Inspired by an article from the Boston Globe, the Sports section presents this series on our favorite memories as Daily sportswriters. We continue with this article from Daily Sports Writer Teddy Gutkin.
“It almost didn’t feel real to know that my college career was over,” Lasker said. “Just like that.”
It wasn’t just hearing the news in that moment that made Lasker so emotional. It was a lifetime of gymnastics that came screeching to an end.
As sophomore outside hitter Paige Jones spiked a kill into the middle of the court, Michigan (18-7 overall, 11-4 Big Ten), won the third set, 25-18, to secure a sweep over the Hawkeyes (9-17, 3-12) and extend its win streak to five.
Crocker rifled a spike down the right line and it careened out of bounds following a last-ditch effort by the Fighting Illini to set up a scoring chance. The kill, one of Crocker’s 12 on the night, proved to be the deciding blow in securing Michigan (17-10 overall, 10-4 Big Ten) a massive victory over Illinois (12-11, 7-7).
In any soccer match, the outcome would be expected to fall to the team that took twice as many shots as its opponent.
On Thursday night, though, the No. 16 Michigan women’s soccer team (13-4-1) found itself on the wrong side of a 1-0 loss to No. 21 Rutgers (14-2-2) despite outshooting the Scarlet Knights, 14-7. The game’s only score came in the 43rd minute, when Rutgers forward Nneka Moneme netted a goal from the right side.
“Sometimes you can be a little unlucky and one thing changes in a snapshot,” sophomore midfielder Raliegh Loughman said.
On the next play, the freshman opposite would once again secure a service ace, forcing the Fighting Irish (7-3) to call a timeout and giving the Michigan volleyball team (7-3) early momentum in a game that it was in a breezy 3-1 victory.
That hope quickly faded as the shot barely landed in bounds, earning the Fighting Irish (7-2) a 15-13 win in the set and a 3-2 win overall — sending Michigan (6-3) home without a victory despite holding a 2-1 set lead early on.
After losing two of its last three games, the No. 24 Michigan volleyball team (6-2) looked to right the ship on Friday against Navy (4-4), a feat it would accomplish after battling through three close sets.
From the outset, things didn’t look good for the Wolverines.
A matchup against the nation’s No. 1 team in Penn State (3-0 Big Ten, 10-1 overall), proved to be too much for the Wolverines (0-3, 3-8), as they dropped their seventh game in a row in a 17-7 defeat.
When the No. 7 Michigan women’s lacrosse team (3-1 Big Ten, 13-0 overall) left town, Maryland stood alone atop the conference. The Wolverines fell 14-3 to the second-ranked Terrapins (4-0, 14-0), dropping their first game of the season and snapping a 15-game winning streak dating back to last year’s campaign.