Michigan drops Big Ten Quarterfinal to Ohio State

300 sixty 4 days after attaining a formidable upset on the highway towards Ohio State within the Massive Ten Quarterfinal, the Michigan males’s lacrosse staff was unable to make lightning strike twice in the identical place.

After a grueling first half, the Buckeyes pulled away to start out the third quarter and by no means appeared again, finishing run after run as Ohio State (10-4 total, 4-2 Massive Ten) dealt with Michigan (7-8, 0-6) 16-10 within the Wolverine’s closing recreation of the season.

For Michigan, this defeat marks its eighth straight loss, tying this system all-time document initially set in its inaugural 2012 season. Although the staff was unable to capitalize on quite a few possibilities to interrupt the streak, Coach Kevin Conry sees the difficulty as a easy one:

“You keep true to your core values,” Conry stated. “And that’s what higher groups do. They keep true to their core values they usually simply do their jobs persistently, and that’s the way you win.”

Core values have been a recurring theme for the Wolverines who, at occasions, confirmed proof of development on this closing matchup. From offensive self-discipline, to defensive communication, Michigan displayed why Conry believes in its supreme potential.

Potential which flashed on Saturday as Michigan got here out of the gates robust, one thing it struggled with in earlier video games this season. For the primary eight minutes of the sport, the Wolverines utterly managed the tempo. The staff dominated the Buckeyes, profitable the primary two faceoffs and 5 floor ball pickups.

These possession battles immediately translated to offensive possibilities as Michigan hammered Ohio State with 10 pictures, taking a 1-0 lead deep into the primary quarter.

Nevertheless, that offensive paradise abruptly halted as a turnover by Wolverine sophomore attackman Ben Hull galvanized a seven aim Buckeye onslaught. Powered by attackmen Jack Meyers and Jackson Reid, Ohio State pounced on Michigan’s weak point: giving up runs.

After trying like a way more mature staff within the early minutes of the sport, the Wolverines slipped again into their previous methods, permitting a attribute run that lasted till the center of the second quarter. After it regained its composure, Michigan stared at a bleak 7-2 deficit.

The Wolverines’ lack of ability to flee the pandemonium of their highest highs and the melancholy of their lowest lows has left them trying bipolar.

“That’s maturity,” Conry stated. “It’s maturity and staying the course. , not driving the emotional rollercoaster for positive.”

In attribute trend, following the bottom of lows, the staff encountered the best of highs. Following the Buckeyes’ offensive surge, the Wolverines placed on a run of their very own to shut the primary half, bringing the rating to 7-6 on the break. Junior attackman Josh Zawada punctuated the run along with his forty first aim of the season, which introduced him to 145 profession factors and made him Michigan’s all-time main scorer.

As they’ve all season, the Wolverines had briefly flashed the ‘core values’ that Conry preached. With rising momentum and the wind sucked out of Ohio State’s sails, the staff had the chance to crush the Buckeyes. 

However Ohio State had different plans because it jumped out of the break with gusto, scoring 4 straight objectives and sending Michigan proper again to the place it began: a 5 aim deficit. 

A second aim by Zawada with a minute left within the third tried to cease the bleeding for the Wolverines, however by that time it was too late. The Buckeyes steamrolled Michigan the remainder of the best way, pouring on 5 extra objectives and ending the sport on a 9-3 scoring tilt.

“They only dominated us,” Conry stated. “They utterly dominated the ball. We didn’t actually get any offensive possessions within the third quarter, as a result of we didn’t make a ton of stops, and all their offense was going and that’s what acquired them that.”

Whereas there have been factors within the recreation the place the Wolverines had alternatives to return again, they have been unable to capitalize, deviating from the teachings they’d discovered in earlier matchups. 

For a Michigan staff composed of youthful gamers, it evidently nonetheless has room to develop.

“This staff was probably the most gifted staff that Michigan lacrosse has ever had,” Conry stated. “However expertise doesn’t win lacrosse video games. You want self-discipline, and you might want to construct in your core values.”

After Saturday although, the Wolverines should wait a whole offseason earlier than they’ve the prospect to point out these core values once more.