Detroit may not be the Michigan men’s lacrosse team’s biggest rival, but that didn’t stop the Wolverines from bringing loads of intensity into Saturday’s matchup.
Sophomore attacker Ian King led Michigan in scoring, setting a program record with six goals in the game. King’s efforts, combined with strong defense in the second half, were enough for the Wolverines to earn a 15-6 victory and move to 2-0 for the first time in program history.
No one was happier to see King score than Michigan coach John Paul, who gave the attacker grief after going scoreless against Bellarmine.
“I knew King was going to get his goals,” Paul said. “Last week was kind of an anomaly. I thought he played a smart game too and didn’t take any bad shots or make any mistakes.”
King’s fellow starting attackers, seniors David McCormack and Will Meter, also found the back of the net. Sophomore midfielder Mikie Schlosser followed a four-goal outing against Bellarmine last week with two more as Michigan’s offense had no trouble figuring out the Titan’s defense.
“We just cut out and got open,” said redshirt junior midfielder David Joseph. “When (Detroit) pressed out, we used it to our advantage. That opened up our attack for easy goals and finishes.”
The Wolverines jumped out to an early 5-1 lead thanks to junior faceoff man Brad Lott’s perfect seven-for-seven first-quarter performance.
Lott faced two different Detroit players, but regardless of the challenger, he was able to get the job done. Lott’s dominance in the faceoff circle led to Michigan’s complete control of possession and allowed its offense to settle in.
“The first period’s big because you want to get into a rhythm,” Lott said. “As a unit we were getting together and figuring out everything we needed to do, so no matter who we faced, we were getting it done.”
While the Wolverines’ attack continued to cruise in the second half, Michigan’s defense stepped up to shut down any hopes of a Titan comeback. The Wolverines would continue to maintain possession throughout the period.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Gerald Logan earned six saves en route to giving up only one second-half goal.
“(Logan) was seeing the ball better in the second half,” Paul said. “Our offense was getting long possessions. (Detroit) really didn’t have the ball that much. That’s defense, through having a great offense.”
Paul believes the Wolverines’ performance against the Titans was one of the most balanced he has ever seen. Michigan outshot Detroit 52-28, and Paul credited the margin to playing mistake-free lacrosse.
Not only was Michigan pleased with the result on the field, but also for what the victory means off the field too. Ever since the Titans took Michigan to overtime last year, many players have taken the in-state matchup personally.
“So much for us right now is about confidence,” Paul said. “We’re coming out of these first two games pretty confident. When we have a team that hasn’t really proven anything yet, confidence is the step you need to start actually proving it.”