Fox Nets OT Game-Winner to Lead U-M to First Victory

Wednesday, September 6

Ann Arbor, Mich.

3:00 PM

Michigan

(1-4)

Kent State

(0-5)

OT 2

Kent State

Michigan

9/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Leah Howard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: #20 Michigan 3, Kent State 2 (OT)
Records: U-M (1-4), KSU (0-5)
Next U-M Match: Friday, Sept. 8 -- vs. Richmond (Norfolk, Va.), 6 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior captain Mary Fox (St. Louis, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy) netted the game-wining goal just four minutes in the first sudden-victory overtime to send the No. 20-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team to its first win of the season, a 3-2 decision against Kent State, on Wednesday (Sept. 6) in its home opener at Phyllis Ocker Field.

The Wolverines swarmed around the KSU striking circle for the entirety of the overtime frame, producing four shots and a pair of penalty corner opportunities. Fox's goal originated on the left side of the field, where she accepted a feed pass from freshman Kelly Fitzpatrick (Hummelstown, Pa./Palmyra Area HS) before carrying the ball deep into the circle. Using her speed, the U-M captain maneuvered past a Kent State defender and caught goalkeeper Linz Markwart out of position as she sailed a hard, low shot into the bottom right corner of the cage, ending the game at the 74:04 mark.

The Golden Flashes had held the momentum entering the overtime frame after scoring back-to-back goals late in the second half to knot the score at two goals apiece. The tying goal came with less than five minutes remaining in regulation as Kate Perry corralled the rebound after a penalty corner opportunity and slammed a hard shot past U-M senior goalkeeper Beth Riley (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area HS) at 65:07. Kent State's first goal of the contest came just six minutes earlier -- at the 59:21 mark -- when Charlotte Muller flipped a high shot over the U-M defenders into the back of the cage.

U-M was the dominant team throughout the first half, outshooting the Golden Flashes 13-0 and out-cornering them 5-0 while securing the initial lead with a goal at 20:58. Fitzpatrick tallied her second goal in as many games with an easy tap-in from the left post. Freshman Paige Laytos (Lititz, Pa./Warwick HS) set up the play from the right side of the field as she carried the ball into the circle before firing a hard cross pass to Fitzpatrick, who redirected the ball past a sprawling Markwart.

Senior/junior Kristen Tiner (Houston, Texas/The Kinkaid School) extended the Wolverines' advantage early in the second half, scoring on a direct penalty corner opportunity with a hard, low shot from the top of the striking circle. Fox and junior Jillianne Whitfield (Cosa Mesta, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) earned assists on the play for the push and stop, respectively. It was the first career point for Whitfield.

Michigan claimed significant advantages in final shots (24-8) and penalty corners (13-4) and held the Golden Flashes without a single shot or corner opportunity in both the first half and overtime frame. Riley made one stop in the U-M cage to claim her first win of the season, while Markwart earned an impressive 11 saves for Kent State.

The Wolverines will return to the road this weekend, traveling to Norfolk, Va., for a pair of non-conference matches. U-M will face No. 19 Richmond at 6 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 8) before squaring off against No. 3 Old Dominion at 2 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 10). Both games will be held at the Monarchs' Foreman Field.

MATCH SUMMARY

Team	1	2	OT	F
Kent State	0	2	0	2
Michigan	1	1	1	3

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Kelly Fitzpatrick, 20:58 (Paige Laytos)
2nd -- U-M, Kristen Tiner, 47:15 (Jillianne Whitfield, Mary Fox)
2nd -- KSU, Charlotte Muller, 59:21 (unassisted)
2nd -- KSU, Kate Perry, 65:07 (unassisted)
OT -- U-M, Fox, 74:04 (Fitzpatrick)

Shots: U-M 24, KSU 8
Saves: U-M 1 (Beth Riley), KSU 11 (Linz Markwart)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, KSU 0
Penalty Corners: U-M 13, KSU 4

NOTES

• Video highlights of the Wolverines' win over Kent State will be available on Michigan All-Access. Today's highlights will be offered as a free trial, while any subsequent contests will require a subscription purchase. For more information, visit Michigan All-Access and select "Field Hockey" from the "All Sports" menu, then go to "Highlights."

• With today's 3-2 victory over Kent State, the Wolverines improved to 9-2-3 in the all-time series against the Golden Flashes.

• For the first time this season, Michigan scored the first goal of the contest to build an early advantage.

• Freshman Kelly Fitzpatrick notched a goal and an assist for her first career multi-point game. Senior captain Mary Fox also boasted a multi-point effort with a goal and an assist. It was the fifth multi-point game of her career.

• Mary Fox scored her second career game-winning goal to send the Wolverines past Kent State. Her first career game-winner came in a 1-0 victory at Penn State in the 2004 regular-season finale.

• Junior Jillianne Whitfield and freshman Paige Laytos both tallied assists for their first career point.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Nancy Cox
On the first win of the season ... "We had a tumultuous beginning to the season. We want to play North Carolina and Wake Forest, because every year we accept to play the top-five teams in the country. Last weekend, we also played a top-10 team and came away with a loss, but we learned from it. We played a tough, blue-collar team at Providence, and they really seized an opportunity on their home field. I liked how our athletes responded today to an overtime game on our home field. We're building our leadership. The leadership group in growing and growing, and they're going to get better with each match and with each opportunity. It was a good growth opportunity for us today. You saw our leadership group really tested today, and they rose to the occasion. Should Kent State have been in the match at the end No, we outshot them. But they were, and Michigan responded and won the game. That's what we're looking for."

On improving the U-M penalty corner ... "Stick stopping is the key to the corner unit. Our corner push-out was better today, but our stick stopping needs to improve. The details of the corner unit has to improve. Last year, at the end of the season, we were batting over 25 percent on corner opportunities, and this year we hadn't scored on a corner until today. So, that must improve for Michigan to move forward in the direction we are heading."

On Michigan's goal opportunities ... "We outshot them 24-8. Ideally, we should be scoring on at least four more of those opportunities. We like to keep it interesting for some reason, and I think that part is chemistry. The seniors need to lead this year, and I know they will find it within themselves to lead, because that's what seniors and captains at Michigan do. They'll figure it out. We have a very young attacking line, so we are really looking at our corner unit to convert. They should be converting on 20 percent, and we're not quite there yet."

On freshman forward Kelly Fitzpatrick ... "Kelly (Fitzpatrick) has been dealing with a lot of adversity for a young woman starting her freshman year at Michigan as well as a lot of expectations. How she has dealt with all of that and come back to contribute today has been beautiful. That's why we recruited her to Michigan, and once she gets fully healthy, you'll see this athlete really get on a roll."

U-M Senior Forward Mary Fox
On the victory ... "This is a huge confidence boost for us. We were able to get the feeling of victory, and we can take that into this weekend."

On Michigan's scoring chances ... "We definitely need to score. It's a bunch of things. We need to be stronger over the ball. We need to take more shots and get used to shooting more. It will happen."

U-M Freshman Forward Kelly Fitzpatrick
On earning today's win ... "The first few games were tough, but we came together as a team and promised each other that we would win for each other. With it being our first game at Ocker Field, I think it was a good way to start. We were able to show some pride."

On the Michigan freshmen ... "It's still not necessarily easy, but it's starting to come together for me and the other freshmen. I think our class brings a lot of energy. We're all really hard workers and do what we have to do at practice. We know we're freshmen and do all the little freshman jobs, but on the field there is no class distinction. We all pull together very well."