Michigan
(7-6, 1-3)
Michigan State
(8-5, 0-3)
Dallas' Early Goal Sends Michigan Past Michigan State
10/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Site: East Lansing, Mich. (MSU Field Hockey Complex)
Score: #14 Michigan 1, #10 Michigan State 0
Records: U-M (7-6, 1-3 Big Ten), MSU (8-5, 0-3 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Oct. 9 -- vs. Connecticut (Ocker Field), 12:30 p.m.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The No. 14-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team held up an early goal to battle past No. 10 Michigan State 1-0 on Thursday (Oct. 6) at the MSU Field Hockey Complex. The victory earned the Wolverines their first Big Ten Conference win of the season and a valuable full point in the Pontiac Challenge Cup competition.
Freshman Erin Dallas (Marlow, N.H./Keene HS) earned her fourth marker in as many games at the 4:41 mark of the contest, slamming home a rebound coming off a U-M penalty corner. Spartan goalkeeper Kristina Kirkaldy made the initial stop on the direct shot from Michigan junior striker Kara Lentz (Manchester, Mass./St. Paul's School), but Dallas, camped out on the far side of the cage, picked up the ball and sent it low past Kirkaldy. The goal was all the Wolverines would need, earning Dallas her first collegiate game-winner.
With the narrow one-goal advantage at hand, the Wolverine backfield shut down the MSU scoring threat in the second half. Michigan allowed just two shots in the latter frame to earn its third shutout victory of the season.
Michigan outshot the Spartans 10-7 through both halves and held the narrow 5-4 advantage in penalty corners. Junior goalkeeper Beth Riley (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area HS) was perfect in the U-M cage, stopping all four Spartan shots on goal, while Kirkaldy tallied eight saves in the loss.
The Wolverines will return to home turf on Sunday (Oct. 9) when they square off in non-conference competition against Connecticut. The game is slated for a 12:30 p.m. start at Phyllis Ocker Field.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Michigan State | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Erin Dallas, 4:41 (unassisted)
Shots: U-M 10, MSU 7
Saves: U-M 4 (Beth Riley), MSU 8 (Kristina Kirkaldy)
Defensive Saves: U-M 1, MSU 0
Penalty Corners: U-M 4, MSU 3
Penalty Strokes: None
NOTES
• With the victory, the Wolverines improved to 31-21-6 in the all-time series against Michigan State.
• Michigan has won three straight Pontiac Challenge Cup matches against the Spartans -- each year of the intrastate competition. All three games have been 1-0 battle.
• The last five meetings between Michigan and Michigan State have been decided by one goal.
• Junior goalkeeper Beth Riley earned her 12th career shutout and needs just one more perfect game to reach the fifth spot on Michigan's career shutouts list. The position is currently held by Maureen Tasch (13, 1998-2001).
• Freshman Erin Dallas owns a four-game scoring streak, tallying 4-1-9 over that span.
Team Stats
Dallas, Erin
rebound off corner
4:41
