The Michigan women’s lacrosse team traveled to Piscataway on Thursday night to face off against Rutgers.
The Wolverines (1-4 Big Ten, 5-10 overall) lost, 9-8 after a last-second overtime goal by the Scarlet Knights (1-3, 7-8). Even as Rutgers took 35 shots to Michigan’s 22, the game was decided by only one point.
Less than a minute into the game, fifth-year senior Bianca Brueckner, scored the first goal assisted by freshman Caitlin Muir. This signaled that the Wolverines were looking to play an aggressive game, but Rutgers was doing the same.
The hard-fought nature of the game was exhibited by the fact that neither team led by more than one goal, except for one occasion. The teams ping-ponged back and forth throughout the game and were tied 4-4 at halftime.
Every time Michigan seemed to get momentum with a small lead, the Scarlet Knights found an answer. The intensity built as time went on, and neither team had a clear path to victory.
In their brief moment of separation, it seemed like Rutgers would pull away late in the third.
The Wolverines, with 16 turnovers to the Scarlet Knight’s six, were a bit mismatched, but somewhat compensated for that with 15 saves.
Four of the Wolverines’ goals came from Brueckner.
The fifth-year senior has scored at least one goal in each of the games she has played this season. Brueckner is the only player on the Michigan team with that achievement this season.
Freshman Maggie Kane had two goals. Sophomores Chandler Kirby and Molly Garrett had one goal each. Ultimately, though, the Wolverines’ efforts weren’t enough.
With the loss in this game, it is unlikely that Michigan will compete in Big Ten Championships as only the top four teams will compete. With the championships slated to take place in Ann Arbor, it appears the Wolverines won’t get the chance to play in front of their home crowd.