Aggressive Michigan offense proves decisive against Rutgers in 4-0 win

Sometime it takes only one goal to ignite an offense. On Friday, freshman forward Cami Wiseman, gave the No. 5 Michigan field hockey team that spark against Rutgers with her third goal of the season.

The Wolverines (9-1 overall, 3-0 Big Ten) beat the Scarlet Knights (4-7, 1-4), 4-0, with an aggressive mentality avenging their two losses last year, once in the regular season and then in the Big Ten Tournament.

“Now (the mentality) was be sure to be aggressive, get the ball back, push them on one side and score,” sophomore forward Juliette Manzur said.

That aggressiveness though was absent in the first quarter as both teams were kept scoreless, with the lone shot coming from Rutgers 18 seconds in. However, the Wolverines’ offense started to awake in the second quarter with a shot on goal from sophomore forward Esmée de Willigen just three minutes in.

Then Wiseman lit the offensive fire. Off of a pass from graduate midfielder Lora Clarke in the right corner, Wiseman tapped the ball in near the left post for Michigan’s first goal in the 25th minute.

“She’s been doing a really good job of making things happen in the circle, so she’s been a spark for us,” redshirt junior forward Abby Tamer said. “She’s just a gritty player. She has a nose for the goal and she wants to score.”

While that was the Wolverines’ last offensive opportunity in the first half, Wiseman’s goal was the key for Michigan to pile on more goals and secure the win in the second half.

The third quarter got off to a more electric start for the Wolverines as their offense pushed through the Scarlet Knights’ defense again. In the 37th minute, Tamer came through, scoring her ninth goal of the season as she carried the ball from midfield and fired it from the top of the circle.

“The second we get into the 25 we get so dangerous,” Manzur said. “Because once you score, you can do it again. And that’s a motivation that keeps you going.”

Michigan’s offense continued to show off its aggression as it began shooting at will in the last 31 seconds of the third quarter. Starting off from a penalty corner by Clarke, the Wolverines shot the ball three times before the third shot was blocked by Rutgers’ defense with five seconds left. While no goals came from the shots, Michigan’s offense had its foot on the gas pedal with no sign of stopping.

Just 16 seconds into the final quarter, Clarke drew another penalty corner, giving the Wolverines’ offense another chance to score. Only seven seconds later, de Willigen slotted the ball into the net with a corner tip from the right post. While a three-goal lead was already more than enough to beat the Scarlet Knights, Michigan wanted more.

Two minutes later, the Wolverines added their final goal with Manzur scoring from a corner tip to the left post. Michigan’s offense went on to shoot the ball two more times, in the 50th minute by Manzur and then just two minutes later by Tamer. While these shots were on target, they didn’t turn into goals. But it didn’t matter as the Wolverines’ offensive aggression already produced four goals despite Rutgers goalkeeper Sophia Howard’s 2.11 goals-against average prior to the game.

On Sunday, with last season’s losses refreshed in its mind against the Scarlet Knights, Michigan ensured it got payback with a shutout win.

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