'M' stickers turn Orangewomen blue, 3-2

Field hockey assistant coach to play on IHF's President's Elite 11 team in Egypt

The No. 12 Michigan field hockey team improved its record to 4-3 yesterday, defeating Syracuse, 3-2.

Junior midfielder Courtney Reid led the attack for the Wolverines, scoring the game-winner and assisting on another goal.

Reid is Michigan's leading scorer this season with five goals and six assists. Her sixteen points so far this season are also a career best - a mark especially notable because the Wolverines are just seven games into the season.

"I've just been having a really good year," Reid said. "At the beginning of the year, (Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz) had a meeting with me and said, 'I think this is your year. You're really going to step up and be a part of our success.'

DANA LINNANE/Daily This weekend Ashley Thomas - here in early season 1998 action - and the No. 12 Michigan field hockey team held on to defeat Syracuse, 3-2.

"I've just gone out every game and given it my all, and shots are falling for me. But it's a total team effort."

The Wolverines battle cry is "be relentless." True to this motto, the Wolverines dominated the attack, outshooting the Orangewomen 21-10.

But despite its shooting advantage, Michigan headed into halftime with a 1-0 lead after junior midfielder Regan Wulfsburg took a pass from Reid and pushed it past the Syracuse netminder with just 40 seconds left in the first half.

The Wolverines came out strong again in the second half, taking a 2-0 lead six minutes into the period on freshman midfielder Stephanie Johnson's second goal of the season.

The Orangewomen (4-3) fought back, scoring four minutes later. But Reid's goal gave Michigan the lead for good with 3:30 left in the game.

Syracuse would come back to score again with 2:30 to go in the contest, but could not muster another goal before time ran out.

Coach Honored: Assistant coach Tracey Fuchs has been named to the International Hockey Federation's elite President's 11 team.

Fuchs, a two time Olympian and captain of the United States women's field hockey national team, will play for the world all-star team against the current World Champion Australian national team Oct. 27 in Alexandria, Egypt.

"It's just a great honor," Fuchs said in a written statement. "I'm more in shock than anything else and very grateful just to be nominated.

"It's wonderful to be recognized by the top people in hockey and it should be fun."

This summer, Fuchs served as captain for the silver medal U.S. team at the Pan-American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Before heading to Egypt, Fuchs will travel with the U.S. team to Australia to play games against Australia, China, and Spain in the Olympic Test Event.

"I think my nomination is a tribute to the team I played with," Fuchs said. "You are only as good as the people around you. I would not be in this position if it were not for my U.S. teammates."

09-20-99