With freshman forward Rachael Mack’s history of late-game heroics this season for the Michigan field hockey team, the only person capable of topping her performances seems to be, well, Rachael Mack.

After scoring the game-tying goal for the 11th-ranked Wolverines in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals Thursday against Penn State, Mack notched the game-winning goal in overtime that sent Michigan to the finals. She followed that up with the game-winning goal in the finals to lift the Wolverines to a 2-1 victory and the Big Ten Tournament title over No. 5 Ohio State on Sunday.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Mack said Sunday, after being named Tournament MVP. “Just to be part of such a great team experience is just amazing.”

Mack’s goal against Ohio State (5-1 Big Ten, 16-4 overall) came in the 41st minute when redshirt junior Katie Adams stole the ball near the goal and sent a pass to a cutting Mack on the near post, who deflected it into the net.

“Oh my goodness, the game-winning goal was outstanding,” Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz said through the Athletic Department. “Katie … made a beautiful reverse stick pass across the ‘D’ and Rachael just got her stick on it and really went hard to the ball so it was a wonderful game winning goal.”

Michigan’s defense, led by junior Hannah Dawson and seniors Meredith Way and Paige Laytos, stepped up as the team clung to a one-goal lead for the remaining 29 minutes amid a Buckeye onslaught.

Redshirt junior goalkeeper Christi Barwick recorded only one save on the day, but it was a vital one. After the ball leaked through the Wolverine defense with seven minutes remaining, Barwick denied Ohio State senior Aisling McKeon a game-tying goal with a diving stick save.

“Ohio State, they’re a fantastic team,” Pankratz said. “Their individual skill sets are amazing and so we were just trying really hard to stay in front, play good defense, and it took one, two, three, maybe sometimes four of us to do it but we got it done today.”

The defense was tasked with holding on for most of the game after senior Alicia Mayer gave Michigan (5-1, 15-6) an early lead when she deflected senior Zara Saydjari’s shot into the goal in the 12th minute. Buckeye senior Jena Cacciatore later knotted the match at 1-1 with a goal in the 25th minute.

As the final seconds expired, the Wolverines on the bench cleared out to embrace their teammates on the field.

Against Penn State, the team found itself in a familiar situation: tied 3-3 in overtime. Each of the previous four times it had gone into overtime, Michigan emerged with a 4-3 victory. Mack’s goal four minutes into the extra frame ensured that the trend continued.

“We went into the tent, it was 3-3 and it was, ‘OK, it’s just fate, it’s ours,’” Pankratz said. “(The team) felt confident about it and came out with a smile on their face.”

Mack scored the first goal of the game in addition to the final two. Senior Vanessa Sekhon accounted for Michigan’s second goal in the 46th minute to tie the game. Mack picked up the assist. Freshman Michelle Roberts and Laytos also recorded assists on the day.

The Wolverines will find out their seeding in the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday during the NCAA Selection Show at 8 p.m. Until then, they can enjoy their victory.

“The atmosphere right now – everyone’s just screaming and shouting and smiling … it feels absolutely amazing,” Mack said.