Weekly Release #5: U-M Kicks Off Four-Game Homestand
9/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
THIS WEEK
MICHIGAN/BEAR INVITATIONAL
Thursday, Sept. 25 -- vs. #20 California (Phyllis Ocker Field), 5 p.m.
Live Stats California Website
Saturday, Sept. 27 -- vs. Northwestern (Phyllis Ocker Field), 11 a.m.
Live Stats Northwestern Website
The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team (3-5, 0-0 Big Ten) will kick off a four-game homestand this weekend with the Michigan/Bear Invitational at Phyllis Ocker Field. U-M will face No. 20 California at 5 p.m. on Thursday (Sept. 25) before opening Big Ten Conference play on Saturday (Sept. 27) with an 11 a.m. meeting vs. Northwestern. The Golden Bears will square off against Northwestern at 1 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 28) to wrap up the event's weekend action.
The Wolverines own an all-time Big Ten record of 98-114 but have registered an impressive 60-18 conference mark since 1997. Last season, Michigan swept its Big Ten opposition, posting a perfect 6-0 record en route to the outright Big Ten title -- U-M's sixth regular-season league crown in 11 years.
PROMOTIONS ON TAP
This week's U-M field hockey contests will feature "Maize Rage takes over Ocker" and Saturday poster and autograph giveaways as well as several other season-long promotions, including Field Hockey Score-O, Fan of the Game and honorary captains. For a full list, please visit the field hockey promotions page.
MICHIGAN BY THE NUMBERS
NCAA Stats | Big Ten Stats | U-M Stats: Through 9/21/08
| Name | GP | G | A | P |
| Sarah Wilhite | 8 | 5 | 10 | 20 |
| Meredith Way | 8 | 6 | 4 | 16 |
| Alicia Mayer | 8 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| Name | GP-GS | W-L | GAA | SV% |
| Christi Barwick | 6-3 | 2-2 | 2.74 | .593 |
WOLVERINE TO WATCH
| Alicia Mayer, Sophomore Forward/Midfield Sophomore Alicia Mayer(Selinsgrove, Pa./Selingrove HS) has used her speed and play-making skills to add a punch to the Wolverine offense. After entering the 2008 campaign without a point, Mayer has quickly placed her name among Michigan's leading scorers with three goals and a pair of assists. She has scored in two of the last three U-M contests after netting her first collegiate tally in the Wolverines' home opener vs. Stanford (Sept. 5). |
WOLVERINE BITES
Scoring Frenzy -- 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. While scoring has been spread wide across the U-M team, Michigan's leading duo of senior Sarah Wilhite(Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey HS) and sophomore Meredith Way(Newmanstown, Pa./Warwick HS), who both own career-high single-season statistics, combine for just under half (11 out of 28) of the Wolverines' goals this season. The pair ranks among the Big Ten's leading scorers with Wilhite in the fifth spot and Way listing sixth.
Lending a Helping Hand -- With 10 assists already on the season, senior Sarah Wilhite has already matched 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 1.25 assist per game and, if she continues the torrid pace, she would end the season with 28 helpers.
We're Going Streaking -- Senior Sarah Wilhite has tallied at least one point in each of the Wolverines' last seven games, posting team-leading 5-10-20 totals over the stretch. Wilhite tallied both U-M goals in the Wolverines' 3-2 loss against Albany (Sept. 19) -- her second straight multi-goal effort -- and assisted on U-M's game-tying marker in the final minute of regulation against Connecticut (Sept. 21). Entering the 2008 season with three career goals and four assists, Wilhite has bettered her single-season highs in every offensive category and has more than doubled her previous career totals.
Leading the Way -- Sophomore Meredith Way contributed to each of the Wolverines' goals vs. Connecticut (Sept. 21), tallying two helpers before scoring the game-tying goal with less than a minute remaining in overtime. Way has tallied at least one point in five games this season, including in four out of the last five. Through just eight games, the Wolverine midfielder already owns career highs in goals (6), assists (4) and points (16) 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.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
California -- Michigan holds a 5-1 record against California in the all-time series between the two programs. The Wolverines' lone loss in the series came in the most recent outing in last season's final regular-season weekend. Despite posting a significant advantage in the shot and penalty-corner categories, Michigan suffered a 1-0 defeat. California owns a 5-1 record this season and carries a four-game winning streak into the weekend, including a 3-2 penalty-stroke victory over common opponent Albany in its most recent outing (Sept. 13). Andrea Lo lists as the Golden Bears' leading scorer with four goals and four assists, while Kelly Knoche has taken all six decisions in the cage, posting an impressive 0.95 goals-against average and .783 save percentage. For more information on California, visit www.calbears.com.
Northwestern -- Michigan trails 18-28 in the all-time series with Northwestern but has won each of the last 16 meetings dating back to the 1997 campaign. The Wolverines battled to a 3-2 decision in last season's meeting between the conference foes, and with the victory, Michigan claimed the outright Big Ten title with a perfect 6-0 conference mark. After NU matched Michigan goal-for-goal through much of the contest, Kelly Fitzpatrick netted the game-winning tally with just 1:40 remaining in regulation play. The Wildcats are 5-4 this season, and like Michigan, will open Big Ten Conference play on Saturday. In its most recent outings, NU swept St. Louis (6-1, Sept. 19) and Robert Morris (4-0, Sept. 21) at home. Alexandra Quinn boasts 10 goals and three assists to headline the Wildcats' scoring efforts, while Emily Kyle owns a 3.43 goals-against average and .662 save percentage in the NU cage. For more information on Northwestern, visit www.nusports.com.
2008 STX/NFHCA DIVISION I PRESEASON POLL
After suffering a pair of one-goal losses to ranked opposition, Michigan dropped to the No. 19 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. 23).
Rank, Team (first-place votes) Record Points 1. Wake Forest (42) 8-0 1005 2. Syracuse (8) 8-0 931 3. Maryland (1) 7-1 926 4. Connecticut 8-0 842 5. North Carolina 6-2 757 6. Iowa 6-2 748 7. James Madison 6-1 668 8. Virginia 8-1 642 9. Duke 6-2 629 10. Michigan State 7-1 604 11. Louisville 4-3 442 12. Boston College 6-1 425 13. Penn State 4-3 345 14. American 3-4 302 15. Princeton 4-1 292 16. Ohio State 7-3 160 17. Rutgers 7-1 153 18. Albany 5-3 144 19. MICHIGAN 3-5 134 20. California, Berkeley 5-1 122
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Friday, Oct. 3 -- vs. Temple (Phyllis Ocker Field), 4 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 5 -- vs. Ohio State (Phyllis Ocker Field), 1 p.m.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
