Wolverines Thump No. 7 Louisville in Regular-Season Finale

Saturday, October 29

Ann Arbor, Mich.

1:00 PM

Michigan

(11-6)

Louisville

(15-4)

Louisville

Michigan

Wolverines Thump No. 7 Louisville in Regular-Season Finale

10/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

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By: Leah Howard

» No. 11 Michigan scored three goals in the second half to knock off No. 7 Louisville, 4-1, in its regular-season finale.
» Emma Way tallied two goals -- her first career multi-goal game -- while Allie Sardo tallied the game-winner late in the first half and Carly Bennett scored in the second and added two assists.
» The Wolverines earned their third straight win against a nationally ranked opponent.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: #11 Michigan 4, #7 Louisville 1
Records: U-M (11-6), UL (11-6)
Next U-M Match: Thursday, Nov. 3 -- vs. Michigan State - Big Ten Tournament (College Park, Md.), 10 a.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 11-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team closed out its regular season in style, using a strong second half to highlight a 4-1 win against No. 7 Louisville on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 29) at Phyllis Ocker Field. It is the Wolverines' third straight win against a ranked opponent.

Despite being outshot (6-2) and outcornered (5-0) in the first half, the Wolverines took the initial lead late in the frame before blowing it open with three goals in the second. Senior/junior Allie Sardo netted the game-winner -- the first of her career -- at the 24:10 mark, receiving the ball from senior/junior Carly Bennett on the left side of the circle and pushing a slow-rolling, tight-angle shot just across the goal line.

The Wolverines scored twice in the opening 14 minutes of the second half to build a sizable 3-0 advantage. Sophomore Emma Way tallied her first of two in the contest at 43:10, redirecting a ball from the left post after graduate student Esther de Leijer threaded a pass through a crowd from just outside the top of the circle.

U-M took advantage of another flurry to score less than five minutes later, at 48:27, as freshman Fay Keijer sent a slow roller on net from in front, and Bennett tapped it in on the goal line.

Louisville broke up the shutout bid late with a high reverse chip at the 64:05 mark, but the Wolverines responded with an insurance tally just three minutes later, at 67:08, to reestablish their three-goal cushion. Bennett drove the ball into the circle from the left side, pulling the Cardinal goalkeeper out of position, before feeding in front it to Way, who bounced a shot into the open cage.

The Cardinals narrowly outshot the Wolverines, 10-8, and outcornered them, 7-2. Junior goalkeeper Sam Swenson earned six saves in the Michigan cage, while Louisville goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran stopped three of seven U-M shots on goal.

Michigan will kick off postseason play at the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday (Nov. 3, 10 a.m.) in College Park, Maryland. The Wolverines will be the No. 3 seed and face No. 6 seed Michigan State in the first round.