Southam Scores Game-Winner in Final Seconds to Push U-M to NCAA Quarterfinals

Friday, November 12

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

(16-4)

Miami (Ohio)

(12-11)

Miami

Michigan

Sofia Southam (Michigan Photography)

Southam Scores Game-Winner in Final Seconds to Push U-M to NCAA Quarterfinals

11/12/2021 2:36:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» Sophia Southam scored the game-winner with 2.3 second left on the game clock.
» The Wolverines rallied from a two-goal deficit to earn the victory.
» The Michigan defense did not give up a shot in the second half.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: #2 Michigan 3, #25 Miami 2
Records: U-M (16-4), Miami (12-11)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 14 – vs. Louisville or Harvard - NCAA Quarterfinals (Phyllis Ocker Field), 1 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- With 2.3 seconds left on the game clock, senior Sofia Southam fired the game-winning goal off a penalty corner from the left side of the arc into the bottom-right corner of the cage to lift the No. 2-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team to a 3-2 comeback victory over Miami University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon (Nov. 12) at Phyllis Ocker Field.

The Wolverines (16-4) rallied from a two-goal deficit early in the first quarter to advance to a NCAA quarterfinal match, and will host the winner of the Louisville-Harvard game on Sunday (Nov. 14) at 1 p.m. at Ocker Field.

U-M outshot the RedHawks 23-6, not giving up a single shot to Miami in the second half of action. Southam netted two goals for the Wolverines, while senior Katie Anderson scored her second goal of the year, both of which have come in postseason play. Sophomore Lora Clarke had two assists off penalty corners and redshirt-senior Halle O'Neill assisted on the game-tying goal.

Miami (12-11) earned a corner that the Wolverines were able to break up, but a quick reaction from the RedHawk offense allowed them to tip in the first goal from the right post just over two minutes into the match. The Wolverines looked to even the score minutes later when they earned back-to-back corners with two shots on goal but were unable to convert on the opportunities.

The RedHawks used a direct shot off their penalty corner to close out the first quarter with a 2-0 advantage over Michigan.

U-M quickly got to work in the second quarter as Southam ripped a direct shot off a corner opportunity at the cage. The shot redirected off of the Miami defender and went over the top of the Miami goalie just 1:40 into the second stanza to bring Michigan within one of the RedHawks.

The Wolverines had three more penalty-corner opportunities in the second quarter but were unable to find the tying goal as they went into the locker room trailing Miami 2-1. Michigan outshot the RedHawks 13-6 and put six shots on goal compared to Miami's three.

Michigan continued to apply offensive pressure out of the halftime break, taking five shots in the third quarter, with three straight shots -- including one from sophomore Anouk Veen that went off the post in the 37th minute.

U-M earned a corner in the 57th minute of the match and Southam drilled a shot that banked off the crossbar, allowing Miami to maintain its 2-1 lead late in the fourth quarter.

With just 1:01 left on the clock and goalkeeper Anna Spieker pulled for an extra offensive player, O'Neill passed the ball up to Anderson through the Miami defenders. Anderson turned and fired a shot from the left side of the circle into the bottom-right corner of the net to knot the score at 2.