Field Hockey Edged 3-2 by No. 12 Michigan

Sunday, October 26

Ann Arbor, MI

1 pm

University of New Hampshire

(6-11)

University of Michigan

(11-6)

New Hampshire

Michigan

10/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Meg Flatley (Townsend, Mass.) and Kellie Joyce (South Pomfret, Vt.) both scored a goal, but the University of New Hampshire field hockey team was defeated 3-2 Sunday afternoon by 12^th-ranked University of Michigan at Ocker Field.

UNH, which entered the game with a three-game winning streak, is now 6-11 overall while Michigan improved to 11-6.

UNH goalkeeper Carlie Tarbell (Wakefield, Mass.) was credited with seven saves. UM goalie Sam Swenson stopped three shots. Ainsley McCallister (two goals, one assist) and Emy Guttman (1g) led the Wolverines' attack.

"We generated chances throughout the game," 24^th-year head coach Robin Balducci said. "We had chances early, and then late too. They had a lot of shots but we did a good job of managing their corners, which is a big part of their attack. This was a good challenge for us preparing for the America East tournament."

The Wildcats pressured in the opening minute of the game and Lindsey Nerbonne (Bow, N.H.) fired a shot that Swenson turned aside. In the fifth minute, the 'Cats generated a penalty corner that led to another Nerbornne shot on goal and her shot off the rebound wide of the cage.

Michigan was awarded a corner in the eighth minute, but Leslie Smith was denied by Tarbell. Three minutes later on another Wolverines' corner, Guttman's shot was struck wide.

UM took a 1-0 lead at 17:48 when Guttman tipped in McCallister's pass from the right side.

In the 20^th minute, Tarbell kept the 'Cats within one goal with a save against Shannon Scavelli. One minute later on another corner for the home team, Lauren Thomas' shot was blocked and then in the 24^th minute, Guttman was once again denied by Tarbell.

UNH leveled the score, 1-1, on Flatley's team-leading 12^th goal of the season. She initiated the scoring sequence with the push on the penalty corner and Jackie Hozza (Sinking Spring, Pa.) earned an assist by flicking the ball to Flatley in front.

Less than 30 seconds later, Michigan advanced the ball into the circle and Scavelli's shot was steered away by Tarbell.

McCallister scored goals 99 seconds apart – at 31:21 and 33:00 – to quickly build a 3-1 lead for the Wolverines. Her first goal was scored at the right post off a pass from Scavelli, and her next tally on a batted ball out of the air was unassisted.

UM took that two-goal lead as well as a 10-5 shot advantage into halftime. The corners were even at 3-3.

New Hampshire pulled within 3-2 on Joyce's unassisted tally, which came on a high shot off a broken corner at 40:09.

Less than two minutes later, the 'Cats once again pressured in the circle, but Swenson stopped the shot off the stick of Aggie Sutherland (Dauphin, Pa.). UNH generated a corner in the 49^th minute, but this time Nerbonne's shot was blocked by a Wolverines' defender.

Michigan's Katie Trombetta fired a shot that ricocheted off the post in the 52^nd minute and one minute later Tarbell once again denied Smith to keep the margin at one goal.

UNH called time out at 55:47, but the Wolverines continued to press and a flurry of shots included one on goal by McCallister that Tarbell stopped.

The Wildcats generated one more chance with just over two minutes remaining, but they did not record a shot on successive penalty corners.

UM tallied a 9-3 shot advantage in the second half for a 19-8 edge overall. The hosts also had a 5-4 edge in second-half penalty corners (8-7 overall).

New Hampshire returns to action Oct. 31 (3 p.m.) for its final America East conference game of the year at 20^th-ranked University of Maine. UNH, which has already secured a berth in the conference tourney, then concludes the regular season Nov. 2 (2 p.m.) with Senior Day against intrastate rival Dartmouth College.