With time in the first half dwindling, the Michigan women’s soccer team seemed destined to enter the break behind a goal. However, just on the stroke of halftime, an unsung hero heard her name sung for the very first time.
Junior midfielder Lilley Bosley has been a mainstay in the Wolverines’ lineup since her freshman year in 2023, but she doesn’t often find herself in the attacking third. While Bosley isn’t afraid to shoot, she hadn’t yet found the back of the net at the college level. So when the ball fell to her dominant right foot Thursday night against Southern California, she didn’t let the moment pass her by, emphatically smashing the equalizer past the helpless right arm of Trojans’ goalkeeper Bella Grust.
“She’s a very valuable player for us, what she does defensively, and in possession and her leadership,” Michigan coach Jennifer Klein said. “So for her to get a goal is definitely rewarding for her, and I’m really proud of her.”
Bosley had already set the tone prior to etching her name onto the scoresheet. In her first action of the night, she anticipated a USC pass, stole back possession and distributed the ball to a teammate with her ensuing touch. She quickly established herself as the Wolverines’ facilitator; for a significant portion of the match, the Michigan attack funneled through the veteran midfielder.
Bosley’s discipline was key in keeping the Trojans’ offense at bay. She remained deep in a pivot role, constantly breaking up attacks with her presence and intuition. She frustrated the opposing forwards time after time by refusing to allow ball carriers to face the Wolverines’ goal. She constantly hovered in and around potential attackers’ radii like a vulture, ready to pounce and apply the pressure as soon as they received the ball. These facets of her game gave USC no option but to recycle and reset its attacks by passing the ball backwards.
While she didn’t brandish a captain’s armband, Bosley’s leadership nevertheless shined. Playing the defensive role of the midfield three, along with sophomore and junior midfielders Adi Walick and Gabrielle Prych, her incessant directions kept the midfield organized and fluid. Not only did she make her voice heard, she led by example by sprinting back to help snuff out unexpected counters.
Falling behind 1-0 courtesy of a rare lapse in concentration, Michigan needed parity. And in the final minute of the half, a set piece afforded the defensive midfielder the opportunity to join the pack in the 18-yard box. The delivery was half-cleared and deflected multiple times, and before she knew it, Bosley found the ball at her feet at the right corner of the 6-yard box. She let it bounce across her body before striking it downwards into the bottom left corner, watching the net ripple for her first ever collegiate goal.
“Honestly, I knew the goal was coming,” Bosley said. “We were pressing them high, we had so many chances and the moment was just right. I kept my eyes on the ball, it floated right to my feet and I just laid my foot through the ball.”
As the second half began, it was more of the same from Bosley. She immediately leaped up to win a defensive header in the 47th minute, which found its way to a teammate. This was a theme throughout the night, Bosley popping up in Trojan territory to win balls and ignite attacking opportunities. She constantly troubled the Trojan attack with her positioning and caught out the defense with her incisive, line-breaking passes.
Bosley’s performance inspired everyone in attendance. And although her goal couldn’t rescue a result for her side, falling 2-1, she certainly gave the Wolverines a reason to sing, even if it wasn’t for a victory.
