Michigan
Ball State
No. 1 Michigan to Welcome Ball State for 2021 Home Opener
9/8/2021 12:30:00 PM | Field Hockey
» No. 1 Michigan kicks off the home portion of its 2021 slate this Friday, hosting Ball State at 7 p.m. at Ocker Feld.
» U-M is 17-9 all-time in home openers at Phyllis Ocker Field and boasts an impressive 86-19 home record over the last 10 seasons.
» Nine Wolverines have scored goals this season, including four with multiple goals; Tina D'Anjolell leads U-M's scorers with two goals and an assist.
THIS WEEK
Friday, Sept. 10 -- vs. Ball State (Phyllis Ocker Field), 7 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network+ | Live Stats | Live Video
PROMOTIONS
• Sept. 10: Schedule Cup Giveaway, Postgame Shots on Goal
• Full Promotions Schedule
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
• Game Day Information: Phyllis Ocker Field Information | Free Admission
The No. 1-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team (3-0) will kick off the home portion of its 2021 campaign this Friday (Sept. 10), hosting Ball State (2-3) at 7 p.m. at Phyllis Ocker Field. Admission is free to all regular-season home games.
Wolverine Bites
• The Wolverines surged to No. 1 in the NFHCA national rankings for the first time in program history on Tuesday (Sept. 7). U-M owns a 3-0 record with ranked wins over previous No. 1 North Carolina (3-2, Aug. 27) and No. 11 Wake Forest (2-0, Aug. 29). The Big Ten Conference boasts six teams in the updated top 10, while UNC -- which held the top spot every week since Sept. 11, 2018 -- dropped to fourth in the poll. [ NFHCA Coaches Poll ]
• Michigan owns an impressive 191-56 record at its home facility since its 1995 inauguration, including a stout 86-19 mark over the last 10 seasons. The Wolverines went 5-1 at Ocker Field last season, outscoring their opposition 10-4 with three shutouts. In home openers at Ocker Field, U-M is 17-9.
• Nine different Wolverine players have recorded goals already this season, including four -- Tina D'Anjolell, Erin Reilly, Alana Richardson and Sofia Southam -- with two goals apiece.
• Southam, fellow senior Kathryn Peterson and freshman Abby Tamer tallied goals in their season debuts at Central Michigan after missing the ACC/Big Ten Challenge with Team USA at the Junior Pan American Championship. Southam posted a pair of goals, while Tamer tallied a corner rebound in the third quarter of her first college game.
• Tamer is the second Wolverine to score in her collegiate debut this season. Alana Richardson tallied Michigan's first goal of the 2021 campaign and the first goal of her collegiate career on a reverse chip late in the first quarter against UNC for the game-winning marker. Tamer, Richardson, freshman Emmy Tran, sophomore Katelyn Clarke and junior/sophomores Bailey Bowman and Katie Begley have all made their collegiate debuts over the Wolverines' opening three games.
• D'Anjolell posted two goals and an assist to lead the Wolverine offense over the ACC/Big Ten Challenge weekend (Aug. 27-29). She scored on a rebound in the second quarter against UNC, before having a hand in both Michigan tallies against Wake Forest, netting the first and game-winning goal late in the first quarter before assisting on O'Neill's third-quarter marker off the penalty corner. She is more than halfway to her career-best points total; she previously posted eight points (three goals, two assists, eight points) in 2018 and 2019.
• Michigan owns a pair of shutouts over its opening three games this season, blanking Wake Forest (2-0) and Central Michigan (8-0) in its two latest outings. U-M ranked among the nation's leaders with 10 shutouts last season. With 19 career complete-game shutouts, sophomore goalkeeper Anna Spieker is one shy of the second spot on Michigan's career leaders list, held by Laure Pieri (20, 1976-79). Sam Swenson (2014-17) owns the program record with 23 career shutouts.
Scouting the Opposition
Ball State -- The Cardinals carry a 2-3 record into the weekend after defeating Saint Francis (2-1, Sept. 5) and Saint Louis (1-0, Sept. 6) in their most recent games. Ball State fell to Ohio State 1-0 in its season opener (Aug. 27). Paloma Rengifo leads BSU scoring with a goal and an assist, while goalkeeper Hannah Johnston owns a 2.18 goals-against average and .625 save percentage. Michigan leads the all-time series against Ball State 18-5 and has earned matching 6-0 shutouts in each of the last two meetings, including a neutral-site matchup in Columbus, Ohio, in 2019.
Last Time Out
Michigan cruised to an 8-0 win at in-state foe Central Michigan last Sunday (Sept. 5), drawing goals from six different Wolverines, including two apiece from senior Sofia Southam and sophomore Erin Reilly. U-M scored four off its corner attack; Reilly and freshman Abby Tamer both posted corner tallies for their first collegiate goals. Senior Anna Spieker and sophomore Gillian Dumont combined for the shutout in goal; Dumont recorded a third-quarter save on CMU's lone shot on goal. [ Full Recap ]
Up Next
Sat., Sept. 18 -- vs. Albany (Ithaca, N.Y.), 1 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 19 -- at Cornell (Ithaca, N.Y.), 11 a.m.
