Keep your eyes on the field at all times when two top 10 NCAA Division I, and Big Ten conference, teams play.
Or, really, any ranked-rivalry conference teams. Every second, every minute, there’s something to see.
And, that’s what No. 5 Michigan versus No. 4 Ohio State delivered over the weekend. In the end, the Wolverines followed a shot to cage to land the one goal for the win. The final score was 1-0 in Ann Arbor on Sunday favoring Michigan. Prior to the game, Michigan was ranked No. 6.
“We were on our corner,” freshman Cami Wiseman said. “The corner call didn’t really work out in our favor, but we were still continuing to play. One of my teammates sent a great ball in on cage. And, I think I just go a lucky touch off of it and sent it in.”
It was one of those plays that happened so quickly that even an athlete’s mental review of it is still fuzzy afterwards.
Michigan and OSU have deep benches and tons of talent. Two of the threats: Abby Tamer on Michigan, a USA Field Hockey Olympian who scored twice for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Makenna Webster, a masterful offensive attack player who knows the game.
Both were – strategically – shut down by their opposing team’s defense.
“I definitely think we had some opportunities that we didn’t capitalize on, on shooting and getting shots on goal,” Wiseman said. “Abby, being an amazing player that she is, she’s always gonna get locked down by teams and teams are gonna put girls on her. So the rest of our team is working on adjusting and getting to know the rest of our strengths and how we can work off of that.”
Ohio State pressed hard and caught Michigan a little off guard in the first half. They continued to drive the baseline and enter the circle from every angle.
But, after halftime, Michigan was figuring out what they had to do to get a goal. Goals weren’t coming easy in this game.
“Our backs did amazing,” Wiseman said. “They were on lock down. OSU has some amazing forwards, really, fast forwards, and they did an amazing job locking them down and keeping us in the game. And, we wouldn’t have won that game without our defense and without our goalie. They’re amazing.”
Michigan goalie, red shirt and first year starting in net, Hala Silverstein said her head coach, Marcia Pankratz, likes to tell the defense to play like “rabid dogs.” And, there’s no better description to explain how fierce, not only the Wolverines were, but also the Buckeyes, whose defensive play pushed Michigan out of its defensive circle for most of the first half.
Silverstein said it was an “intense game,” one that she had to “stay involved in the whole time” because of the low shots game.
“That was a great game,” OSU head coach Jarred Martin said. “The ability to score and to get clean shots is very tough to come by. I’m not surprised. I think either team could have come out with the win. Credit to Michigan, I think they finished on that one play…I think these are the kinds of games that come down to moments. I wish we had executed on the press better. They were able to capitalize on a couple of errors that we had.”
A standout for OSU in the back was captain Katie Fichtner. Fichtner’s fundamentals are what most coaches crave, but Martin said she’s a natural leader on and off the field.
“As great as the field hockey player that she is, she’s also a great leader,” he said. “She’s one of the captains on our team. I think she manages a lot of things well. When we’re trying to outlet the ball, or go on offense, I think she’s able to find spaces, find lanes, give it to our midfielders and backs. She reads the game so well. Not only does she come up with interceptions, but any time there’s a tackle, she plays strong. She’s definitely a force on the field.”
While both teams are seeking a bit of inspirational creativity to craft plays when their stars are marked, they are both best when their squads play as one team.
The final stats: Michigan 10 shots, OSU, 8; Michigan 4 saves, OSU 2; and, Michigan 7 penalty corners, OSU, 6. Michigan is now 2-0 in the Big Ten and Ohio State is 1-1.
Michigan hosts Rutgers tomorrow and Ball State on Sunday. Ohio State hosts Penn State tomorrow.
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Photo: Ohio State University at Michigan, Jana Benscoter, 2024
By FAN – US
