Flachs leads Blue to tourney final

IOWA CITY - Michigan senior goalkeeper Amy Helber stood at the end of her bench, removing her equipment after the Michigan field hockey team dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to Penn State in the finals of the Big Ten tournament. Her lips were pressed firmly together, trying to prevent tears.

Moments later, she had found the smile that she had worn all season. Even though the Wolverines lost the biggest game in their 25-year history, it wouldn't have meant so much without such a tremendous regular-season effort.

Julie Flachs scored the lone goal for Michigan yesterday, her only of the tournament.

JOHN KRAFT/Daily Julie Flachs scored Michigan's only goal as the Wolverines fell, 2-1, to Penn State in the Big Ten final.

"At this point, a little luck never hurts," said Penn State coach Char Morett.

Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz found no fault with her team's play nor with Penn State's.

"We all played as hard as we could and it just didn't go our way today."

The Wolverines advanced to yesterday's title game by running past Ohio State, 3-1, on Saturday. Loveita Wilkinson and Big Ten freshman of the year Kelli Gannon provided the scoring in the semifinal victory over the Buckeyes.

The Wolverines "were able to get to every ball they wanted," Ohio State coach Anne Wilkinson said. "That's what really was the difference ... their fitness level was so strong that we couldn't match their speed."

Six Michigan seniors have played their last game on Phyllis Ocker Field, and this weekend, every game could have been their last.

"All the seniors went into this game knowing that we had to play each game like it was our last," Helber said.

Each player went after the ball with a fire that cut through the damp Iowa chill running, lunging and diving until she controlled it on her stick.

Senior defender Shelley Johnson led by example. Johnson, offensively and defensively, seemed to be near every loose ball on the field. Other Michigan defenders played with similar intensity, frustrating the Buckeyes all day, allowing only three shots in the second half.

While some defenders needed to lay out their bodies to stymie the Buckeyes, sophomore Ashley Reichenbach was able to deny an Ohio State scoring chance late in the first half with an out-stretched foot.

With 6:45 left, soon after Michigan's first goal of the game by Loveita Wilkinson, Ohio State's Camilla Robinson broke through the Michigan defense at the top of the circle. Her eyes lit up for the shot, but it was too late as Reichenbach darted over and stole the ball.

"It's just stuff that we practice," Reichenbach said.

Michigan has made good conditioning one of its goals this season, and it seems to have paid off in strenuous matches.

"I think that we did lose our legs a little bit towards the end," said Ohio State coach Anne Wilkinson said, pointing out that this was the Buckeyes' first set of back-to-back games this year. "But you've got to be fit, everybody's got to be able to do that."

Michigan has played in back-to-back games four times this year, including the Penn State game. The title game yesterday had all the makings of any good title game. It was close, it was physical and it was an all-out war between the two best teams in the conference.

"It was exciting, and that's the way a hockey final should be," Pankratz said.

According to both coaches, the officiating was loose in what was an unusually aggressive game.

"It was called a lot looser than the previous day, but that's a final and you have to battle it," Pankratz said.

Michigan's defense has been its foundation all year, and the defense didn't crumble this weekend. But despite the Wolverines' takeaways and blocked passes, the Lions got the better of them twice when they fought their way through creases in the tenacious Michigan defense.

Penn State's two goals did not come from defensive breakdowns by the Wolverines so much as they were simply evidence of the Lions' dominance.

"My defense played outstanding," Helber said.

And so did Penn State's defense.

All afternoon, the Lions picked off Michigan passes, stopped its charges and frustrated its attack. Penn State goalkeeper Jaime Smith also saw few shots. Smith played well when facing shots, including a critical penalty corner with less than three minutes to play that might have knotted the game at two.

"It's definitely an intimidating thing ... (Flachs) has a great shot," Smith said.

Michigan and Penn State finished the season tied and share the Big Ten regular-season title. And yesterday, the two teams proved that they deserved their co-titles.

"Penn State outplayed us today, so they deserved to win," Pankratz said. "When you commit and you don't get it, it hurts."

JOHN KRAFT/Daily The Michigan field hockey team came within one goal of winning its first ever Big Ten title. Top-seeded Penn State defeated the Wolverines, 2-1, yesterday, and captured its third-consecutive Big Ten tournament.

11-10-97