Though it was senior captain Meredith Way's overtime goal that ultimately won the game for the Wolverines, it was her teammate Bryn Bain's stick-handling abilities around the goal and in the clutch that gave her the opportunity.

With the score tied at three late in sudden-death overtime, the junior took control of the ball on the right side of the opposing goal, moved into the circle, spun left past a defender in front of the goal and drew a penalty.

Bain’s dazzling play sparked a chain of events that ultimately led to the Michigan field hockey team’s 4-3 comeback win over No. 14 James Madison on Friday, its first of the season. The Wolverines also added their second win in a 4-0 match against Central Michigan on Sunday.

“Bryn is really a strong player in possession,” Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz said. “She came into the circle, stayed poised and kept possession of the ball to try to create and be dangerous and she’s very dangerous when she has it. It was nice to see her step up and carry the team then and set up the corner.”

The Wolverines (2-4) would eventually capitalize on the corner opportunity — but only after two misses, two more fouls and two more penalty corners in quick succession.

Freshman Rachael Mack — having scored her first two career goals earlier in the game on penalty corners — called her own number once again, but this time came up short.

But on the third attempt, Mack passed up the shot in favor of Way, who nailed the game winner from the top of the circle.

“It’s really exciting, it’s my senior year home opener, we’re all tired, it’s overtime, I played the whole game and it’s like ‘Just go in,’ ” Way said after Friday’s games. “There was nobody on (me) so I could even have taken it in a few more steps and had a point-blank shot from the middle of the circle. It just feels so good.”

The story of persistent failure followed ultimately by triumph was one told throughout the day.

Michigan quickly fell behind 0-3 in the first half as the Dukes (2-3) went a perfect 3-for-3 in their first-half penalty corner opportunities. In the same period, the Wolverines went 0-for-4.

“We kind of had our halftime talk — it was one of those halftime talks that aren’t as fun,” Way said. “We definitely knew that we weren’t playing to our ability. … We just needed that first goal to get us going.”

In the second half, Michigan rebounded, capitalizing on those chances that eluded them in the first — scoring all three goals in the first 15 minutes to tie the score up before overtime.

Sunday's matchup against the Chippewas (1-3) saw some of the same offensive woes for the Wolverines early.

Michigan missed its first six penalty corners, including all five in the first half. But the offense opened up once again after halftime, scoring four goals — two off of penalty corners.

“One of our goals this game was to put together 70 minutes,” Way said after Sunday’s game. “That’s definitely been one of our biggest problems, to put together a whole game.”

The defense also showed up big against Central Michigan, as redshirt freshman goalkeeper Haley Jones made her first career start, posting a shutout.

But the Chippewa offense was far from pestering, as the Michigan defense held Central Michigan to just seven shots overall and two shots on goals for the game.

The Wolverines look to carry their momentum forward into next weekend against Albany and Quinnipiac in Ann Arbor.