[an error occurred while processing this directive] 2006 Recaps - University of Michigan Women's Lacrosse Team

[an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] 2006 Recaps - University of Michigan Women's Lacrosse Team

2006 Recaps

Wolverines Advance to Semi-finals

The #4 University of Michigan women's lacrosse team advanced to the semi-final round of the USL-WDIA National Championship, demolishing their opponents on Thursday, defeating #13 Army by a score of 18-4 before beating Navy, 17-5 in the quarterfinals. With the wins, the Wolverines will advance to the semi-final round on Friday, taking on #1 Colorado State at 5:30pm CST.

The Wolverines opened the day against Army and jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead and never looked back, putting the game away in the first half while continuing to dominate down the stretch. Michigan was led by junior attacker Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) and freshman Rachel Lary (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) who each notched five goals in the contest. Lary also added an assist for a team-high six points. Senior Claire McTaggart (Greenwich, Ct./Greenwich Academy) contributed four goals in the game. Senior captain Molly Colgan (Lyme, N.H./Hanover) scooped up a team-high four groundballs while Lary earned four draw controls.

Michigan then faced Navy later in the day, a team the Wolverines have seen a number of times throughout the years, in games always decided by a lone goal or two. Things were different this time around as the U-M got off to another quick start, scoring the first five goals of the game in just a matter of minutes. Freshman Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) scored four of Michigan's first five goals of the game . Although Navy's defense tightened up as the first half wore on, Michigan still led 11-5 at halftime. In the second half, Michigan completely shut down the Mid's attack with a combination of suffocating defense and solid ball control. Pavle was a force in the game, scoring six total goals and adding two assists. Senior captain Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham) added four goals of her own. Three freshman, Pavle, Lary, and Julie Baskind (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) each scooped up four groundballs in the game, and sophomore goaltender Stephanie Houh (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) made five saves.

Michigan will battle CSU for the second time this season, dropping a tightly-fought contest earlier this year to a tune of 9-6. The Wolverines will look to gain revenge on the Rams in their goal of advancing to the finals on Saturday. Michigan's last foray into the semi-final round resulted in a heart-breaking 8-7 loss to Cal-Poly in 2004.

With the results of the day, Head Coach Mary Ann Meltzer was very pleased, "I'm estatic, I think the team played awesome. We never stopped playing hard throughout. We struggled a little on defense early on, but they really came through in the second half though."

Even with such a young squad, Meltzer isn't surprised to find the team in the position they are, "This team just has something special about it. I knew we were going to surprise some people."

Alexis Pavle knew the significance of beating Navy, "Coming into the game the seniors were talking about how this was a huge game because we've been trading games with these guys for years and it's only been just one goal. We wanted to just go out there and get the first goal and after that we never looked back."

Rachel Lary agreed that perhaps the Pittsburgh loss may have refocused the team in a way, "I think that loss may have given us a little more drive and motivation before coming out here. It triggered us to be a little more intense and to focus our minds on this game."

Michigan Preps for National Championship

The #4 University of Michigan women's lacrosse team will head to Dallas, Texas this week for the USL-WDIA National Championship Tournament to take on the best in the country in hopes of winning their first National Championships in program history. The tournament is taking place at the Russell Creek Athletic Complex in Plano, Texas.

The Wolverines will open up against #13 Army at 12:30pm CST on field RC1. With a win, U-M will take on the winner of #5 Santa Barbara and #12 Navy at 6:00pm CST on field RC5. The semi-final games will be held on Friday, while the finals will be held at 4:30pm on Saturday.

Be sure to check back throughout the week for updated scores and results.

U-M Falls to Pittsburgh in WCLL Final

The #4 Michigan women's lacrosse team dropped their second game of the season on Saturday (April 22), dropping a 9-7 contest to #3 Pittsburgh in the WCLL Conference Tournament Finals. Michigan won two games earlier in the day vs. Iowa and Dayton to reach the finals, but Pittsburgh found a way to slip by the Wolverines in an overtime match as Michigan failed to win the WCLL Championships for the first time in five years.

U-M opened with a 16-3 win over Iowa. Led by Karen Anderson's five goals and Alexis Pavle's four goals and one assist effort, Michigan jumped all over Iowa early and often to advance to the semi's. Noelle Frazier was also her usual self, contributing three goals and three assists in a balanced effort. Michelle Adebayo led U-M with four groundballs.

Michigan advanced to the finals with a 14-2 win over Dayton, led by four goals from Adebayo and two a piece from Anderson and Rachel Lary. Goaltender Stephanie Houh was also impressive in the game, stopping five Flyer chances.

In the finals, Michigan faced one of their toughest challenges of the year, taking on Pittsburgh in a game that eventually needed extra time. Trailing 4-1 at halftime, the Wolverines came out of the gates roaring in the second half, notching the first six goals of the period and grabbing a 7-4 lead. Pittsburgh wasn't about to roll over and die though, notching the next three goals, including two in the final two minutes to tie the game. Pittsburgh rode the momentum into overtime, scoring twice in the extra frame en-route to the 9-7 win. Frazier, Pavle and Adebayo each scored twice, and Houh stopped seven shots in the game.

With the loss, the Wolverines relied on an at-large bid for entrance into the USL-WDIA National Tournament, but are still seeded fourth. The Wolverines will take on Northeastern in the opening round and will then play the winner of #6 Colorado and #11 Navy. Be sure to visit the site for all your updated news and results during the course of the tournament which will run between May 9-13 in Dallas, Texas.

Wolverines Defeat D-III Wooster

The #2 Michigan women's lacrosse team grabbed a win over a Division III opponent on Friday night (April 14), defeating Wooster College 12-6. Michigan showed no let-down after their emotional and draining weekend series in Colorado as the Wolverines came out hot and held on in the second half for their 16th win of the season.

Michigan jumped out to an 8-0 lead before Wooster was able to score with just 15 seconds left in the first half. The Wolverines were especially successful on their draw controls early on. Freshman Rachel Lary (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) led all scorers with five goals in the game while Claire McTaggart (Greenwich, Ct./Greenwich Academy) and Michelle Adebayo (Detroit, Mich./Sacred Heart) each added two goals. Senior captain Molly Colgan (Lyme, N.H./Hanover) scooped up a team-high five groundballs while freshman Becca Miller (Pittsburgh, Penn./Shaler High) grabbed three draw controls to go with a team-high two assists. Sophomore goaltender Stephanie Houh (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) was strong in goal, and stopped nine shots in the contest.

The Wolverines will have a week off before heading to Toledo, Ohio for the WCLL Conference Tournament on April 22.

Michigan Jumps to #2 in Latest Poll

The University of Michigan women's lacrosse team jumped to #2 in the latest Laxpower.com poll this week. After going 3-1 vs. four top-5 teams over the weekend, the Wolverines earned their highest ever regular season ranking. Michigan will take on Wooster this Friday in an exhibition match, before heading to the WCLL Conference Playoffs the following week.

Wolverines Defeat #1 Cal-Poly

It may have taken four years, but the #3 Michigan Wolverines enjoyed one of their biggest wins in program history, defeating long-time nemesis #1 Cal-Poly on Sunday morning by a score of 8-6 in Fort Collins, Colorado. With the victory, the Maize and Blue finished off the weekend 3-1 vs. the #1, #2, #4, and #5 teams in the country.

Michigan fell behind 2-0 five minutes into the game, and almost looked at a 3-0 deficit if it wasn't for a Mustang player entering the crease before the goal. The Wolverines recovered and started to get things going midway through the first half, and eventually notched four unanswered goals to go ahead 4-2. Sophomore Ashley Steitz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./University Liggett) led the charge with three goals in a short period of time as the Wolverines started to look more and more comfortable on the field in the early-morning game. Cal-Poly answered back with a goal of their own to claw back to 4-3, before freshman Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) added two more U-M goals right before the half as Michigan went into the break leading 6-3.

The Mustangs came out firing in the second frame, scoring twice to cut the lead to 6-5. The Maize and Blue didn't wilt however, and answered with two of their own from Pavle and senior captain Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham). Leading 8-5, all the Wolverines had to do was work the clock, and with a number of lengthy possessions and some quality defensive play, Michigan accomplished just that. Although Cal-Poly was able to find the back of the net one more time before the end of the game, it would be too little too late for the Mustang squad as Michigan earned their 15th win of the season and their first over the Cal-Poly program. Pavle led the squad with four goals, with Steitz adding three of her own. Freshman Julie Baskind (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) was all over the field in the contest, and impressive throughout the weekend. On Sunday, she scooped up a team-high six groundballs. Sophomore goaltender Stephanie Houh (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) stopped three shots in the tightly contested game.

Senior captain Molly Colgan (Lyme, N.H./Hanover) was impressed with the team's effort and energy in their first win over Cal-Poly, "We've always come out pumped up vs. Cal-Poly, but I think this year we just had that little extra spark. It was the team that had the most heart and spirit who won the game. This team is so close, and with everything that has happened this year I think we're getting even closer. I think that's going to help us even more on the field. That loss vs. Colorado State is going to keep our heads straight and will give us even more to work towards down the stretch."

For senior captain Karen Anderson, it was definitely the biggest win in her four-year career, "Absolutely the biggest win. After four years of trying to beat these guys, this was huge for us. This is what we work hard for all year. They're a solid team, but we ran with them the entire game, but I think we just wanted it more. Now that we've seen these four teams I think we'll really be prepared for the them when we see them in the end."

The Wolverines will return to Ann Arbor for a week and a half of practice before heading to Toledo for the WCLL Playoffs on April 22.

Michigan Earns Two Wins vs. Ranked Opponents

The #3 University of Michigan women's lacrosse team fought their way to two wins on Saturday, defeating #5 Colorado by a score of 13-8 to kick off the day, and then coming back to take out #4 UC-Santa Barbara by a score of 9-7.

Versus Colorado, the Wolverines jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead behind two goals a piece from junior attacker Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) and freshman Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) before Colorado was finally able to break through half-way into the first half. Leading 4-1, Michigan notched four more unanswered goals to finish off the half and into the second frame. Leading 8-1, it looked as if the Wolverines were going to finish off the Buffalos with ease, but Colorado wouldn't go down easily, and notched six unanswered goals to draw within one at 8-7. Seniors Michelle Adebayo (Detroit, Mich./Sacred Heart) and Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham) did their part however to help Michigan re-establish a relatively comfortable lead, notching two quick goals. Although Colorado answered just moments later with a goal of their own, Michigan wasn't about to let the Buffs claw back into again and put the game away down the stretch behind two goals from freshman Rachel Lary (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines). Frazier led the team with four goals, while Pavle added three goals and one assist. Lary earned five draw controls as Michigan stepped up their draw control effort from the previous night.

In their second game of the day, Michigan fell behind 3-1 early vs. UC-Santa Barbara before rattling off seven of the next eight goals, with Noelle Frazier notching two goals and three assists during the span. Leading 8-4, Michigan once again found themselves in a dog-fight as their opponent wouldn't go away quietly, with Santa Barbara notching three of the last four goals in the final minutes. Michigan held on however, retaining possession in the final minutes of the game and whittling down the clock. Sophomore Ashley Steitz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./University Liggett) finished with a team-high three goals before injuring her knee midway through the second half. Rachel Lary scooped up four groundballs to pace the squad, while Alexis Pavle earned three groundballs.

Michigan will play in their final game of the weekend on Sunday morning at 8:00am vs. #1 Cal-Poly.

U-M Drops First Game of '06

Playing without two starters, and having three Wolverines arrive just before game-time, the #3 Michigan women's lacrosse team lost their first game of the year, dropping a 9-6 decision to #2 Colorado State on Friday night in Fort Collins, Colorado. Michigan came out a bit sluggish but battled back throughout the game, but couldn't overcome their early deficit.

The Wolverines fell behind 4-0 early into the game before settling things down and putting together some solid offensive possessions. Junior attacker Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) finally cracked the CSU defense minutes before the end of the first half, and continued to help the Wolverines regain the momentum, scoring the first goal of the second half. But just as quickly as Michigan got back into the game, the Rams rebuilt their lead, notching three unanswered goals before Michigan got on the board again on a goal from Ashley Larson (New Jersey/Sacred Heart). Fellow freshman Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) scored just minutes later to draw the Wolverines within three at 7-4, but once again CSU had an answer, notching two more unaswered goals, increasing their lead to 9-4. Michigan wasn't about to give up however, and got goals from senior captain Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham) and Frazier. Down by three with just minutes left, the Wolverines fought hard but weren't able to draw any closer en-route to the 9-6 loss.

Frazier led all goal-scorers with three, while freshman Rachel Lary (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) paced the squad with three groundballs and two draw controls.

The Wolverines will be back at it tomorrow, April 8, taking on two more opponents at the CSU campus at 12:00pm and 4:00pm.

U-M Defeats MSU, John Carroll

Playing multiple games over the course of the day doesn't seem to effect the Wolverines women's lacrosse team too much as they earned to more wins on Saturday, April 1. Defeating Michigan State by a score of 13-8 and John Carroll 23-2, Michigan opened the season 12-0 in their best start in program history.

In their contest vs. Michigan State, the Spartans gave the Wolverines all they could handle in what may have been the tightest match the team has played this season. U-M came out flat, while State was extremely fired up and it showed throughout the first half of play as MSU out-hustled and out-worked the Wolverine unit. It was a different story in the second half however as the Wolverines showed why they currently own the #3 ranking. Tightening up their defense and showing much better effort and energy, the Maize and Blue pulled away in the second half, allowing only two MSU goals in the second frame, including an insignificant tally in the final minute of play. Junior attacker Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) paced the team with six goals while freshman Rachel Lary (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) and Michelle Adebayo (Detroit, Mich./Sacred Heart) each added two goals of their own. Senior captain Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham) led with four groundballs, while freshman midfielder Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) recorded a team-high four draw controls. Sophomore goaltender Stephanie Houh (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) stopped three shots in the tightly contested game.

In their opening match vs. John Carroll, the Wolverines dominated, with a number of players posting big days. Sophomore Ashley Steitz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./University Liggett) finished with five goals while Adebayo posted 4-1-5 and Karen Anderson finished with three goals and two assists. Anderson and fellow senior captain Molly Colgan (Lyme, N.H./Hanover) each earned three draw controls, while Alexis Pavle, freshman Micaela Battiste (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) and Colgan each finished with two groundballs. Houh posted two saves in the game.

Michigan will practice throughout the shortened week before heading west to Colorado to take on the nation's best with four games that will have a major impact on the seedings at the USL-WDIA National Championships in May. Be sure to check the schedule for complete game listings.

Wolverines Roll En-Route to Two More

Two more games, and two more wins for the the #3 ranked University of Michigan women's lacrosse team who routed their opponents on Sunday at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse in Ann Arbor to close out the Michigan Invitational 4-0, and improving their overall record to 10-0.

In their first contest of the day, an early morning match-up vs. Lindenwood, Michigan came out firing, eventually winning 14-2 behind five goals from junior attacker Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) and four goals and one assist from freshman midfielder Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South). Five other Wolverines scored lone goals in the contest. Senior captain Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham) led the Maize and Blue squad with six draw controls, while freshman Rachel Lary (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) paced the team with four groundballs.

In the last game of the Invitational, Michigan was even more impressive, shutting out Louisville 16-0. Once again Noelle Frazier and Alexis Pavle led the Wolverines, scoring 4-0-4 and 3-1-4 respectively. Seniors, Claire McTaggart (Greenwich, Ct./Greenwich Academy) and Michelle Adebayo (Detroit, Mich./Sacred Heart) each added two goals and an assist. Lary grabbed seven draw controls, while McTaggart, Adebayo, and fellow senior, captain Sandra Shargabian (Rochester Hills, Mich./Sacred Heart) each tallied two groundballs.

The Wolverines will look to continue their solid play, taking to the field again at Michigan State on April 1 for a series of games vs. Grand Valley State, Michigan State, and John Carroll.

Wolverines Open Invitational 2-0

The #3 University of Michigan women's lacrosse team extended their winning streak to eight games, picking up two more wins on Saturday (March 11), defeating Illinois, 20-5, before taking out Lakeshore, 12-4 later in the afternoon at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse in Ann Arbor. Michigan came out sluggish early vs. Illinois before taking over mid-way through the first half while Lakewood gave Michigan its best test of the year, even though the Wolverines led 7-0 at halftime.

A combination of some sloppy play on the Wolverines' part, and an opportunistic Illinois squad helped the opening contest remain close early on. Michigan eventually found their groove however, jumping out to a 10-1 half-time lead. Freshman midfielder Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) led all scorers vs. the Illini, contributing four goals and two assists, while fellow freshman Rachel Lary (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) added 3-1-4. The Wolverines' leading scorer, junior attacker Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) finished the game with two goals and one assist. Senior midfielder Claire McTaggart (Greenwich, Ct./Greenwich Academy) also had a fine game, adding 2-2-4. Senior captain Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham) was tied for the team lead with Rachel Lary with four groundballs and also added a team-high eight controls, jump-starting the Michigan offense immediately following the draw control. Sophomore goaltender Stephanie Houh (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) stopped four shots in the contest.

Michigan might have faced their most difficult opponent so far in '06, taking on the Lakeshore club team in their second contest of the day. Although the score-board didn't reflect the tightness of the game, especially early, it was clear that Lakeshore would give the Wolverines a solid effort. The Maize and Blue stood up to the challenge however, with another shared effort that saw 10 different Wolverines find the back of the net. The lone Wolverine multi-goal scorers were Alexis Pavle and senior midfielder Michelle Adebayo (Detroit, Mich./Sacred Heart). Noelle Frazier finished with 1-1-2. A number of Wolverines finished with two groundballs, while Lary continued her solid play on draw controls, directly earning the Wolverines six possessions. Between the pipes, Stephanie Houh recorded three saves in the game.

Michigan will follow up the two-win day with another two games on Sunday, March 13, battling Lindenwood at 9:00 AM and Louisville at 1:30 PM at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse in Ann Arbor. The games will be the last home contests for Michigan this season.

Wolverines Grab Sixth Straight

As has the been the case in recent years, the #3 ranked University of Michigan women's lacrosse team dominated at home vs. Western Michigan on Friday night, March 10, earning a 23-1 victory over their intrastate opponent at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse in Ann Arbor. With the win, Michigan improves their record to 6-0 to open the 2006 campaign.

The Wolverines jumped all over the Broncos early, and spread the scoring throughout the contest with 11 different Wolverines scoring goals, while six had multi-goal games. Leading all Wolverines in scoring and adding to her team-lead, junior attacker Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) finished the game with five goals and one assist in the game. Senior Michelle Adebayo (Detroit, Mich./Sacred Heart) added for goals of her own, while sophomore Ashley Steitz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./University Liggett) finished with 3-1-4 totals.

Freshman Rachel Lary (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) played an excellent all-around game, finishing with two goals and two assists, along with a team-high seven draw controls, and five ground-balls. Sophomore goaltender Stephanie Houh (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) wasn't tested much, but made two saves when called upon.

Michigan will take to the field again on Saturday, March 11 and Sunday, March 12 for a total of four games in the Michigan Invitational. Please check the schedule for a break down of times.

Wolverines Finish Weekend 4-0

The #3 University of Michigan women's lacrosse team grabbed two more victories on Saturday, February 18 in Miami, blowing by Virginia, 14-6 and Towson, 12-4. With the two wins, Michigan swept their series of games at the University of Miami over the weekend, and is now 5-0 on the season.

Opening against Virginia in the morning, Michigan came out the gates a little sluggish, but were still able to build a 7-2 half-time lead on the back of Freshman Rachel Lary (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) and her four first-half goals. Virginia came out quickly in the second half, notching the first goal of the frame and drawing within four at 7-3. Michigan would notch three unanswered goals however, putting the game essentially out of reach. The Wolverines spread the scoring in the second half, with six different players scoring a goal. Lary led all scorers in the contest with five goals, while junior Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) added three helpers in the contest. Lary also led the squad with seven groundballs and four draw controls. Senior captain Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham) added six groundballs and two controls. Sophomore goaltender Stephanie Houh (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) saw a good amount of action and did an excellent job shutting down the Cavaliers in the second half and finished with 13 saves on the day.

In the day's second game, Michigan once again had a little trouble early on, and was ahead by only three goals after the first half. U-M was able to jump out to a 4-0 lead before Towson struck back, notching three of the next six goals before the half, trailing 6-3. In their previous three games over the course of the weekend, the Wolverines allowed their opponent to score first coming out of the half-time. This wouldn't be the case vs. Towson however, as the Maize and Blue scored the first five goals in the second half, led by two goals a-piece from Noelle Frazier and Karen Anderson. Frazier would lead all scorers in the game with five goals, giving her 14-5-19 totals over the course of the weekend. Freshman midfielder Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South), senior Michelle Adebayo (Detroit, Mich./Sacred Heart) and Karen Anderson each recorded four groundballs. Anderson and freshman Julie Baskind (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) each recorded three draw controls in the game. Houh made two saves in the contest.

The Wolverines will take to the field again on March 10, vs. Western Michigan in Ann Arbor at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse at 8:00 PM in search of a 6-0 start. The following day, Michigan will host their Invitational Tournament which will feature Illinois, Lakeshore, Lindenwood and Louisville.

Wolverines Torch Opponents in Miami Sun

The University of Michigan women's lacrosse team picked up two wins on Friday (February 17), defeating Virginia Tech, 17-3 and Miami by a tally of 12-6 in Miami, Florida on the University of Miami Campus. With the two victories on the day, the Maize and Blue improved their record to 3-0 on the young 2006 season.

In the day's first contest, U-M jumped all over the Hokies early, opening a 9-0 lead before Virginia Tech scored right before the end of the first half. Michigan spread the scoring in the first frame, with eight different Wolverines notching a goal. Tech would score the first goal of the second period, before Michigan answered with five more goals.

Junior Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) paced Michigan with four goals and two assists for seven total points. Senior Claire McTaggert (Greenwich, Ct./Greenwich Academy) and freshman midfielder Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) each accounted for three goals. Senior Michelle Adebayo (Detroit, Mich./Sacred Heart) and senior captain Molly Colgan (Lyme, N.H./Hanover) each scooped up five groundballs while senior captain Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham) grabbed four draw controls. Sophomore goaltender Stephanie Houh (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) made four saves in the contest.

In the second game of the afternoon, Michigan continued their strong play, jumping out to a 4-0 lead on Miami, and holding on down the stretch to secure the victory. Michigan led 6-3 at half, before the 'Canes struck first coming out of the break, drawing within two at 6-4. Noelle Frazier stepped up however, continuing her strong play early in the season, and extended the Michigan lead once again on back-to-back goals. Frazier added two more goals in the contest, giving her five in the game and 9-2-11 on the day. Sophomore Ashley Steitz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./University Liggett) added three goals of her own on the day, while Alexis Pavle added a goal and an assist. Karen Anderson and Molly Colgan each scooped up five groundballs in the game. Houh was solid between the pipes, posting seven saves in the contest, denying Miami at crucial times in the second half as Michigan pulled away.

Head coach Mary Ann Meltzer was happy with the team's performance on the day, "I am very excited about how things went today. We put a lot of pressure on them in the first game, and in the second game you could tell we were a little tired. Miami really challenged us though, they made it tough. Overall I think we just played great as a team throughout the day. Everybody stepped up."

Meltzer was also impressed with the continued effort of Noelle Frazier, "I think Noelle is playing really well right now. And it's not just scoring. She's been all over the field and really hustling back on "D".

A key component in the contest vs. Miami was shutting down senior attacker Lisa Furst. Meltzer was very pleased with the job Molly Colgan did containing her throughout the game, "I think Molly did a fantastic job. I think the only time she scored was when she was on transition. It was never a situation where they got down, and settled. When that happened, Molly just shut her down."

Michigan will take to the fields again tomorrow morning, taking on Virginia at 10:30 AM and Towson at 1:30 PM before heading back to Ann Arbor Sunday morning.

Wolverines Open Season With a Bang

The University of Michigan Women's lacrosse team kicked off their 2006 regular season at home in Oosterbaan Fieldhouse this Sunday, February 12, with a 20-1 victory over the Toledo Rockets. Last season, the Wolverines defeated Toledo by a score of 19-0 at the Albion Tournament.

Leading the Wolverines offensive thrust were junior Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) and sophomore Ashley Steitz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./University Liggett). Frazier finished with five goals and two assists for seven total points, while Steitz added five goals of her own, along with leading the team with six total shots. Senior Claire McTaggert (Greenwich, Ct./Greenwich Academy) added four goals of her own while freshman midfielder Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) accounted for three of the goals.

Freshman Micaela Battiste (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) scooped up a team-high four ground balls, while senior captain Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham) grabbed three draw controls. Although relatively untested between the pipes, sophomore goaltender Stephanie Houh (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) made two saves in the contest in her first action as the team's #1 goaltender.

Overall, head-coach Mary Ann Meltzer was pleased with the way the team played, "I think our attack worked really well together. They were clicking a little bitter than they were last year. We ran through the offense well and we kept it spread out. I think we were a little more balanced. Our midfield played well also. We were running a press and that's why you didn't see the defense get tested too much."

Meltzer was also impressed with the play of the freshman, "I think Julie [Baskind] played really well, Becca Miller also played well. Micaela was very quick out there. And Rachel [Lary] and Alexis both on attack did a really nice job."

The Wolverines will practice throughout the week before heading to Miami, Florida for two days of games vs. Miami, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Towson on February 17 and 18. Be sure to check back for complete games results and wrap-ups.

Wolverines Excited About Pre-Season Clinic

The University of Michigan Women's Lacrosse team is proud to announce their annual Pre-Season Clinic that will be running on February 5 from noon to 3:00 pm at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse. For complete information be sure to check out the Clinic Flyer and the Registration Form if you are indeed interested!

Wolverines Announce Captains, Roster and Schedule

The University of Michigan women's lacrosse team has announced their captains, complete roster, and their tentative schedule for 2006.

>Up front, the Wolverines are led by senior captain Karen Anderson (Needham, Mass./Needham), junior Noelle Frazier (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) and sophomore Ashley Steitz (Grosse Pointe, Mich./University Liggett).

>The Maize and Blue midfield will showcase a mixture of experience and youthful energy, with returning All-American, senior Michelle Adebayo (Detroit, Mich./Sacred Heart) and senior captain Molly Colgan (Lyme, N.H./Hanover) providing the leadership. Freshman Rachel Lary (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) and Alexis Pavle (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) should a provide an instant spark when their number is called.

Bringing up the rear, senior captain Sandra Shargabian (Rochester Hills, Mich./Sacred Heart) will guide a young defense through the WCLL schedule and hopefully beyond. Between the pipes, sophomore Stephanie Houh (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) takes over after the graduation of the much-heralded Jackie Fu. Houh was stout however during her time in net last season, and should give the Wolverines solid play in goal.

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