Michigan
Ball State
Wolverines Win 10th Straight, Dominate Ball State in Nonconference Final
10/13/2024 3:44:00 PM | Field Hockey
» No. 5 Michigan earned a 4-0 win against Ball State in its nonconference finale; it was the Wolverines' 10th straight win and third straight shutout.
» Abby Tamer posted a goal and two assists, while Lora Clarke tallied a goal and one assist.
» Michigan out-shot the Cardinals 43-1 and out-cornered them 17-0; BSU goalie Hannah Johnston earned 22 saves.
Ann Arbor, Mich. — The No. 5 University of Michigan field hockey team defeated Ball State 4-0 in its nonconference finale to wrap up its recent homestand and earn its 10th straight win on Sunday afternoon at Phyllis Ocker Field. It was also the Wolverines' third straight shutout and sixth in the last seven games.
Michigan dominated the game from the start, out-shooting the Cardinals 43-1—U-M's most shots this season—and out-cornering them 17-0. However, it struggled to convert until surging with three goals in the second half. Abby Tamer posted a goal and two assists, while Lora Clarke tallied a goal and one assist.
The Wolverine duo teamed up for the first and game-winning goal late in the first quarter, at the 12:34 mark. Tamer used a long run in the middle to move the ball into the circle before dishing it off the left side, where Clarke banged it in for her second marker this season.
Michigan had a goal waived off on referral in the second quarter on a backstick call. Despite a 29-0 advantage in shots, the Wolverines held a narrow 1-0 lead through halftime.
Senior Alana Richardson found the board again for Michigan at the 41:04 mark midway through the third quarter. Sophomore Esmée de Willigen worked the ball up to Tamer from the BSU 25, Tamer rifled a pass across the cage, and Richardson redirected it from the left post. It was her fourth goal this season.
Tamer scored early in the fourth quarter, at 47:47, on a Michigan penalty corner. She received the ball at the top of the arc, briefly surveyed the circle, and hammered a hard shot to the lower right corner of the cage for her team-best and career-high 10th goal of the season. Clarke and sophomore Abby Burnett earned assists on the insert and stop, respectively.
Michigan scored again less than two minutes later, at 49:39, when sophomore Natalie Millman carried the ball right to left across the circle and ripped a reverse chip to the opposite corner for her second goal of the season.
Ball State goalkeeper Hannah Johnston posted 22 saves for the Cardinals, while Michigan sophomore/freshman Hala Silverstein and senior/junior Caylie McMahon both saw time in the cage and did not face a shot on goal.
The Wolverines (10-1) will hit the road next weekend for a pair of Big Ten Conference games. Michigan will play Penn State at 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18, at the PSU Field Hockey Complex in State College, Pa., before taking on Maryland at noon on Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Terrapins' Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park, Md.
