Michigan
(0-3)
Connecticut
(3-0)
Wolverines Fall at UConn After Late Penalty Stroke
9/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Site: Storrs, Conn. (Sherman Family Sports Complex)
Score: #9 Connecticut 2, #8 Michigan 1
Records: U-M (0-3), UConn (3-0)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Sept. 3 -- at Providence (Providence, R.I.), 11 a.m.
STORRS, Conn. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team suffered its third consecutive loss of the 2006 season, falling to ninth-ranked Connecticut 2-1 on Friday (Sept. 1) at the Sherman Family Sports Complex. The Huskies clinched the victory on a penalty stroke with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation.
Connecticut held a narrow one-goal advantage through most of the contest after striking early with a goal at the 11:33 mark. The Huskies controlled the action during the opening minutes of the first half, holding U-M without a shot through the first 11 minutes of the game while firing off three of their own and creating one penalty corner opportunity. Lizzy Peijs scored the initial goal, accepting a pass from teammate Meghan Wheeler before sailing the ball into the corner of the Michigan cage.
After the early Connecticut barrage, the Wolverines rallied and took control of the game, outshooting the Huskies 5-0 for the remainder of the half, including a late pair of shots from freshman Paige Laytos (Lititz, Pa./Warwick HS) in the closing minutes of the frame. The second half produced much of the same as the Maize and Blue applied constant pressure in the Husky striking circle, tallying five shots and three penalty corners in the opening 15 minutes of the period.
Senior captain Kara Lentz (Manchester, Mass./St. Paul's School), in her season debut, culminated the U-M attack at the 56:23 mark, evening the score at one goal apiece with her third career goal, off a penalty stroke opportunity. However, Connecticut responded in kind just five minutes later, converting a penalty stroke to retake the final lead for the Huskies.
U-M held the advantage in both shots (11-7) and penalty corner opportunities (4-2). Senior goalkeeper Beth Riley (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area HS) earned one save in the U-M cage, while the Huskies' Andrea Mainiero made five stops in her team's winning effort.
The Wolverines will wrap up the weekend road trip on Sunday (Sept. 3) when they travel to Providence, R.I., to square off against the Providence Friars in an 11 a.m. match at the Friar Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- UConn, Peijs, 11:33 (Wheeler)
2nd -- U-M, Kara Lentz, 56:23 (penalty stroke)
2nd -- UConn, Kleinhans, 61:46 (penalty stroke)
Shots: U-M 11, UConn 7
Saves: U-M 1 (Beth Riley), UConn 5 (Mainiero)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, UConn 0
Penalty Corners: U-M 4, UConn 2
Penalty Strokes: U-M 1, UConn 1
Team Stats
PEIJS, Lizzy (1)
Assisted By: WHEELER, Meghan
11:33
Lentz, Kara (1)
Penalty Stroke
56:32
KLEINHANS (1)
Penalty Stroke
61:46
