Michigan field hockey beats Louisville in shootout, one win away from national championship
Michigan field hockey is one victory away from its first national championship since 2001, thanks to Katie Anderson’s final goal in the shootout Friday night in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, giving U-M a 2-1 win over Louisville.
Anderson’s spin past Louisville goalie Sam Minrath gave U-M a 4-3 edge in the penalty-shot shootout to decide the semifinal of the 2021 NCAA field hockey tournament after the Cardinals and Wolverines finished the first 60 minutes and overtime tied at 1-1. Anouk Veen scored the lone goal in regulation for Michigan in the 35th minute, assisted by Kathryn Peterson and Clare Brush.
HEADED TO THE 'SHIP!!! #NCAAFH #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/98P69HhDAl
— Michigan Field Hockey (@umichfldhockey) May 7, 2021
ON THE GRIDIRON: Michigan football co-DC Maurice Linguist headed to Buffalo
ON THE COURT: Why Michigan basketball shouldn't be counted out in 2021-22
The Wolverines will face No. 1 seed North Carolina — which shut out Iowa 3-0 in the day’s first semi — in the final on Sunday night, also at UNC’s home field. The Tar Heels are two-time defending champions, with wins over Maryland in 2018 and Princeton in 2019. (The 2020 tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.) The title game will air live on ESPNU at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Michigan, which qualified for the tournament by winning the Big Ten, advanced to Friday’s semifinal with a 2-0 win over Bucknell on May 2. The Wolverines faced fellow national semifinalist Iowa in the Big Ten semis on April 22 and shut out the Hawkeyes on their home field in Iowa City, 2-0.
Contact Ryan Ford at rford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @theford.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan field hockey to face North Carolina for national championship
