Weekly Release #4: U-M Wraps Non-Conference Roadswing
9/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
THIS WEEK
HUSKY INVITATIONAL
Friday, Sept. 19 -- vs. Albany (Storrs, Conn.), 3 p.m.
Albany Website
Sunday, Sept. 21 -- at Connecticut (Storrs, Conn.), Noon
Live Stats | Connecticut Website
The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team (3-3, 0-0 Big Ten) returns to the road this weekend for a pair of non-conference meetings in Storrs, Conn. U-M will face No. 20 Albany on Friday (Sept. 19) at 3 p.m., before returning on Sunday (Sept. 21) for a noon meeting against host No. 4 Connecticut. Both games will be held at the Huskies' George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex.
It will be Michigan's final extended road trip until the postseason as eight of its last 10 regular-season contests are slated for home. U-M owns a 2-2 mark on the road this season, rebounding from its slow start with its pair of wins last weekend in Muncie, Ind. The Wolverines will face their fourth and fifth ranked opponents this weekend. Michigan is 0-3 against ranked opposition this year but has not yet faced a ranked team lower than the nation's top three.
MICHIGAN BY THE NUMBERS
NCAA Stats | Big Ten Stats | U-M Stats: Through 9/13/08
| Name | GP | G | A | P |
| Sarah Wilhite | 6 | 3 | 9 | 15 |
| Meredith Way | 6 | 5 | 2 | 12 |
| Jess Allen | 6 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Name | GP-GS | W-L | GAA | SV% |
| Christi Barwick | 4-1 | 2-0 | 2.00 | .600 |
WOLVERINE TO WATCH
| Freshman Forward Jess Allen Freshman Jess Allen boasted a breakout performance in the Wolverines' road sweep against Ball State and Saint Louis (Sept. 12-13), registering three goals to place her name third among U-M's leading scorers. She bookended Michigan's weekend scoring, tallying its first marker against BSU before registering the final two goals -- within a narrow 6:05 window -- against the Billikens. Allen has appeared in every game of her brief collegiate career. In high school, she was a two-time NFHCA High School All-American at Eastern Regional High School and twice named the Field Hockey Club of South Jersey Offensive Player of the Year. |
WOLVERINE BITES
I Love Gooooals -- The Wolverines' 10-goal effort against Saint Louis (10-0, Sept. 13) provided the greatest single-game offensive output in three seasons, dating back to Sept. 17, 2007, when U-M recorded an 11-0 home victory against Central Michigan. The 10 goals nearly doubled Michigan's 2008 season total in the goal and point categories.
A First Time For Everything -- Four Wolverine players tallied the first collegiate goal of their respective careers last weekend, bringing Michigan's list of first-time goal scorers to seven through the season's opening six contests. Freshman Jess Allen(Gibbsboro, N.J./Eastern Regional HS) scored her in Michigan's victory over Ball State (Sept. 12), while junior Alex Zeringue(Fallbrook, Calif./Union HS), sophomore Zara Saydjari(Skowhegan, Maine/Skowhegan HS) and freshman Bryn Bain(Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional HS) all notched a goal against Saint Louis (Sept. 13). Saydjari and Bain also registered their first collegiate assists over the weekend. Eleven different U-M players have recorded a goal this season, while 12 have tallied at least one point. The breadth of scoring is already greater than each of the last two seasons when the Wolverines received goals from 10 or fewer players.
Reaching New Hites -- After registering three goals and four assists in Michigan's weekend sweep against Ball State and Saint Louis (Sept. 12-13), senior captain Sarah Wilhite(Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey HS) catapulted to the top of Michigan's list of scoring leaders, bringing her season total to three goals and nine helpers. She has at least one point in each of the Wolverines' last five contests. Entering the 2008 season with three career goals and four assists, Wilhite has bettered her highs in every offensive category and has more than doubled her previous career totals.
Lending a Helping Hand -- With nine assists already on the season, senior Sarah Wilhite is just one helper shy of last season's team-leading, 23-game total recorded by Jillianne Whitfield. The Wolverines single-season assist record is 22, held by Courtney Reid (1999, 2000), Catherine Foreman (1999) and Shelley Johnson (1997). Wilhite has averaged 1.5 assist per game and, if she continues the torrid pace, she would end the season with 34 helpers.
Leading the Way -- Sophomore Meredith Way(Newmanstown, Pa./Warwick HS) added a goal and two assists over the Wolverines' winning weekend, contributing to each of Michigan's second-half tallies against Ball State (Sept. 12) before adding an assist against Saint Louis the following day (Sept. 13). Way has tallied at least one point in four games this season, including the last three straight. Through just six games, the Wolverine midfielder already owns career highs in goals (5), assists (2) and points (12) after entering the 2008 campaign with two career markers and two career assists. She ranks as Michigan's leading goal scorer and second in total points.
She's a Keeper -- Sophomore/freshman goalkeeper Christi Barwick(San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines HS) earned both wins in the U-M cage last weekend, picking up her first collegiate victory in the Wolverines' 4-3 comeback thriller against Ball State (Sept. 12) before earning her first collegiate start in Michigan's 10-0 win over Saint Louis (Sept. 13). Barwick leads the Wolverine team with a 2.00 goal-against average and a .600 save percentage.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Albany -- Friday's match marks the first-ever meeting between the Wolverines, who are 12-4 all-time against teams from the America East Conference, and Albany. The two squads have faced one common opponent this season in Stanford -- U-M defeated the Cardinal 5-1 in its home opener (Sept. 5), while Albany claimed a 1-0 decision over Stanford in its latest contest (Sept. 14). Albany enters the weekend with a 4-2 record after splitting matches against California (2-3 ps, Sept. 13) and Stanford. Michelle Polizois leads Albany with four goals and one assist, while goalkeeper Ashley Ross boasts an impressive 1.21 goal-against average and .838 save percentage. For more information on Albany, visit www.ualbanysports.com.
Connecticut -- The Wolverines own a narrow 3-2 advantage against Connecticut in the all-time series between the two programs, dating back to the 1999 NCAA Final Four in which U-M downed the Huskies 4-3 in the national semifinals. Last season, the Huskies scored twice in the second half to break open a deadlocked game and defeat U-M 3-1 at Ocker Field. The Huskies are 6-0 this season with recent wins over Massachusetts (1-0, Sept. 12) and Princeton (3-2 OT, Sept. 14). Lindsey Leck headlines the Huskies' offense with four goals and three assists, while Cara Silverman also owns four goals. For more information on Connecticut, visit www.uconnhuskies.com.
2008 STX/NFHCA DIVISION I PRESEASON POLL
After claiming a pair of victories in Muncie, Ind., Michigan remained in the No. 16 position in the latest edition of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) poll of the top 20 teams in NCAA Division I, released on Tuesday (Sept. 16).
Rank, Team (first-place votes) Record Points 1. Wake Forest University (53) 6-0 1134 2. Maryland (1) 5-1 1004 3. Syracuse (3) 6-0 978 4. Connecticut 6-0 903 5. North Carolina 4-2 901 6. Iowa 4-2 850 7. James Madison 4-1 750 8. Virginia 6-1 720 9. Duke 4-2 709 10. Michigan State 5-1 682 11. Louisville 3-2 502 12. Boston College 4-0 487 13. Penn State 2-3 445 14. American 3-2 328 15. Princeton 3-1 289 16. MICHIGAN 3-3 238 17. Rutgers 6-0 229 18. Ohio State 5-2 205 19. California, Berkeley 5-1 114 20. Albany 4-2 102
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
MICHIGAN/BEAR INVITATIONAL
Thursday, Sept. 25 -- vs. California (Phyllis Ocker Field), 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 27 -- vs. Northwestern (Phyllis Ocker Field), 11 a.m.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
