Two-Goal First Half, Late-Game 'D' Carry U-M into NCAA Quarterfinals

Saturday, November 14

Chapel Hill, N.C.

2:00 PM

Michigan

(18-4)

Wake Forest

(13-6)

Michigan

Wake Forest

Courtney Enge

Two-Goal First Half, Late-Game 'D' Carry U-M into NCAA Quarterfinals

11/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

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By: Leah Howard

» Courtney Enge and Carly Bennett scored on two first-half penalty corners to build a 2-0 halftime lead.
» Wake Forest outshot the Wolverines, 11-4, and outcornered them, 6-0, in the second half.
» Goalkeeper Sam Swenson earned five saves, including two in the final minute of the second half.

Site: Chapel Hill, N.C. (Francis E. Henry Stadium)
Event: NCAA Tournament (First Round)
Score: #10 Michigan 2, #7 Wake Forest 1
Records: U-M (18-4), WF (13-6)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 15 -- at North Carolina - NCAA Quarterfinals (Chapel Hill, N.C.), 2 p.m.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team scored twice in the first half and withstood a late barrage in the second to claim a 2-1 win over No. 7 Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA Tournamenton Saturday afternoon (Nov. 14) at North Carolina's Francis E. Henry Stadium.

With the victory, the Wolverines advance to the NCAA quarterfinals and will face No. 1 North Carolina at 2 p.m. tomorrow (Sunday, Nov. 15) at Henry Stadium. It is Michigan's ninth trip to the NCAA quarterfinals and first since 2010.

Michigan struck first, scoring on penalty corners early and late in the first half to build up a two-goal halftime advantage. Junior Courtney Enge netted the game-winner at 16:38, tipping in a shot from the left post for her fourth marker of the season. Senior Lauren Thomas' initial shot was blocked, and it kicked to the left to sophomore Katie Trombetta, who drove a hard shot to the left post. Enge got her stick on it and knocked it into the nearside corner.

After back-and-forth play for much of the half, the Wolverines garnered some late momentum with several scoring opportunities, including back-to-back shots on goal by junior/sophomore Carly Bennett and junior Eliza Stein to draw another penalty corner. Trombetta's corner shot missed just wide, but the Wolverines quickly drew another and converted on a Bennett tip at 30:01. Thomas took the insert and fed a pass to the right post for Bennett, who redirected into the lower left corner.

Wake Forest came out of the halftime break with some momentum of its own, and after missing wide on another corner opportunity, converted on one to pull within a goal at the 52:32 mark on a high redirection from in front of the cage.

The Demon Deacons drew another penalty corner just seconds later, but sophomore goalkeeper Sam Swenson, who faced no shots on goal in the first half, came up with a diving stick save.

Michigan regrouped and killed off several minutes of clock after a timeout with 11:44 remaining in the second half, but Wake Forest again went on the attack late in the game. Swenson made two saves -- on the direct shot and rebound -- after another corner opportunity and came up with two more stops, bookending a Demon Deacon corner in the final minute of play.

Wake Forest narrowly outshot the Wolverines, 13-12, including 11-4 in the second half, and outcornered them, 9-3. Swenson earned five saves in the Michigan cage, while WF goalkeeper Valerie Dahmen stopped six of eight U-M shots on goal.

Tweet of the Game

A little postgame appreciation for the goalkeeper. Awesome game for Sam. #NCAAFH #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/Fy61AOu1Ab

-- Michigan FieldHockey (@umichfldhockey) November 14, 2015

With the win, Michigan avenged one of its four losses this season. U-M fell to Wake Forest, 3-0, at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in the first weekend of the season.