In most cases, when a field hockey team allows four goals by one player, it has failed to shut her down. But when that player is Cindy Werley of No. 1 North Carolina, holding her to four goals in a game can be considered a success.
Werley and the defending national champion Tar Heels defeated Michigan (3-1) Saturday at Ocker Field in a game that saw North Carolina (2-0) take a 5-1 lead in the second half, before eventually winning, 6-3.
Despite trailing for much of the first half, Michigan dominated early. At 9:46 of the first half Sandra Cabrera scored her first goal of the season on a penalty corner to tie the score at one.
Werley, who scored her first goal early in the game, came right back with her second goal at 7:19 and completed the hat trick with 2:45 left in the half to push North Carolina to a 3-1 halftime lead.
"We played toe to toe with them for a long time and there was a good 20-minute span in that first half when we actually dominated," Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz said. "Even though the score didn't look like it, we played them pretty close."
The Tar Heels began to blow the game open early in the second half. Abbi Keller scored for North Carolina on a penalty stroke at 29:36 and Werley scored her fourth goal at 27:27.
Despite trailing 5-1, the Wolverines did not give up. After Werley was pulled from the game at 24:22, Loveita Wilkinson scored for Michigan through a crowd on a pretty centering pass from Shelley Johnson at 17:48.
After North Carolina scored a minute and a half later to make the score 5-2, Julie Flachs scored on a penalty corner to complete the scoring. Flachs leads the team in scoring with five goals, including one in each of Michigan's matches this year.
Despite giving up six goals, the Wolverines were satisfied with their play against the nation's best player and team.
"They're disappointed at losing and I want them to be disappointed at losing," Pankratz said. "But I think they feel good about their effort."
North Carolina coach Karen Shelton, who has built a dynasty in Chapel Hill, had plenty of nice things to say about the Wolverines.
"This is certainly a program on the upswing," Shelton said. "Marcia's doing a wonderful job and there's no question they're improving. They competed hard with us today."
Michigan will draw on the experience gained in this game as it heads into the rest of the season.
"I think we really stayed with them and for that we're really excited," Cabrera said. "We're looking forward to what it's going to do for the rest of our season, how it's going to affect us in the Big Ten."
The Wolverines will be getting an added boost when four players, including three starters, return to the team this week.
FILE PHOTO
Michigan senior Meredith Weinstein and the rest of the Wolverines fell to defending national champion North Carolina on Saturday, 6-3.
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