Michigan
(11-4, 5-0Big Ten)
Indiana
(6-7, 0-4Big Ten)
U-M Battles Past Indiana in OT, Clinches Share of Title
10/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: #5 Michigan 1, Indiana 0 (OT)
Records: U-M (11-4, 5-0 Big Ten), Indiana (6-7, 0-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Wednesday, Oct. 17 -- at Central Michigan (Mount Pleasant, Mich.), 3 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team clinched at least a share of the Big Ten Conference trophy with a 1-0 overtime victory over Indiana Friday (Oct. 12) in U-M's home finale on Phyllis Ocker Field. Sophomore Paige Laytos (Lititz, Pa./Warwick HS) netted the game-winner at the 79:03 mark as the Wolverines extended their winning streak to nine straight games.
U-M (11-4, 5-0 Big Ten) also locked up the top seed -- and therefore a first-round bye -- at the 2007 Big Ten Tournament. It is the sixth conference title for the Wolverines in program history -- Michigan's fourth in six years -- and the first under third-year head coach Nancy Cox.
Indiana controlled the early portion of overtime, but it was the Wolverines who came up with the best scoring opportunity in the extra frame, taking advantage of a sideline ball in Hoosier territory to set up Laytos' breakaway and resulting goal. Senior captain Lucia Belassi (Paysandu, Uruguay/Liceo #1) reacted quickly on the left sideline, wasting little time to set up before she fired a pass behind the Indiana defenders to Laytos. The U-M sophomore carried the ball into the circle where she was set met by charging IU goalkeeper Haley Exner, who sprawled to challenge the play. Laytos bounced a shot around the netminder and watched as it slowly rolled to the opposite corner of the cage, earning the Wolverines their fourth overtime win of the season.
Both teams had quality second-half chances to end the game in regulation as Michigan just missed a wide-open-net opportunity and Indiana had a goal called back. With 21 minutes remaining on the clock, fifth-year senior Kristen Tiner (Houston, Texas/The Kinkaid School) launched a hard pass into the Indiana circle, attempting to connect with senior Ashley Lennington (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle HS), who swept through the circle unattested from the left side. Lennington, however, could not get her stick on the ball as it hit Exner, who had come out to challenge, and the ball popped out behind the netminder toward the cage. The ball sat just inches away from the Hoosier goalmouth for several seconds, but no U-M player could reach it before it was batted away by an IU defender.
The Hoosiers appeared to have the game at hand with 12 minutes remaining after the found the back of the U-M cage on a rebound following an IU penalty-corner opportunity -- however, the goal was waved off when the officials ruled that the ball had struck an attacking player's foot in the circle.
The Wolverines posted significant advantages in shots (15-6) and penalty-corner opportunities (12-5) throughout the contest but could not convert on several opportunities. Junior/sophomore goalkeeper Paige Pickett (Dallas, Texas/Episcopal School of Dallas) earned one stop in the U-M cage, while senior back Jillianne Whitfield (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) picked up a defensive save. Exner posted eight saves on Michigan's nine shots on goal.
Michigan will kick off its five-game road swing next Wednesday (Oct. 17), traveling to Mount Pleasant, Mich., for a non-conference match at Central Michigan. The game is slated for a 3 p.m. start in the CMU Field Hockey Complex.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | OT | F |
| Indiana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
OT -- U-M, Paige Laytos, 79:03 (Lucia Belassi)
Shots: U-M 15, IU 6
Saves: U-M 1 (Paige Pickett), IU 8 (Haley Exner)
Defensive Saves: U-M 1, IU 0
Penalty Corners: U-M 12, IU 5
Penalty Strokes: U-M 0, IU 0
NOTES
• Michigan has captured six Big Ten titles since joining the conference in 1978 -- all of which have come in the last 10 years. The Wolverines captured the conference crown in 1997, 2000, '02, '03, '04 and '07.
• U-M honored its four-person senior class --Lucia Belassi, Ashley Lennington,Kristen Tiner and Jillianne Whitfield-- prior to the start of the game.
• With today's victory, Michigan improved to8-5in the all-time series against Indiana. U-M has won eight of the last nine meetings between the conference rivals.
• U-M owns a 4-1 record in overtime games this season.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Nancy Cox
On today's Michigan performance ... "The win/loss column is important. But, along with that, are we getting better in phases of our game I would say today that Kristen Tiner and Jillianne Whitfield and our ability to move the ball against the way IU was pressing us was very, very effective. So, I am really pleased with our backfield. We had quality opportunities for our forwards and midfielders. Kudos to [Indiana goalkeeper] Haley Exner but, tactically and technically, are we executing when we are afforded the opportunity Today we didn't do that until the overtime period. Some days our youth shows."
On Michigan's penalty corner ... "We didn't have any conversions on our corner. When you outcorner your opponents 12-5 and have not one conversion, that's not very good execution for Michigan today. So, I am pleased with the outcome of the match -- it was another overtime victory for Michigan -- but I am certainly not pleased with our execution. I know where we'll be spending time this week."
On U-M's response to Indiana's late surge ... "We started moving some of our midfielders up to the forward line to see if we could generate some attack, and we learned very quickly that wasn't very effective for us. So, we pulled those players back to midfield and rode it out until we got to the overtime period. Quite frankly, I was glad to get to the overtime period because Indiana was dominating the last 12 minutes of the second half."
On Michigan's nine-game rally since early-season losses ... "We've been saying to them throughout fall that when we weathered the early losses, we gained the type of experience that we need for the Michigan program. We need to play the top teams in the country to see where we size up. Once you figure that out,you start making adjustments and start doing what we do every day and that's the process of getting better. This team, luckily, has embraced the process.
U-M Fifth-Year Senior Midfielder Kristen Tiner
On today's win ... "It was great to get the last one at home for our class, to have it go into overtime and to win the title. I'm sure a lot of people will think that we might lose focus, but our goal is still to sweep the Big Ten and become the outright champions."
On what is learned from today's win ... "I think it's about the process, and it's not always just about the win. There are things that we learn to work on from each game. From this game, obviously to outshoot and outcorner them by much, we need to work on finishing, especially going into the Big Ten Tournament in a few weeks.
On the Wolverines' defensive effort ... "We practice every day with overtime scenarios, and we have really been working on our defensive footwork, running with them and not fouling as much. That has definitely paid off toward the end of the season as well as late in this game."
U-M Senior Midfielder Lucia Belassi
On today's win ... "It was a great day for Michigan field hockey. It was senior day. We had all this emotion running from the beginning, and I think it actually helped the team. The team chemistry and team energy was evident at the very beginning; we really controlled the tempo for a long time. I think team played well. We just couldn't really finish at the beginning, but it's just the little details that matter."
U-M Senior Back Jillianne Whitfield
On the Wolverines' overtime strength ... "We've gained so much experience in overtime situations this season that I almost feel like we can't just lose in overtime. There's a lot of confidence there, and, when have that much confidence and you have the opportunity ... we've been able to pull it out."
On claiming a share of the Big Ten title ... "It feels great, especially to win it at home on senior day. You can't really describe it. It's just one of those great feelings that you're going to remember forever."
U-M Senior Forward Ashley Lennington
On the Wolverines' performance ... "We were so high on emotion early in the game, and I think we started off kind of frantic. So, we had to settle down a bit. Their goalie came up with some big saves, but we just kept at it, didn't give up and came out with the win."
On claiming the conference title ... "It was so great to win the Big Ten title on our own field on senior day; it could not have been any better. This senior class won the regular season as freshmen, so it seems like we've come full circle. We haven't won it in a couple years, so it's great to have our fans finally see us win the championship on our home field."
Team Stats
Laytos, Paige
Assisted By: Belassi, Lucia
sideline ball into breakaway, bounced ar
79:03
