to go to (Lori) Hillman, and she was supposed to put it in, but during our huddle she said that it might come back to me, so I was ready for it."

On the number of scoring opportunities ... "We were getting a little frustrated and impatient, because with that many corners, you really expect to have a goal. I think this was just our day to get the kinks out, and tomorrow we'll come back ready to go."

On tomorrow's matchup against Michigan State ... "Everytime we play Michigan State, it's always a really close, one-goal game. As far as preparation goes, I think we're about as prepared right now as we could possibly be. The girls are very excited to go after it, and it's going to be a great game."

Pacific Head Coach Linda MacDonald
On the game ... "Michigan kept attacking all game, and we gave them everything we had. I'm proud of this team; we played the No. 4 seed in the country to overtime. I think we played a great game today; specifically our goalie Kim Myers was outstanding. One thing we accomplished today was that people around the country know who Pacific field hockey is and I think we earned some respect today."