Michigan beats Notre Dame in first round of NCAA Tournament

The Michigan girls’s lacrosse crew’s bench had loads to have a good time. From dancing down the sidelines to hitting imaginary house runs to bending down and pretending to learn newspapers, they did simply that.

However none of these artistic bench celebrations would’ve been potential with out the Wolverines’ outstanding offensive efficiency.

In certainly one of Michigan’s strongest offensive showings of the 12 months, the No. 21 Wolverines (11-6 total, 2-4 Large Ten) bested No. 16 Notre Dame (9-9, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Convention), 17-11, within the first spherical of the NCAA Match.

“The offense figured it out in the present day they usually actually ought to be recommended,” Michigan coach Hannah Nielsen stated. “To place up 17 targets … within the postseason was superior.”

These 17 targets got here from seven Michigan gamers, six of whom tallied a minimum of two targets on the evening and 4 of whom recorded hat methods. Three of the 4 gamers who scored hat methods — senior Kaley Thompson, fifth-year senior Caitlin Muir and senior Claire Galvin — had been attackers. 

“That’s what we want,” Nielsen stated. “And we’ve been harping on that every one 12 months, that the attackers want to supply to take the stress off the midfielders.”

The Wolverines heeded that recommendation towards the Combating Irish, taking part in an entire and constant recreation on offense. They capitalized on transition alternatives, particular person playmaking, inside passing and free place photographs to attain the very best variety of targets as a crew since their win towards Central Michigan on March 6.

That manufacturing began early, as Michigan got here out swinging from the opening whistle with three back-to-back targets. Thompson put the Wolverines on the board first after changing a compelled turnover right into a transition objective, earlier than sophomore midfielder Annabelle Burke and senior midfielder Kaitlyn Mead tacked on two extra factors for Michigan by creating taking pictures house for themselves in entrance of the online. Already, that they had set a tone.

Notre Dame was ready to reply to the Wolverines’ early offensive success, scoring three consecutive targets of its personal to shut out the primary quarter with the rating tangled up. However the Michigan offense fired up much more within the second quarter, with freshman midfielder Jill Smith kicking off a six-goal interval for the Wolverines, permitting them to take a 9-6 lead heading into halftime.

“All through the season, we’ve been relying loads on the protection and we haven’t actually been fulfilling our facet of the ball,” Muir stated. “So in the present day within the postseason, we simply needed to go on the market and form of have slightly little bit of accountability for the protection and take slightly bit off their shoulders.”

Michigan’s protection nonetheless held up its finish of the discount, taking part in an important position within the win by stifling the Combating Irish with constant strain to seal off potential taking pictures lanes and offering a spark at occasions for the offense.

“The flexibility for the attackers to play with out hesitation, and take photographs and possibly make errors each every now and then, and get the ball saved and know that it goes down the opposite finish and comes again with out a objective being scored is huge,” Nielsen stated.

The Wolverines continued their offensive success within the second half, extending the result in 4 targets within the third quarter earlier than pulling additional away within the fourth body. Michigan was affected person on the assault, ready to capitalize on the very best one-on-one alternative or open lane to chop in direction of the online.

With a complete of 17 targets on 30 photographs, the Wolverines compelled Notre Dame to change goalkeepers within the fourth quarter. However Michigan simply stored scoring, tallying two targets towards the substitute goalkeeper earlier than the Combating Irish substituted their starter again in. Notre Dame ended the sport with simply three whole saves.

“The Notre Dame protection is actually good however everyone had hat methods, everyone was scoring a number of targets, so who do you select to mark up on?” Muir stated. “I don’t know.”

The Wolverines did every part they wanted to do on offense to beat Notre Dame — and every part they weren’t capable of do towards most of their Large Ten opponents within the common season. Heading right into a second-round matchup with No. 4 Northwestern, which beat Michigan 12-9 earlier within the season, the Wolverines might want to proceed producing on the assault.

And in the event that they do, the bench may have much more to have a good time.