#2 Field Hockey vs #3 Louisville NCAA Semis
Live on ESPN3
http://www.espn.com/watch?id=213ce35b-ada6-4651-9877-8cae1fa476f3
Winner gets #1 two-time defending champs UNC in the final. The Tarheels beat #4 Iowa 3-0 in the other semi.
From MgoBlue:
The Wolverines, the regular-season and Big Ten Tournament champions, advanced to the NCAA Final Four for the fifth time in program history and second time in four seasons.
Michigan has won each of its last 11 games, outscoring its opposition, 26-2, over the stretch with nine shutout wins -- including an active three-game shutout streak.
Go Bluuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!
Michigan beat Iowa 2-0 in the B1G tourney so that makes me feel confident if the ladies can get past 'Ville
Also the obligatory the block was clean
0-0 at the half ... seems pretty evenly matched.
This is the first field hockey game I’ve ever seen. I would be doing a lot of whiffing on that ball.
Not only that, but all that hunching over? My back would be KILLING me the next several days, if I could even get through a single match.
That was my exact thought when I watched the B1G tourney!
My other thought was I have no clue what is happening right now, whistles for seemingly no reason & everyone on the field puts on a helmet at some point
The MGoGirlfriend and I were watching with the same level of ignorance. I was at my computer reading the rules of field hockey aloud, trying to educate both of us. We were able to come to some basic conclusions:
1. The game seems to be a hybrid of hockey and soccer - and wow, that's a lot of running! Wouldn't this be easier if the field was smaller? (For the record, I feel the same way about soccer.)
2. We were unclear on exactly what constitutes a penalty corner, but she stated clearly that if you give a team as many as Louisville got, it'll come back to bite you. (Which it did in the last minute of play.)
3. There seems to be an absolute concentration on player safety, with rules about height of the ball, height of the stick, and especially body contact. That's all well and good, but when a UM player got a "yellow card" for 10 minutes, we both looked at each other with befuddlement: "What did she do that was so bad?" (I wonder if "diving" isn't part of this game, too.)
4. Overtime, with fewer players on the field, made for a more wide-open game that was more fun to watch. And Michigan seemed to be a better team when they were playing shorthanded.
All in all, we enjoyed it. We may be noobs, but we're noobs who'll be watching the finals on Sunday night. GO BLUE!
GOALLLLLLL!!!!!!
EVERYONE KNOWS YOU DONT GIVE US A POSITION LIKE THAT! (first time watching field hockey, I have no idea what I’m talking about)
I have no idea what just happened. Why were there 5 Louisville girls in the net?
Looked like an Oklahoma drill to me... I thought it was outlawed.
i’m not a professional at this, but my sister used to play.. it was a corner penalty for michigan because of louisville committing a foul on defense inside of the circle.. that’s a huge way teams score goals in field hockey
teams will try to draw the corner penalty almost more than scoring it seems by getting the defense out of position so the ball either hits their foot (penalty) or they obstruct the offensive player
Louisville had a penalty corner called against them. That is how the defense lines up during this penalty.
from the little of the televised big Ten tourney games i watched and this.. Michigan seems to score at a very high rate on penalty corners and not let the other team score ... hence their insane win streak and defensive stats
Our keeper is a beast. 6 goals allowed all season? And she just stuffed the last two louisville penalty corners.
Hey they scored!!!
fyi louisville was the only team to beat UNC this season ... or for the past 3 seasons overall
We are a women’s field hockey school!!
I love the fact that you can hear some of the sideline commentary. There was a "what the heck" and "oh my goodness" at a couple of the recent calls.
I really want to complain about the refs but I don’t know what the hell is going on
It's like a ice hockey mixed with lacrosse mixed with soccer. It's fun, I think.
Don’t feel bad, I’ve seen dozens of games (even Louisville playing in A2) and I still don’t know the calls (fouls) at all.
Yea I just keep yelling impediment
With the same complete lack of knowledge, I was still complaining in the re-do on that first shootout attempt. It seemed like whatever they called happened after the 8 second buzzer went off....but I have no idea what they called and when it occurred. :)
Full strength
this is a pretty insane stadium for field hockey .. i assume UNC has the top of the line for their elite team
Michigan’s was state of the art a few years back, looks very similar to the Tar Heels’.
empty net for louisville !! 4 min to go
Fuck they score
Overtime
Can’t give up 6 corners in the 4th quarter in a 1-0 game and expect to win.
Anybody have a non-Espn3 stream of the match for those without cable?
I have a bad feeling about this corner...
Edit: WE PLAYING ON!
louisville has all the momentum ... we just need one nice play
double overtime
these ladies have gotta be tired A.F.
This lady seems to want Louisville to win
penalty corner michigan !!!
A PENALTY CORNER!
...damn
Yay PK - now we need to win a shootout
Wtf? I don’t get this sport
We don't need to get it. All we need to do is WIN THE GAME!!!
I can't believe this is stressful
3-3, OT shootout?
this is bonkers
Louisville scores the last 2 and Michigan misses the last 2 to go into another shootout. That hurts.
Second round of shootout- Michigan couldn't convert on their last two attempts of round 1, getting one of those would have won it.
Hail to the Victors - Go Blue!!!
WINNERS!!!!
MICHIGAN WINS!! GO BLUE!!!
Sudden death 2nd shootout, which I guess is a thing.
VICTORY GO BLUEEEE BABYYYY
I wasn't the only one who thought it was another full shootout round of five, right?