34 - The Michigan Daily - Orientation Edition 2002
Field hockey wins first championship for Blue women
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By Bob Hunt
Daily Sports Writer
KENT, Ohio - Years from now, people won't
remember that the Michigan field hockey team
played the consensus No. 1 team in the country
in the National Championship Game. They won't
remember that its opponent had six senior
starters. They won't remember that its opponent
riad beaten the Wolverines just two years ago in
the same game.
But they will remember that these women were
the leaders and the best.
Led by senior goaltender Maureen Tasch and a
great all-around defensive effort, the Michigan
field hockey team knocked off top-ranked Mary-
land 2-0 on Nov 18 to capture the NCAA Division
I National Championship and Michigan's first
national title in a varsity women's sport.
"I'm happy to bring another one home for the
Wolverines," Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz
said. "Men's programs, women's programs, rev-
enue, non-revenue, it doesn't matter. We're just
really proud-to be a part of the University."
This completes a resurgence of a program that
had never made the NCAA Tournament until
1999, when the Terrapins defeated the Wolverines
in the title game.
"It's pretty darn exciting," Michigan Athletic
Director Bill Martin said. "Being the first of any-
thing is pretty historic."
Tasch pulled out the first shutout in a champi-
onship game since 1996. She stopped 13 shots
against the nations No. 1 scoring offense, giving
the first field hockey title to a school west of Vir-
ginia since Iowa won in 1986.
"Obviously nothing could be better than this and
it still hasn't quite all processed in my mind,"
Tasch said. "I haven't cried like everyone else yet."
Maryland controlled the play early, but with two
minutes remaining in the first half, Kristi Gannon
sent a crossing pass from the far right side through
the Maryland defense and Maryland keeper Ash-
ley Hohnstine and somehow found Big Ten Fresh-
man of the Year Adrienne Hortillosa in front of a
wide-open net to put the ball home, giving Michi-
gan the lead.
Just after intermission, Michigan stunned the
crowd of 984 again as Gannon found Rose at the
top of the circle off a penalty corner. Rose blasted
it into the net to give the underdog Wolverines a
two-goal advantage.
Maryland dominated play for the rest of the
game, but the Michigan defense staved off the
Terrapins.
"The last 20 minutes they really had us on our
heels, but we held on," Rose said.
Maryland fired 11 shots in the second half, but
Tasch made one incredible save after another. Even
after Michigan forward April Fronzoni left with
about 12 minutes remaining for a yellow card for
tackling a player from behind, the constant adversi-
ty only made Michigan stronger.
"I felt like with each little new challenge they
were put with, I just knew that we would get even
stronger," Tasch said.
While they were not as highly ranked as the Ter-
rapins, the ups and downs that Michigan experi-
enced throughout the season gave them confidence
going in. The Wolverines were at one point ranked
No. 2 in the country but toward the end of the sea-
son, dropped two conference games and lost in the
semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Meanwhile,
Maryland had rolled through its regional and came
into the game having won nine in a row.
"I felt like the number one team today maybe
didn't have the ups and downs and the adversity to
relish what we had been in," Johnson said. "So we
knew what sort of great opportunity we had been
presented with today."
In the semifinals, the Wolverines used a second-
half surge with goals by Powers, Fronzoni and a
penalty stroke by Stephanie Johnson to put away
Ivy Champ Princeton 4-2.
"We're doing so well in so many women's
sports," Martin said. "We've come so close in
gymnastics and softball. Crew was a boat-length
away last year. This will be the start of a wonder-
ful trend."
They got next
Field hockey may have been the first
women's sport to win a varsity title, but here
are the top five who might be next.
1) Gymnastics: Calli Ryals and Elise Ray are
two of the top gymnasts in the country. And
don't count out the rest of the team.
2) Softball: Two straight World Series berths
and loses just three seniors next season.
3) Crew: Poor show-
ing at the NCAAsathis
year, but always a #~
threat.
4) Basketball: Off < i
year, but will retain
most of the team and ?
add solid recruits. I
5) Water Polo:
Advanced to the
Final Four in its sec-
ond year as a varsity DANNY MOLOSHOK/Da
sport. Center LeeAnn Bie
a
4
Piccolo 6 e: 0. dy1 t1e 0iLt4e,
Clarinet
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Trumpet
Horn
Michigan Marching Band
Open Auditions During Orientation
Auditions start at 3:00 PM
Playing Auditions will be held at
Revelli Hall on the final day of your
Orientation Session.
Audition will consist of:
- two major scales
" one chromatic scale two octaves
- two excerpts of contrasting musical
style no more than one minute
in length
Call 764-0582 for more information
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion
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