Michigan
Ohio
Michigan to Host Ohio, Central Michigan at Ocker Field this Weekend
9/10/2024 5:49:00 PM | Field Hockey
Promotions
Sept. 13
• Cardiac Awareness Game
Sept. 15
• Alumni Weekend
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team (3-1) returns home for a pair of non-conference games next weekend at Phyllis Ocker Field and kick off a stretch of seven straight games in the Mitten State, including six in Ann Arbor. U-M will host Ohio (2-2) at 6 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 13) before welcoming Central Michigan (3-2) at 1 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 15). Both games will be streamed live on B1G+.
Notes
• The Wolverines have won each of their last three games after dropping their season opener 4-1 to No. 2 and two-time defending NCAA champion North Carolina on Aug. 30. Among the wins, Michigan defeated No. 18 Wake Forest 2-1 in its other game of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Sept. 1) and surged to No. 10 in the first updated NFHCA national poll.
• Michigan is outscoring its opposition 16-7, including a 13-3 differential on its road trip last weekend and wins over Boston University (5-2, Sept. 6) and Providence (8-1, Sept. 8). Graduate student Kate McLaughlin and senior/junior Abby Tamer have both scored in three of four games this season; McLaughlin leads U-M with five goals -- just one shy of her career high -- and an assist, while Tamer owns four goals and two assists.
• McLaughlin was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after posting four goals and an assist on the Wolverines' weekend road trip. She tallied a hat trick against BU, netting both the game-tying and game-winning goals in the first half, and added a fourth-quarter marker against Providence. It was McLaughlin's second career hat trick.
• Senior Alana Richardson also posted a hat trick last weekend -- her first at Michigan -- scoring early in the first half then twice in the opening three minutes of the second. Richardson is also just one goal away from her career-high four, which she recorded last season.
• U-M posted four penalty-corner goals in both of its road games at Boston University and Providence. In all, the Wolverines have scored 10 goals off penalty corners already this season, successfully converting 32.3 percent (10 of 31) of its corner opportunities through four games. On the other side, U-M allowed just one corner goal over 15 combined attempts -- a 6.67 percent conversion rate.
• Michigan owns three defensive saves over the last four games. Sophomore Abby Burnett tallied one in each game on the road last weekend, while senior/junior Claire Taylor tallied the first of her career in the fourth quarter against North Carolina. Burnett now has three in her career.
• Seven Michigan newcomers have made their collegiate debuts over the opening weekends: freshmen Eva Bernardy, Natalie Machiran, Dru Moffett, Anjolie Norton and Cami Wiseman and sophomore/freshmen Payton Maloney and Hala Silverstein. Norton and Silverstein have started all four games in the backfield and goal, respectively, while Bernardy and Wiseman have each recorded an assist.
• Ohio University is 2-2 on the season and claimed two wins in East Lansing, Mich., last weekend, edging Vermont (2-1, Sept. 7) and Michigan State (3-2 OT, Sept 8). Sasha Dikotla and Natalie LaFleur share the team lead with two goals apiece, while goalkeeper Macy Lotze has earned the bulk of the minutes and carries a 2.47 goals-against average and .692 save percentage. Michigan owns a perfect 8-0 record in the all-time series against Ohio, but has not faced the Bobcats since the 2007 NCAA first round, in which U-M won 1-0 at Ocker Field.
• Central Michigan carries a 3-2 record into the weekend after splitting a pair of games in Orono, Maine, with a win over Hofstra (3-2, Sept. 7) and a loss to host Maine (2-0, Sept. 8). Mallory Camryn leads the Chippewas in scoring with four goals and two assists, while goalkeeper Jenna Billing has played the most minutes and owns a 2.08 goals-against average and .682 save percentage. Michigan leads 41-15-2 in the all-time series against Central Michigan, and has won 13 matchups in a row, including an 11-0 victory last season in Mount Pleasant.
