Michigan offense serves up aggressive play in win against Ball State

Sometimes the game-winning recipe calls for aggression. And for the No. 5 Michigan field hockey team’s offense, aggressive play was on the menu Sunday against Ball State helping it extend its win streak to 10 games.

While an aggressive attack might not have seemed necessary as the Wolverines competed against the unranked Cardinals, Michigan found offensive aggression to be its main ingredient to success in its 4-0 victory.

“It’s always important to be growing each match and getting better and better and preparing for next weekend’s games,” Wolverines coach Marcia Pankratz said. “And so, we want to play our game, and our game is to play aggressive and put them under a lot of pressure.”

From the get-go, Michigan’s offense burned up within the first two minutes. Graduate midfielder Erin Reilly launched two consecutive shots, including an on-target shot, showing just how aggressive the Wolverines’ offense was. As Michigan continued to rustle up on-target shots, graduate midfielder Lora Clarke resumed serving her specialty dish: penalty corners, with four in the first three minutes. This offensive onslaught gave the Wolverines more opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net and kept Ball State on its heels, even though none were converted early on.

“We weren’t really able to convert on as many as we would have liked to and as many as we have in the past,” Clarke said. “(Ball State’s) goalie, I mean, got to give credit where credit’s due. It was super important for us to draw those corners and just be low and ready in the circle.”

But it wouldn’t be too much longer before Michigan served up the first goal. In the 12th minute, Clarke sliced through the Cardinals’ defense like a hot knife through butter, firing the ball to the back of the net for the early lead.

Ball State, however, didn’t think twice before using its aggression in response. By stealing the ball from the Cardinals, either intercepting passes or forcing the ball out of bounds, Michigan continued to steal Ball State’s momentum and generate some of its own.

The third quarter was almost identical except for a goal in the 41st minute by senior forward Alana Richardson who slotted the ball to the left post. Offensive aggression continued to be the Wolverines’ secret ingredient to victory as it continued to push forward with the ball in its possession.

Up 2-0, Michigan’s offense finally lassoed its aggression fully in the fourth quarter to seal the game.

Just two minutes in, Clarke had served up another penalty corner for the Wolverines as a result of capitalizing on over-aggressive play from Ball State. And this time, Michigan seized the opportunity as redshirt junior midfielder Abby Tamer concocted the Wolverines’ third goal off the corner. Two minutes after that, Michigan closed it out and scored again, this time from sophomore midfielder Natalie Millman serving up the equivalent of a four-course meal.

As the Cardinals continued to play aggressively, trying to match the Wolverines’ standard, it cost them a green card in the 53rd minute.

“You have to be disciplined in your footwork and make good skilled tackles,” Pankratz said. “And I think we did that really well today.”

Michigan’s offensive aggressiveness was whipped up perfectly as it continuously played aggressive without committing any significant penalties. Ball State, however, went too aggressive and it turned out to be its Achilles’ heel.

Aggressive play and over-aggressive play are separated like perfect cooking and getting burnt. On Sunday, the Wolverines strategically used their aggression to serve up a four-goal win against the Cardinals.

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