Wolverines 'Making History' With First NCAA Lacrosse Tourney Win
5/10/2019 11:45:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Head coach Hannah Nielsen had a message for her Michigan women's lacrosse team after their spirited 13-9 victory over Jacksonville in the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament game:
"We're making history one day at a time!"
Someday, when future Wolverines scan the list of NCAA tourney wins, Friday afternoon's (May 10) score will still be atop the "W's" there.
"It's really cool, it's really special," said Nielsen. "It's hard to reflect when you're in it, and you're focusing on, 'We could've done this better. We could've done that better.' But you've got to take time to enjoy because right now we are making history. It's time to have fun."
The joyous sounds from the locker room assured that the team was doing just that.
Michigan rode a 4-0 scoring burst to start the game and clutch goaltending by senior Mira Shane to victory. Sophomore attacker Caitlin Muir, junior midfielder Molly Garrett and senior attacker Adriana Pendino each scored a hat trick.
In two short years as coach, Nielsen has made incredible progress.
"Thinking back to what we were recruited on," said Shane, noting that she and Pendino arrived two years prior to Nielsen. "Why I came here was to build a foundation, and to be the legacy that you want to see in top programs.
"To now be doing that, and setting a foundation, is something I don't even think I thought was possible in a small amount of time here. It's just an unbelievable feeling, and I'm so thankful for everyone putting in the work to get here."
Pendino added, "To be in the position we are, to be granted the No. 8 seed in the tournament, and not just to make the tournament, but to be Top 10 is huge for us. Every single person is working hard, day in and day out, and doing the little things and the minor details to get the win each game. So, I'm very fortunate. We're all fortunate and excited for Sunday, to keep this going."
Pendino
Michigan had won 16 games total in the three seasons that preceded Nielsen -- a four-time NCAA champion at Northwestern and two-time winner of her sport's Heisman, the Tewaaraton Award.
The Wolverines have won 16 games against three losses in this season alone.
"The people in my class," said Garrett, "we all have that same goal to leave a legacy and create a new norm for this program. And I think we've definitely done that this year, and it's just excitement from here on out."
Michigan was good enough to earn the No. 8 NCAA seed for the final hosting spot in the tournament. That was huge, allowing for home-field advantage at U-M Lacrosse Stadium.
"It was awesome," Nielsen said of the supportive atmosphere. "It's great. That's what you want to play in front of. You want to feel like a home crowd, which I think it did. There was a lot of the athletic department in the crowd and other sports in the crowd.
"It's a really great experience to have built this, having never done this before, and always watching the playoff on TV. Now, people are watching us, and the lacrosse world is paying attention. I'm just super proud of them and happy they are getting this experience."
Michigan will host Denver, an 11-10 overtime winner over Southern California, in a noon Sunday (May 12) showdown that sends the winner to a quarterfinal game next weekend. The Wolverines beat the Pioneers, 12-10, nearly three months ago in Denver.
Michigan scored four unanswered goals in the first 3:50 of the NCAA tourney opener, and the Dolphins (17-4) never got closer than two goals.
"That ended up being the buffer in the game," said Nielsen, "and so the fast start was huge. They came out with a point to prove. They came out not scared, and in the second half of the first half, we played on our heels a bit. So, thank goodness for that start. We had the buffer that we needed, and we played hard (from that point on) with no fear."
Garrett scored just nine seconds into the game.
"To be able to come out and score suddenly definitely creates confidence," said Garrett. "There's high energy all across the board. 'We've got this. Let's keep this going.'"
Pendino said getting the ball and running downfield to score unassisted is the "bread-and-butter" play for Garrett.
"All gas, no brakes -- Molly Garrett," added Shane.
Garrett
Garrett scored a career-best six goals in the Wolverines' 19-9 loss to Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament and now has nine goals in two postseason tourney games.
"Molly Garrett just wants to play big in big moments," said Nielsen. "I think she's been playing well all season long, but hadn't shown that. She's typically the dodger that most teams double, and moves the ball to teammates who can score. But she's put the team on her back like a captain does.
"Captains play well in big moments, and none bigger than the Big Ten semifinal and today. She started the game off with a bang and then was lethal in transition. Her dodges were lethal, and she could've had a couple more (goals) if she shot a little more effectively today in the second half. But she's been really focused in practice."
Garrett said, "I think it's just the muscle memory of the reps on practice -- all of the extra shots outside of practice. Just to be able to go in calm and have the confidence in myself, those around me just get it done."
Garrett actually started another big scoring burst with her third goal. That began a run of three Wolverine goals in a span of 3:59, creating the game's largest lead of five goals with 14:16 remaining to play.
Then it was up to the defense to bring it home, and having the hot goalie certainly helped in that approach.
Shane was named to the 25-player Tewaaraton nominees list, and owns the Michigan record with 24 wins. She had her sixth double-digit save total of the season with 14, having set the school single-game saves mark with 18 against Dartmouth on Feb. 17.
"She was great in the first half," Nielsen said of Shane. "She was seeing the ball so well, and has the last few weeks in practice. So, she put the defense on her back a little bit there. We were giving up some shots -- which we obviously have to tidy up -- but Mira had a good game."
Nielsen agreed that Shane was the difference in the first half, when she made 11 saves.
"It could've been a lot different if it weren't for her," said Nielsen.
Shane credited Nielsen for getting her to this point.
"Hannah taught me specifically what a champion looks like," said Shane. "How she walks, what she says, how you play. But I think, more importantly, it's what kind of woman you are off the field. It translates on (the field), and to lead by example.
"She's done a fantastic job, and I'm so thankful I got to play underneath her. She's taught me how to win."
Shane
Pendino said of Nielsen, "I think her competitive nature is great. We are so inspired by her as a human being, but also as a player. She's incredible."
Garrett added, "I think she just instills in all of us to believe in ourselves and attain what we're capable of. From the first day we stepped on the field, having that confidence that we can win, and I think we definitely accomplished that."
Nielsen said this win "helped get the confidence back" for a team that started 13-0 but lost to Maryland and Northwestern twice (regular season and conference tournament) to lose a bit of luster.
"Although we had the winning season," noted Nielsen, "we hadn't won a game in a while. It's just great to get back on the winning side, and the girls are really soaking up this experience. It's the first time they've gotten to play in the official postseason.
"It's an experience we want them to enjoy, and it just feels great. Everyone's happy about it. And it wasn't perfect, but we'll fix it going into Sunday and we're there for the experience with them as coaches, and we're enjoying the ride.
"We've proved to ourselves that the sky is the limit for this team. We can win a first-round NCAA game, we can win a second-round game and keep this thing going as long as possible. The players know my expectations are really high, and it's been unique celebrating the success while keeping high expectations and managing to learn to grow along the way."
