Wolverines Use Fast Start to Down No. 10 Saint Joseph's in NCAA Opener

Friday, November 9

Chapel Hill, N.C.

2:30 PM

Michigan

(14-6)

St. Joseph's

(18-3)

Saint Joseph's

Michigan

Wolverines Use Fast Start to Down No. 10 Saint Joseph's in NCAA Opener

11/9/2018 5:45:00 PM | Field Hockey

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By: Leah Howard

» No. 8 Michigan scored twice in the first half en route to a 3-2 decision over No. 10 Saint Joseph's in the NCAA Tournament first round.
» Meg Dowthwaite and Tina D'Anjolell scored within six minutes of each other in the first half; Emma Way added insurance midway through the second.
» U-M advances to the NCAA quarterfinals for the 11th time in program history and third time in four years.

Site: Chapel Hill, N.C. (Karen Shelton Stadium)
Event: NCAA Tournament (First Round)
Score: #8 Michigan 3, #10 Saint Joseph's 2
Records: U-M (14-6), SJU (18-3)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 11 -- at North Carolina - NCAA Quarterfinals (Chapel Hill, N.C.), 1 p.m.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team took advantage of a strong start and early lead to beat No. 10 Saint Joseph's, 3-2, in the NCAA Tournament first round on Friday (Nov. 9) at North Carolina's Karen Shelton Stadium.

With the win, Michigan advances to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals for the 11th time in program history and third time in four seasons. The Wolverines will seek their fifth appearance in the NCAA semifinals when they face No. 1 North Carolina -- which defeated William & Mary, 4-0, in Friday's other first-round matchup -- at 1 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 11) at Shelton Stadium.

The Wolverines scored twice in a six-minute span midway through the first half to build a two-goal advantage, which they held through halftime and Michigan never trailed in the contest. Junior Meg Dowthwaite netted U-M's first and the game-winning goal at the 12:24 mark after intercepting an errant SJU pass just beyond the Hawks' defensive 25. She carried it to the left side of the circle and buried a reverse chip to the lower opposite corner for her 10th goal of the season.

Freshman Tina D'Anjolell followed at 18:03, with the third marker of her young career on a tip from the right post. Senior Emma Way whipped the ball across the circle from deep in the left corner. The Saint Joseph's goalkeeper stepped out to kick it away but missed, and D'Anjolell knocked it into the open cage.

Michigan turned away an SJU penalty corner with time expired in the first half -- senior Maggie Bettez stopped it at the top of the arc and dribbled it out of the circle -- but the Hawks converted on an opportunity early in the second half, at 39:37, to get on the board. Tonya Botherway tipped it in from the right post for her first of two tallies in the game.

Way re-established the Wolverines' two-goal lead with a tip goal of her own at the 53:40 mark. Freshman Sofia Southam dribbled the ball into the circle from the right side and lifted a hard shot on goal. Way, camped out in front, got her stick on it in mid-air to redirect it into the cage for her team-best 19th goal of the season.

Botherway's second goal came on a breakaway at 66:57, after the Hawks pulled their goalkeeper for an additional attacker and narrowed the final score to one. But the Wolverines did not allow another SJU shot to hold for the victory.

Michigan outshot the Hawks, 19-8, and outcornered them, 8-5. Freshman goalkeeper Anna Spieker earned two saves in the Wolverine cage, while SJU's Victoria Kammerinke stopped eight of 11 U-M shots on goal.

The victory was Michigan's seventh over a nationally-ranked opponent this season and fourth over a top-10 team. The Wolverines were one of two Big Ten programs (Maryland being the other) to advance to the NCAA quarterfinals.