Michigan loses to Maryland in final regular season game

Heading right into a high-stakes matchup with No. 4 Maryland, the No. 21 Michigan ladies’s lacrosse group had one major objective when creating a recreation plan: to restrict the Terrapins’ offensive possessions.

The Wolverines completed that objective on paper, successful 15 draw controls to Maryland’s ten and outshooting the Terrapins 24-21.

However genuinely, that wasn’t sufficient.

On Saturday, Michigan (10-6 total, 2-4 Huge Ten) fell 13-8 in its closing common season recreation towards Maryland (15-1, 6-0). With the loss, the Wolverines don’t qualify for the upcoming Huge Ten Match.

“I assumed we executed the sport plan comparatively properly,” Michigan coach Hannah Nielsen stated. “We simply sadly didn’t convert on a few of these pictures on the finish of these possessions.”

The Terrapins’ offense was overpowering from begin to end. Maryland was affected person on assault, permitting itself to capitalize on the very best alternative and rating on greater than half of their pictures. The Terrapins additionally thrived in strain conditions with the shot clock operating down.

After senior attacker Caitlin Muir equalized Maryland’s first objective of the sport, the Terrapins netted 5 straight objectives to take a 6-1 lead that will show insurmountable for Michigan. 

The Wolverines discovered themselves with a glimmer of hope in the course of the third quarter after senior attacker Kaley Thompson scored to convey them inside 4, however Maryland responded with two fast objectives to take a 12-6 lead heading into the fourth.

Below regular circumstances, the Terrapins’ offense was potent, however with the addition of three Michigan penalties within the first half, Maryland had extra-person alternatives — all three of which they capitalized on with objectives.

“That’s simply one thing you’ll be able to’t do,” Nielsen stated. “It was disappointing, I believe all three of them had been controllable. And you may’t put a group like Maryland, who’s already so harmful, a participant up.”

For a lot of the season, the Wolverines have discovered success when their protection sparks their offense. Freshman midfielder Jill Smith exemplified that, scoring within the third quarter towards the Terrapins by translating a defensive play into an offensive alternative, and senior midfielder Kaitlyn Mead scored her second objective of the sport within the fourth quarter by constructing out from the defensive finish.

However for probably the most half, the stifling Maryland protection stood its floor towards Michigan in transition. The Terrapins persistently tracked again on protection to trigger turnovers or off-target pictures.

The Wolverines tried to create one-on-one conditions on offense however Maryland persistently doubled up on protection when it acknowledged isolation performs. When Michigan gamers had been capable of finding these scarce alternatives, they capitalized; Muir and freshman midfielder Jill Smith each scored after they had been created one-on-one matchups. 

However identical to the general theme of the sport for the Wolverines, it wasn’t sufficient.

Regardless of the loss, the Michigan seniors confirmed their affect all through the sport. Mead scored two objectives, whereas senior attackers Claire Galvin, Kelly Poole, Muir and Thompson all netted objectives of their closing house recreation. Senior defender Morgan Whitaker triggered two turnovers and had two floor balls, and graduate senior goalkeeper Arielle Weissman had six saves and two floor balls.

“So a lot of (the seniors) play and contribute on the sphere however I believe it’s a lot greater than that,” Nielsen stated. “That was the message on the finish of the sport: These ladies are a lot greater than wins and losses.”

The Wolverines will wait to seek out out in the event that they obtain an at-large bid to the NCAA Match in the course of the choice present on Could 9. In the event that they don’t obtain a bid, the loss to Maryland can be their final recreation of the season. In the event that they do, they are going to have the chance to play towards among the nation’s strongest groups.

All through the season, Michigan displayed its skill to compete with these prime groups. However the Wolverines want greater than what they’ve proven in Huge Ten play in the event that they wish to come out victorious.