#16 Men's Lacrosse @ #12 Rutgers, 6PM Tonight **on ESPNU**
The Quest for Michigan's First-Ever Tournament Berth continues tonight as they travel to take on the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers at 6PM. The game will air live on ESPNU.
In what's been an up-and-down season, Michigan is currently at a high. In fact, it's an all-time high as last week, they pulled off the biggest win in program history, a 16-11 victory over the mighty Maryland Terrapins. The Terps are defending national champs and have been the best team in college lacrosse for the past 5 years and Michigan had never beaten them...until now. The Wolverines got strong performances from attackmen Josh Zawada (3 goals, 4 assists) and Michael Boehm (4G, 2A) and midfielder Jacob Jackson who added a hat trick himself. Goalie Shane Carr bounced back with several saves in the first half but curiously was pulled in the second for Hunter Taylor, who had a number of clutch plays of his own. But the story of the game was OUTSTANDING faceoff play by Justin Rowlett and particularly Justin Wietfeldt who won 80%(!) of his draws, many against the best F/O man in the country.
If Michigan can replicate that kind of performance, they will be tough to beat (typically, if you can beat Maryland by 5 goals that means you can play with anybody). But inconsistency has plagued this team over the years and this season as well. But it they play with focus, they can pick up some much-needed conference wins and hopefully qualify for the tournament.
Rutgers will be a tough opponent: They have a lot of experience and over the last few years have rounded into a legitimate top 10 program under Coach Brian Brecht the last few years. And they are coming off their program-first Final Four appearance in 2022. They boast good Ws over Loyola and Princeton so far this year but have slipped in conference play, dropping games to Ohio State and Hopkins. The Big Ten will be a knock-down-drag-out fight for everyone in the conference this year so Michigan will have to pick up wins wherever they can. GO BLUE!!!
Thanks! I needed something to wash away the taste of the hockey game yesterday.
Goal. 1-0 Rutgers.
Goal. 2-0 Rutgers. This isn't helping with my hockey hangover.
GOAL MICHIGAN! OK, I'll keep watching.
That was a great goal by Rutgers there; brilliantly placed shot, almost impossible to stop. Michigan came out a bit flat and turned the ball over about 4 times before they even got a possession in which they got a shot off. Rutgers' goalie has made some great saves. If they can close out the quarter 3-3 or better that would be a great development.
Carr has made some good saves. Michigan has cleaned up the TOs but they're not winning faceoffs and they're getting outworked and out-toughed by Rutgers on groundballs.
5-4 at half, kind of a weird game, a little on the boring side. Both teams kind of feeling each other out, not a lot of transition play. Rutgers' D and goalie have played really well and created a bunch of TOs and stuffing some of Michigan's best opportunities. Michigan will have to match up their toughness to get the ball back and create TOs of their own. Carr has been playing well. Just hope the offense can open it up in the second and build a lead. This would be a huge win.
9-8 after 3! Michigan was flat out awful for most of that quarter, getting outplayed and outshot. They were down 5 just moments ago. But a late run cut it back to 1 with some nice goals from Boehm, Jackson and co., setting up a tight 4th.
Welp. Rutgers scores in OT to end it. Bummer.
Rutgers wins 13-12 in overtime. Tough loss but then again Rutgers was undefeated at home so that was a tall order maybe. But, Michigan made a great response when it looked like they were going to get run out of the building after a 5-goal run by Rutgers in the 3rd. Faceoffs were much better for M in the 2nd half. Michigan just wouldn't go away and responded time and time again, using a 1-minute unreleasable penalty to score 3 goals and tie the game up. Both teams had outstanding defensive possessions to close out regulation.
Disappointing finish but encouraging performance. They know they could've won this game and they get a few more chances when they take on Penn State and Ohio State to close out the season and beyond that at least one more game in the conference tournament.
Thank you for posting these game threads… I was able to catch last weeks epic and tonight’s comeback and near victory because of these threads.
A lot of fight in them when down 9-4 late in the 3rd. I’m not a fan of sudden death OT for lacrosse due to the sport being high scoring. 5 minute OT like bball seems about right. Who do I call to make that change?