Michigan
9-6
Maryland
10-5
Wolverines Capture Program-First Big Ten Championship, NCAA Tournament Berth
5/6/2023 9:25:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
» U-M captured the Big Ten Tournament Championship and an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
» The Wolverines led 10-4 at the half, and were led by six points from Bryce Clay and Josh Zawada, as well as five goals from tournament MVP Micahel Boehm.
» Clay had four goals and two assists (six points) to become the ninth player in program history to reach 100 points in a career, while Nick Rowlett had two ground balls to reach 300 pickups in a career.
BALTIMORE, Md. -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan men's lacrosse team defeated the No. 7-ranked Maryland Terrapins 14-5 on Saturday (May 6) in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament championship game at Johns Hopkins' Homewood Field. The victory secured U-M's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth as well as the first Big Ten title in program history.
The NCAA first-round matchup for the Wolverines will be determined during the NCAA tournament selection show, which will take place on Sunday (May 7) at 9:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
Michigan (9-6) scored first with a goal from junior Michael Boehm at the 11:00 mark of the opening period. Less than twenty seconds later, Maryland (10-5) responded with a goal to tie the game 1-1. Senior Jake Bonomi scored at the 5:59 mark and Maryland responded quickly with another goal at 4:40, knotting things up at 2-2. From there it was all Michigan, as a goal from senior Bryce Clay at 3:53 allowed Michigan to re-gain the lead for good. Clay scored again at 2:32 and graduate-student Peter Thompson tacked on another with 52 seconds left in the first quarter to put the Wolverines up 5-3.
U-M doubled its goal tally with another five goals in the second quarter. Clay tallied his third goal of the game at 14:29 to bring the score to 6-3, and Boehm recorded his second goal of the game at 9:54 before scoring again four seconds later (9:50). Sophomore Ryan Cohen got on the board at 4:21 and Boehm added another at the 1:29 mark. The Wolverine defense surrendered just one goal in the frame, giving Michigan a 10-4 lead at halftime.
Maryland got its offense going first out the halftime break, scoring at the 13:33 mark of the third quarter. Michigan then took final control of the game, scoring four unanswered goals through the rest of the game. Zawada scored at 11:54 before adding another at 1:52 during an extra-man opportunity. In the fourth quarter, Clay recorded his fourth goal of the game at 12:12 and Boehm picked up his fifth at the 10:05 mark. The game was scoreless the final ten minutes as the U-M defense turned the screws.
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Michigan never trailed and shot 47.6 percent in the first half en route to a 10-4 lead at the break, and was led by six-point performances from Clay (4 goals, 2 assists) and Zawada (2 goals, 4 assists.). Boehm recorded a game-high five goals and freshman goaltender Hunter Taylor made 14 saves.
Graduate student faceoff man Nick Rowlett became the first Wolverine to reach 300 ground balls in a career with two ground balls on the night and a 5-of-12 result at the dot. Junior faceoff man Justin Wietfeldt went 6-of-9 with three ground balls.
Clay earned yet another spot in the Michigan record books, becoming the ninth player in team history to reach 100 points in a career at 14:29 of the second quarter with four goals and two assists on the evening.
Close defender Andrew Darby (three) and Jack Whitney (three) led the U-M poles in ground ball pickups. The defeat for the Terps was its most lopsided in 17 seasons.
Boehm, Clay, Darby, Taylor, Whitney, Wietfeldt and Zawada were named to the all-tournament team for their efforts. Boehm was named the tournament's most valuable player.
2023 Big Ten Men's Lacrosse All-Tournament Team
Michael Boehm, Michigan (MVP)
Bryce Clay, Michigan
Andrew Darby, Michigan
Hunter Taylor, Michigan
Jack Whitney, Michigan
Justin Wietfeldt, Michigan
Josh Zawada, Michigan
Braden Erksa, Maryland
Garrett Degnon, Johns Hopkins
Jake Morin, Penn State
