ANN ARBOR, Mich. — No. 8-ranked the University of Michigan dropped a 10-7 game to No. 9 University of the Pacific and put away No. 24 Marist College, 9-6, on the final day of the 2018 Michigan Invitational at home in Canham Natatorium.
The Wolverines started the day with a Top-10 matchup against Pacific, the fourth of nine overall games that has been against a Top-10 opponent. U-M then closed out the tournament with back-to-back games against Marist and an exhibition versus the Chinese National Team.
Coming off playing three games Saturday, the Wolverines and had a 9:30 a.m. start against Pacific.
The Tigers scored the game’s first two goals and held the Wolverines scoreless for 5:39 before freshman Sofie Pontré got U-M on the board. Michigan’s leading scorer, Maddy Steere, followed with a goal to tie the score at two-all with 42 seconds left in the first.
The first collegiate goal by freshman Kathy Rogers came on a breakaway after she collected a steal. That goal knotted the game at 3, then U-M took the lead on a penalty shot by Steere.
Mariana Duarte went on a run for Pacific with three straight goals to help the Tigers build a 6-4 advantage. She finished with a game-high six goals. Steere and Maddy Johnston hooked up for a pair of goals in the third quarter to even the score at 6. First it was Johnston taking the pass for the goal and next it was her turn to deliver the feed.
However, Pacific notched two big goals to end the third, the second coming with nine seconds on the clock. They tacked on two more in the fourth and took the victory, 10-7.
Michigan received a tremendous performance from sophomore Cameron Cordial in goal. She had a career-high 15 saves in the loss. Steere led the offense with three goals and one assist.
Marist made it tough on Michigan in the second game, heading into halftime tied at three. Michigan broke the game open in the third quarter with three straight goals to help them outscore the Red Foxes, 4-1, in the period.
This time around Cordial ended up with six saves while holding Marist to six goals. The defense had 13 steals in the contest.
Michigan’s offense was led by junior Kim Johnson, who scored three goals and had one assist. Rogers recorded a goal and two assists and sophomore Skyler Pyle stepped up off the bench with two goals.
The Wolverines limited Marist to just one-of-nine on the power play.
Playing in back-to-back games and for the sixth time in two days was definitely a challenge, as was facing the Chinese National Team in an 11-4 loss.
Michigan relied on heavy minutes from its bench in the contest as every player who dressed played good minutes in the exhibition. China had a balanced attack and held Michigan to just two goals in each half.
Senior Christina O’Beck scored Michigan’s first goal to tie the score at one at the 5:17 mark in the first period. China then went on a 5-0 run until freshman Emily Ritner broke the streak with a goal at the 1:33 mark in the second.
Freshman Brittany Prentice got in the pool for the first time as a Wolverine and scored a goal from two meters. Freshman Maddie O’Reilly converted a penalty shot as well. Cordial made seven saves before freshman Sara Campbell entered for the final 4:12 of the game.
Release courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications
