Oct. 15, 2010
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: No. 12 Michigan 4, Northwestern 3 (OT)
Records: NU (10-5, 2-1 Big Ten), Michigan (10-5, 4-0 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: Sunday, Oct. 17 at No. 7 Michigan State 11 a.m. CT
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- As expected, Friday's showdown between the last two Big Ten teams with unblemished conference records -- Northwestern and 12th-ranked Michigan -- was not lacking in drama. NU senior forward Marnie Robbins had a career day with three goals, helping the 'Cats twice erase one-goal deficits before the host Wolverines tallied the overtime game-winner to pull out a 4-3 victory.
Robbins, who came into Friday with two career goals, got on the board in the third and 31st minutes in the first half before drawing Northwestern even at three with a game-tying goal with seven minutes remaining.
Attempting to take down a ranked conference opponent on the road for the second time this season, the Wildcats came out as the aggressors in the six-on-six sudden-victory overtime session. NU earned a penalty corner three minutes into the period that resulted in shots on goal by Chelsea Armstrong and Nikki Parsley as well as another penalty corner chance.
Minutes later, however, Michigan freshman Rachael Mack put home her own rebound off a save by Wildcat goalie Amanda Wirth to end a thrilling contest. Mack scored three of Michigan's four goals on the afternoon.
"This was a great display of Big Ten field hockey at its finest and I credit Michigan for pulling it out," said Northwestern head coach Tracey Fuchs, who spent 12 seasons on staff in Ann Arbor before coming NU. "Our kids played with tremendous intensity and it says a lot about them to tie the game twice against a team as good as Michigan. We'll regroup quickly and be ready for Michigan State Sunday."
Michigan finished the game with a 20-9 advantage in total shots and drew 11 penalty corner opportunities to Northwestern's five.
The announced crowd of 546 at Phyllis Ocker Field witnessed a flurry of action at the outset of the match as Robbins gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead three minutes into the game, slotting home a rebound off the pads of Michigan goalkeeper Haley Jones.
Barely one minute later, Michigan was all square at one when Mack deflected in a long pass from outside the circle delivered by Paige Laytos. Those two hooked up again in the 27th minute, with Mack again deflecting in a hard hit by Laytos.
Robbins had the answer for NU, getting her stick to a pass in the circle by Parsley and deflecting it past Jones as the teams entered halftime level at two.
A Michigan goal by Laytos in the 49th minute then set up Robbins game-tying tally as the Milwaukee native secured the second hat trick by a Wildcat this season.
Northwestern will aim to split its weekend series when it returns to the pitch Sunday, taking on seventh-ranked Michigan State at 11 a.m. in East Lansing. With NU hosting the Spartans in the season finale on Oct. 31, Sunday's game at Michigan State will not count toward the Big Ten Conference standings.
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