The Michigan field hockey team has now won nine out of their past 10 matches and appears confident heading into the final stages of the regular season. The Wolverines' performances against Miami (Ohio) and Iowa over the weekend gave them more to feel good about.

The 15th-ranked Wolverines (3-0 Big Ten, 9-5 overall) were led to victory in a gritty game against the RedHawks on Friday in Ann Arbor by freshman Rachael Mack whose two goals and one assist helped secure a 4-3 overtime victory in their first match of the weekend.

“As a team, we weren’t playing our best hockey, but we stuck together and we just kept working for each other,” Mack said after the game. “It’s those games that really pick us up as a team, and I think that’s what made us win the game today because we wanted it so much more.”

The game began inauspiciously for Michigan as a lapse in defense allowed for a scrappy goal for Miami at 15:01 in the first half.

Redshirt freshman goalie Haley Jones had been forced out to make a play coming from the RedHawks' attack, but the ball deflected off of her and to Miami's Emily Gruesser, who struck it in for the goal.

Michigan (3-0 Big Ten, 9-5 overall) responded and went on the offensive. Redshirt junior Katie Adams tied it back up for the Wolverines at 20:29 in the first half. The goal came off of a deflection from junior Byrn Bain’s strike outside the circle, and Adams was there to knock it in through the RedHawk defense.

Michigan added its second and third goals from freshman Michelle Roberts and Mark before the end of the half.

The second half was a different story, though. The Wolverines' failure to capitalize on opportunities, as well as spotty defense at times, allowed the Redhawks (8-5) to come back and tie the score up at three apiece.

In overtime, Michigan again had the majority of chances with four penalty corners but had trouble finishing. In the 85th minute, Mack slotted home the winner off of a cross from junior Jess Allen.

“(It's) disappointing but I’m happy that they continued to stay focused,” Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz said on Friday. “They played hard. I feel like the game is a lot rougher out there than it appears on the sideline, so I thought we played tough. We matched their grittiness today, which is important.”

In the second game of the weekend at Iowa yesterday, the Wolverines secured a tough 2-0 victory. Michigan was unable to get on the scoreboard in the first half while dictating play. The first goal occurred just after seven minutes into the second half from senior Meredith Way off of a penalty corner. The second goal was scored off of another penalty corner from redshirt junior Katie Adams to Way for her second goal of the game in the 53rd minute.

There were a number of opportunities in the second half, as Michigan dominated on the offensive end of the game, but the Wolverines were unable to add another as Iowa (3-9, 0-3) began to pressure late.

“It’s really important every team in the Big Ten is very competitive, and we’ll take every game that we can get,” Pankratz said Sunday. “We’ll take them one at a time and certainly playing here in Iowa City is very difficult. They’re a very disciplined team, they’re a good team and I couldn’t be more pleased by going home with a ‘W.’ ”

Since a rough start to the season that saw the team drop four of their first five matches, the team now appears to be gaining momentum at the right time.

“We’ve been training really well and from the beginning of season we’ve just gone upwards,” Mack said. “I think if we just keep training, things can only get better.”