Making 200 Count: Anderson & No. 12 Michigan Escape No. 20 Maryland 9-8 in Eastern Semifinal

Carrie Frost

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. --  2009 Western Division Player of the Year Julie Hyrne (Sr., Sunnyvale, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) of the University of Michigan earned her award with 1:58 to play against No. 20 University of Maryland as she rocketed a shot for the game-winner as the No.  12-ranked Wolverines (32-8) escaped the No. 19-ranked Terrapins (15-13) 9-8 in the second of two semifinals at the 2009 Eastern Championship hosted by Harvard University.

The victory, which marked the 200^th career win for Michigan head coach Matt Anderson, puts the Wolverines into the Eastern title game at 2:30 tomorrow (Sunday, April 26) against perennial rival and No. 14-ranked Hartwick College. 

The defending Eastern champion, Michigan will seek to defend its title and join Hartwick (2006-07), University of Massachusetts (1998-99) and Slippery Rock University (1988-96) as the only teams to win back-to-back Eastern titles.

Overall, a second seed has not won the Eastern title since 2005 when the Wolverines knocked off No.  seed and host Indiana University 8-7.  Further, Michigan will seek its fourth Eastern title after winning the 2002 (7-6 W OT SD vs. Hartwick), 2005 and 2008 (10-7 W vs. Hartwick) titles.

For No. 1 seed Hartwick, which previously advanced to the 2006-08 title tilts, the title game also means history as the last three No. 1 seeds (2006-08) have captured the title.  Further, the Hawks join a select group of teams as only Slippery Rock (1988-97) and Maryland (1996-99) have played in four consecutive Eastern Championship games.

Against Maryland, Michigan trailed for only 17 seconds as the Terrapins broke the shutout with a score by Blaise Stanicic (Sr., Annapolis , Md./The Key School) on an exclusion chance at the 4:11 mark.  However, the Wolverines slashed their way through the Maryland defense for a score at 3:54 on a back-hander by Meagan Cobb (Fr., Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville) to knot the game at 1-1. 

Michigan took the lead for good 64-seconds later as Cobb again back-handed a ball into the cage at the 2:50 mark to put the Maize and Blue ahead 2-1.

The margin expanded to a pair of markers at 3:29 of the second period as Cara Reitz (So., Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) connected on a give-and-go, but the Terrapins answered at 3:02 with a blast by Christine Goetsch (Fr., Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcus) to pull her team to within 3-2.

Sharayah Hernandez (Sr., Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) pushed the lead back to a pair of goals before the halftime horn as she netted her only goal of the game at the 2:29 mark on an exclusion chance to hand the Wolverines a 4-2 advantage with 16 minutes played.

Maryland opened the second half with new gusto as Shannon Simerly (Jr., Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) found the back of the cage just 35 seconds into the new half to pull the Terps to within goal again at 4-3.

Michigan regained its pair of scores margin at 4:21 with a tally by Leah Robertson (Jr., Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor), but the Terps responded with a successful five-meter penalty shot by Allison Beck (So., Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita) with 3:40 remaining in the period to set the score at 5-4.

The teams repeated the feat as Robertson scored on an exclusion opportunity at 3:14 to give Michigan back a two-goal  lead, before Rachel Jordan (Sr., Fallbrook, Calif./Fallbrook) halved the lead at 2:02 with an exclusion score of her own.

Lauren Orth (So., Poway, Calif./Poway) scored possibly her biggest goal of the year prior to the end of the period as she placed a penalty shot over the shoulder of Maryland goalie Ashleigh Jobson (Sr., Annapolis, Md./Severn School) with 48 seconds left on the clock to put the Wolverines in front 7-5 through 24 minutes of play.

The fourth period was all Hyrne who opened the frame with a natural goal at the 4:22 mark to hand Michigan an 8-5 lead. 

However, Maryland solved the Michigan defense over the next two and a half minutes with Simerly (4:16), and Stanicic (3:21, 2:27) rattling the cage with back-to-back-to-back shots to knot the game at 8-8.

Needing a comeback, the Wolverines received a shot inside the far post from Hyrne who beat Jobson with 1:58 to play for the game-winner.

In cage, Jobson finished with nine saves and Michigan's Brittany May (Sr., Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara) recorded 10 saves in the victorious effort.

Maryland will conclude its season tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. versus No. 19 Brown University in the third place game.

Michigan Goals: Leah Robertson (2); Julie Hyrne (2); Meagan Cobb (2); Cara Reitz; Lauren Orth; Sharayah Hernandez

Maryland Goals: Blaise Stanicic (3); Allison Beck (2); Shannon Simerly (2); Christine Goetsch

Saves: Michigan - Brittany May (10) ; Maryland - Ashleigh Jobson (9)

Ejections: Michigan - 9 ; Maryland -7

Sprints: Michigan - 2 (Kelsey Haley - 1st, Keller Felt - 2nd) ; Maryland- 2 (Elizabeth Hopkins - 3rd & 4th)

Brittany May makes a save for Michigan against Maryland