With five games under its belt, the Michigan field hockey team is about to begin the meat of its season this weekend at Ocker Field. The Wolverines will face Ohio State tomorrow at 4 p.m., with national power Penn State following Sunday at noon.
One thing Michigan (3-2) won't have to worry about as it begins its trek toward the top of the Big Ten is a lack of confidence. According to coach Marcia Pankratz, the Wolverines are flying after a stunning come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Ball State last weekend.
"It was a big win that was important for (us)," she said. "It built (our) confidence a lot, and let (us) know that we can win at any given moment as long as we stay focused on what (we are) doing."
But that was last weekend, against another team from another conference. This weekend poses an entirely different challenge to Michigan, as it begins to face the rough-and-tumble Big Ten, in which anything can happen.
"It's a long Big Ten season, and there is a lot of great competition," Pankratz said. "We have to stay even-keeled and focus on every game."
Michigan dominated the Buckeyes during the regular season last year, shutting out Ohio State in both contests, 3-0 and 1-0. Yet even after those defeats, the Buckeyes found a way to upend the Wolverines in the first round of the Big Ten tournament, 3-1.
One would think the Wolverines would still be seething from last year's early exit from the tournament, but Pankratz doesn't think so.
"I haven't heard any talk about (last year's loss)," Pankratz said. "(The Wolverines) know it is a big game, and it is one they certainly are ready for."
Ohio State, like Michigan, begins this season with a new head coach. Anne Wilkinson makes her way to Columbus after spending nine years at American University. Wilkinson coached the Eagles to a record of 79-83-8 during her tenure, and in 1994 led them to a No. 15 national ranking.
With a 1-7 record in recent years against a talented Penn State program, which is currently ranked No. 19, the Wolverines will be fighting ghosts from the past and monsters of the present on Sunday.
No one knows this better than Pankratz.
"They are going to be a really tough team to play against," she said. "They are an excellent team with a couple of really strong players."
Strong might be an understatement for the caliber of play of one particular Nittany Lion. Senior Tara Maguire was chosen as an alternate for the U. S. Olympic team in Atlanta.
Ironically, if Maguire had been chosen to compete, she would have joined two of Michigan's coaches on the squad. Pankratz and assistant coach Tracey Fuchs both represented the United States this past summer.
Penn State also will be looking for retribution as it heads to Ann Arbor, after a pair of difficult losses to top competition this past weekend. The Nittany Lions dropped a 2-1 decision to No. 8 Connecticut as well as a 4-3 overtime thriller against No. 5 Massachusetts.
"(The Nittany Lions) are going to be hungry to come out and win," said Pankratz.
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
Junior attacker Aimee Remigio and the Michigan field hockey team are set to begin the Big Ten season, facing Ohio State tomorrow and Penn State on Sunday. The Wolverines compiled a 3-2 record in the non-conference portion of their schedule.