Michigan Rolls Past Northwestern in Big Ten Semifinal

Friday, November 3

East Lansing, Mich.

11:00 AM

Michigan

(17-2, 8-0Big Ten)

Northwestern

(14-5, 6-2Big Ten)

Northwestern

Michigan

Guadalupe Fernandez Lacort

Michigan Rolls Past Northwestern in Big Ten Semifinal

11/3/2017 1:36:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan shut out Northwestern, 2-0, to advance to Sunday's Big Ten Tournament championship game.
» Guadalupe Fernandez Lacort scored just 37 seconds into the game, while Meg Dowthwaite netted U-M's second goal late in the first half -- her team-best 18th of the season.
» Goalkeeper Sam Swenson earned five saves to secure Michigan's 12th shutout of its current 15-game winning streak.

Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Ralph Young Field)
Event: Big Ten Tournament (Semifinals)
Score: #3 Michigan 2, Northwestern 0
Records: U-M (18-2), NU (14-6)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 5 -- vs. Penn State - Big Ten Tournament final (East Lansing, Mich.), Noon

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team used a pair of first-half goals and stingy defense in the second to knock off No. 9 Northwestern, 2-0, Friday morning (Nov. 3) at Michigan State's Ralph Young Field. It was the Wolverines' 15th straight win and 13th shutout of the season, including the third in as many games.

With the win, Michigan advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship game for the 13th time in 20 seasons. The Wolverines, who are seeking their sixth tournament title in program history, will face No. 5 Penn State, a 3-2 semifinal winner over No. 7 Maryland, at noon Sunday (Nov. 5) at Young Field and live on Big Ten Network.

Michigan scored just 37 seconds into the contest to claim a lead it would not relinquish. The Wolverines immediately worked the ball up the field and into the Northwestern circle. Graduate student Esther de Leijer corralled the ball at the top of the circle and fed it toward the left post, where sophomore Guadalupe Fernandez Lacort -- all alone -- just tapped it underneath the charging Wildcat goalkeeper. It was her second goal of the season.

The Wolverines struck again late in the half, at the 30:39 mark, on a softball-swing shot from sophomore Meg Dowthwaite in front of the cage -- her team-best 18th goal of the season. Sophomore Kate Walker carried the ball in on the right baseline and lifted a pass to the center, where Dowthwaite smacked it out of the air to beat the goalkeeper, who had an obstructed view to the right side.

Northwestern outshot (6-2) and outcornered (2-1) the Wolverines in the second half, but Michigan largely kept the ball out of the circle and blocked both NU corner opportunities to preserve the shutout. Senior goalkeeper Sam Swenson earned five saves in the Michigan cage, while Northwestern's Annie Kalfas stopped two of four U-M shots on goal.