Throughout all of its success this season, the Michigan men’s lacrosse team rode on the backs of its calm and calculated offense. Yet, in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals, that production was nowhere to be found. 

In their 15-8 loss to the Blue Devils on Saturday, the Wolverines’ offense put forth what many would call an uncharacteristic performance. For the majority of the season, Michigan had been able to put up double-digit points against almost all of its opponents.

Against Duke, however, that was not the case. 

Instead, the formerly third-ranked team in the nation for shooting floundered in the face of the Blue Devils’ aggressive defense. 

“They did a good job scouting; they did a good job of changing up what they were doing, at least defensively,” senior midfielder Jacob Jackson said. “So, they were pretty well prepared, and we could see that.”  

However, what the Wolverines didn’t see coming was junior attacker Michael Boehm’s performance — or rather, lack thereof. 

Having shattered records, been awarded Most Valuable Player of the Big Ten Tournament and recently named an honorable All-American, Boehm successfully created a name for himself in the lacrosse world — a name that the Blue Devils knew. 

And so, each time Boehm gained possession of the ball, Duke defenders swarmed him. 

Yet, despite the mass of defenders that Boehm battled each time, he managed to still rocket six shots at the cage. Unfortunately for Boehm, none of those would hit the back of the net, leaving him unable to score a single goal against the Blue Devils. 

With one of their star players neutralized, the Wolverines would have to fight even harder to come out on top. 

Michigan increased its effort, totaling 38 shots from a multitude of players throughout the game. However, rarely any of them resulted in a goal. 

With just under two minutes left in the match, senior midfielder Michael Cosgrove dodged through Duke’s defense to create an open lane to score. Pivoting and hurling the ball, the Wolverines’ sideline watched anxiously, looking defeated as the ball sailed wide and missed the net. 

It was shots like these that left Michigan’s hope of a comeback in shambles. 

“We were getting contested shots early, which our aim wasn’t right, or we didn’t get all our mustard on it,” Michigan coach Kevin Conry said. “I think you have to give a lot of credit to Duke’s defense for putting us in those situations. And their goaltender, he played really, really well. We just weren’t as crisp as we could have been, and a lot of that had to do with Duke’s pressure.”

Indeed, it was evident that the Wolverines allowed pressure from the Blue Devils to get to them. 

Out of their 22 shots on goal, 14 were saved by Duke’s goalkeeper. Yet, many of the remainder of Michigan’s shots were taken prematurely — an unexpected move by its typically steady and purposeful offense — culminating in many high and wide shots. 

And so, weighed down by the pressure of Duke’s powerful and aggressive defense — and missing the vital contributions of key players — the Wolverines’ offense ultimately crumbled. And with an already tired defense, they were unable to make a comeback, ending their season. 

Michigan’s mighty offense helped the team’s reputation soar, propelling the Wolverines through the best season the program has ever seen. 

But in Michigan’s case, the Wolverines could only fly so far before they fell — and when their offense fell, it brought the whole team with it.

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It’s your classic underdog tale. 

The tortoise beats the hare, David takes down Goliath, and the No. 15 Michigan men’s lacrosse team upsets No. 6 Cornell. 

On Sunday, the Wolverines (10-6 overall) took on the Big Red (11-4) on their home field in Ithaca, NY, in what was Michigan’s first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. 

And, after a grueling back-and-forth game, the Wolverines emerged victorious in a 15-14 overtime win — a win no one expected. Lower-ranked, on an unfamiliar field and battling without one of their key players, sophomore attacker Ryan Cohen, the odds were stacked against Michigan. 

Yet, as it turns out, the Wolverines didn’t need anyone to believe in them so long as they believed in themselves. 

“The guys just have so much belief this year,” fifth-year midfielder Peter Thompson said. “… Michigan lacrosse has been down for so long that people count us out every time we step on the field. So, we felt like, ‘Why not us?’ The only guys that believe are in this room anyways.” 

And so, with unwavering self-confidence, the Wolverines played their brand of lacrosse. 

It was junior attacker Michael Boehm who struck first for Michigan, but the early lead was short-lived as the Big Red quickly fired back to tie the game. 

This back-and-forth characterized the remainder of the first quarter play as both teams battled for a lead. And, as the first fifteen minutes came to a close, the game was tied at four. 

As the teams continued to clash in the second period, the Wolverines started to struggle. With Cohen absent, their offense felt the pressure, struggling to score. Moreover, miscommunication on their defensive end created open lanes for Cornell to find scoring opportunities. With the minutes ticking down, Michigan was starting to fall behind — down 6-5 midway through the quarter. 

Luckily for the Wolverines, junior midfielder Isaac Aronson and senior midfielder Jake Bonomi rose to the occasion, filling the hole that Cohen had left. 

It was Aronson’s diving goal that erased the Big Red’s lead and Bonomi’s behind-the-back shot that put Michigan up, 7-6, heading into halftime. 

Despite being energized by the small lead, the Wolverines knew that they still had a long way to go.

“It’s easy to let the moment get ahead of you and lose sight of the fact that it’s a long game,” Thompson said. “We have a saying that we say all the time, ‘It’s a 60-minute game, 60 one-minute possessions’ … so, we try to be present. And we don’t get rattled easily.” 

As the third frame of the game began, Cornell put up an early goal to knot the game back up at seven. The following seven minutes of the period would be scoreless as both offenses struggled to evade the opposing team’s defense and goalkeeper. 

Familiar with high-stakes play, freshman goalie Hunter Taylor played a large role in combating the experienced and aggressive Big Red offense. His ability to remain calm and reset in the cage were key in the 16 goals that he stopped during the course of the game. 

“Hunter has the unique ability to live into big moments,” Michigan coach Kevin Conry said. “So he really thrived today, and you’d never realize that he was a freshman starting his first-ever playoff game.” 

Back on offense, it was the same duo — Bonomi and Aronson who stepped up to end the scoring drought for the Wolverines. Their two goals late in the third quarter gave Michigan a 9-7 advantage — the biggest lead of that game — heading into the final quarter. 

Even though the Wolverines had the lead, Cornell wasn’t ready to give up yet. The fight was far from over. 

And, as the final 15 minutes of the game began, the energy had shifted. Like fireworks, both teams were explosive, tearing through each other’s defense and netting goal after goal. The Big Red had come back with seven goals to Michigan’s five, tying the game at 14 with less than a minute left on the clock. 

The Wolverines’ sideline held their breath as Cornell gained possession of the ball with six seconds left in the fourth quarter. Just as the Big Red was closing in, Michigan defenders buckled down and prevented a goal — catapulting the game into overtime. 

Now, with sudden death at play, the pressure was on.

A quick shot by Cornell just six seconds into overtime, followed by a swift save by Taylor, had the Wolverines squirming. Gaining possession of the ball, though, Michigan called a timeout and drew up a plan. 

And so, just over a minute into sudden death, Thompson — waiting by the cage — caught a pass from graduate attacker Bryce Clay, pivoting and unleashing the ball into the net. With the goal, Thompson sent the Big Red home and the Wolverines to the quarterfinals. 

A forgotten team — now boasting its first-ever NCAA Tournament win — Michigan has beaten the odds and proven itself a successful underdog, all thanks to the Wolverines’ unfaltering belief in themselves.

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Searching for a way to score, junior attacker Michael Boehm zeroed in on a narrow but open path to the goal. Quickly seizing the opportunity, Boehm sprinted past No. 7 Maryland’s defenders to send the ball sailing into the back of the net. 

With this goal, Boehm was the first to strike in Saturday’s Big Ten Championship game — giving the No. 15 Michigan men’s lacrosse team an early lead that he only built upon as the matchup progressed. 

“It definitely felt good to kick a Big Ten Championship off with an opening goal,” Boehm said. “It got everybody to take a deep breath, but it could have been anyone. I think with the way that our offense was flowing, it ended up being me, but with the way our offense was flowing, somebody else would’ve also finished that.”

Throughout the tournament, Boehm has been a star player for the Wolverines, and Saturday was no different. The five goals he scored against Maryland brought his total to 10 goals and four assists over the course of the tournament — a performance that landed him the title of Big Ten Tournament Most Valuable Player.

Building off the momentum from that early goal, Boehm really found his groove in the second period, communicating effectively with his teammates to create scoring opportunities.

“Our number one purpose this year is continuing good relationships,” Boehm said. “I think those relationships have grown a ton, and I think that’s what has propelled us forward.” 

Those strong relationships shone through on Saturday, proving beneficial as the Michigan players were able to connect in crucial moments. 

One such instance occurred with 9:54 left in the second quarter. As senior attacker Josh Zawada sprinted around the net, his efforts at a goal were thwarted by the swarm of Terrapins defenders coming his way. 

Aware of the situation, Boehm had already outmaneuvered the defenders around him so that Zawada had a way to move the ball and create an opportunity. And, as soon as Zawada’s pass landed in his stick, Boehm pivoted and fired into the net, putting Michigan up 7-4. 

But Boehm wasn’t done yet. 

Just four seconds later, off a pass from junior face off taker Justin Wietfeldt, Boehm whipped another ball into the back of the net — earning a hat trick and tying the record for fastest consecutive goals in Big Ten Tournament history. 

Building off of this performance, Boehm went on to have an exceptional rest of the period, netting three of the Wolverines’ five total goals during the second quarter.

With the whole team working together seamlessly, Boehm shared some insight into what the mindset behind his and the team’s performance Saturday was: 

“We’ve had a win-or-go-home mentality the past few weeks here,” Boehm said. “But we are still in a win-or-go-home spot, so we will see who we are playing next and keep playing our best.”

And so, as the fourth quarter of the game approached, a confident Boehm made sure that Michigan would not be going home yet. 

In a striking display of agility — dodging opponents and making quick passes — the Wolverines’ defenders and midfielders were able to get the ball to the attack with 10 minutes left in the contest. 

Having already noticed Maryland’s positioning on defense, Boehm was poised and ready by the net, prepared to receive a pass and shoot before the Terrapins could reset by the goal. 

That pass came from graduate student Bryce Clay who, seeing Boehm wide open, caught the Maryland goalkeeper off guard by passing the ball to Boehm across the cage. Once he caught the pass, Boehm hurled it into the back of the net, scoring the final goal of the game and putting Michigan up 14-5. 

Boehm both started and ended the game that led the Wolverines to their first-ever Big Ten Championship win. Propelled by his standout performance, Michigan made history on Saturday — and awaits the opportunity to make history again in the NCAA Tournament.

And, as his newfound title suggests, Boehm has proved all season that he is — and will continue to be — one of Michigan’s most valuable players. 

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On Thursday, the Michigan men’s lacrosse team entered the Big Ten semifinals against Penn State with a chance to redeem themselves after a crushing fourth-quarter loss to the Nittany Lions during the regular season. The question was whether or not the Wolverines had improved enough after the first-round victory to pull off another win — this time against the top-seeded team.

Fortunately for Michigan, the answer was yes. 

On Thursday, the fifteenth-ranked Wolverines (8-6 overall, 2-3 Big Ten) upset No. 4 Penn State (9-4, 4-2), 17-15, in the semifinals of the Big Ten Championship. With this win, Michigan has advanced to the Big Ten Championship game for the first time in program history. 

“For this program, we’ve been systematically building this thing for 12 years off of the foundation that Coach Paul put out there,” Michigan coach Kevin Conry said. “I’m really proud of the way that these guys have taken ownership of this team. And now, we have an argument here. We’re still alive, and we’re competing for a Big Ten Championship, and we’re in the conversation for that large count.”

Indeed, the Wolverines have lived to play another lacrosse game. But, at the start of the match, their future was uncertain. 

In the first quarter, the evenly-matched teams battled as each goal scored by the Nittany Lions was quickly answered by Michigan. While the Wolverines consistently trailed by a lone point for the majority of the period, a quick goal by sophomore midfielder Emmett Houlihan in the final seconds of the quarter would tie the teams at five.

In spite of being tied, junior goalie Shane Carr’s lackluster performance — with only one save — foreshadowed the trouble that would soon ensue. 

Penn State immediately brought the heat, scoring a goal less than two minutes into the start of the second quarter. While the Michigan offense did manage to net three goals that period amidst the wall of Nittany Lions defenders, its defense struggled to fend off Penn State’s aggressive offense.

Using their speed and clever footwork, the Nittany Lions’ offense poked holes in the Wolverines’ defense that allowed them opportunities to score. As they sprinted towards the goal and unleashed ball after ball, Carr was struggling to block the shots. While he made four saves, he was unable to block the other five, putting Penn State up 10-8 at the half. 

As they emerged from the locker room, Michigan made noticeable changes. While they had a newfound sense of energy, they also had a new goalie — freshman Hunter Taylor. 

“It was extremely difficult,” Conry said. “We pulled Shane out, and just kind of talked to him, and we made a decision together. It showed how mature and selfless he is to say, ‘I could battle back, but I think Hunter would give us the best chance at winning.’” 

So, with Taylor in the goal, the Wolverines once again aimed for victory. 

Looking to score immediately, senior attacker Kevin Pimental sprinted towards the goal as senior attacker Josh Zawada simultaneously lured the defense away, creating an opening. Zawada quickly passed the ball to Pimental, who, as soon as the ball was secure in his stick, pivoted and hurled the ball into the back of the net. 

This goal was big for Michigan not only because it kickstarted the Wolverines’ momentum for the quarter, but also in the sense that — with his assist — Zawada became the first player in program history to total 200 points in their career. 

Building off this, the Wolverines went on a 5-0 run, erasing the Nittany Lions’ lead. While Penn State’s offense fought hard to answer these goals, the Wolverines’ defense had buckled down, successfully fending off the attackers. What shots that the Nittany Lions were able to take were blocked by Taylor, who totaled four saves during the period. 

And, as the final 15 minutes of the game approached, Michigan had the lead, 14-11. 

“I think it was just kind of taking a deep breath at half-time and recommitting to doing all of the things that we talk about and take pride in,” junior attacker Michael Boehm said. “So, I don’t think anything about our game plan changed, but just our mindset.” 

The Wolverines’ dedication to playing their brand of lacrosse paid off as the game neared its end. 

Despite Penn State’s 3-0 run in the final minutes of the game, Michigan remained in the lead as the buzzer sounded. 

But even with this historic win, the Wolverines have made one thing clear; the job is not done. They want the championship, and their performance during this game has finally put it within arms reach. 

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Using his quick footwork to evade the Ohio State defender, sophomore attacker Ryan Cohen darted into an opening to receive a pass from senior attacker Josh Zawada. As soon as the ball was secure in his stick, he pivoted and hurled it into the net, topping off a 6-0 run. 

On Saturday, the No. 14 Michigan men’s lacrosse team (7-6 overall, 2-3 Big Ten) put forth a decisive team effort against the Buckeyes (5-9, 1-4) at home to secure a 14-10 victory in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Championship. Fueled by variety in their offense, the Wolverines powered through the Buckeyes to advance to the Big Ten Semifinals. 

A significant win considering they’ve only advanced beyond the quarterfinals one other time in program history.

“Offensively, we were clicking in the first half, and defense really stepped it up in the second half,” fifth-year midfielder Peter Thompson said. “The face off guys last week were phenomenal and kept it up this week. So, I think in every facet of the game, we tried to take control, and we did; it was a well-rounded win. ”

While Michigan’s offense had an electric first half, the game started differently. 

Initially, the Wolverines struggled to grapple with the Buckeyes’ fast and aggressive offense. Using their speed to catch Michigan off guard, Ohio State quickly scored two goals in the first quarter, taking the lead from Michigan, 3-2. 

In spite of being down, the Wolverines remained level-headed, adjusting their strategy to match the fired-up Buckeyes. 

“It’s a 60-minute game,” Thompson said. “Whatever happens in the first 10-15 minutes isn’t going to dictate what happens at the end of the game. So, that’s helped us be able to swallow whatever is thrown at us.”

Resetting, Michigan worked to move the ball through the wall of Ohio State defenders. 

Building off a 4-0 run at the end of the first quarter in which Cohen became the ninth player in program history to mark 100 points in their career, Michigan started the second period strongly, netting two more goals to make it a 6-0 run. With 8:30 left in the quarter, Ohio State ended the Wolverines’ run. And, while the Buckeyes scored two more goals, Michigan added three more in quick succession, making the score 11-8 heading into halftime. 

“Honestly, and I give Coach Conry and the rest of the staff a lot of credit, they kind of treated the game last week like a loss,” Thompson said. “Coach Conry was honest all week, just drilling it into us that these guys are going to come ready to play, and it’s our biggest rival.”

As shown in the first half, the Wolverines’ preparation paid dividends. The 11 goals Michigan scored came from seven different players, showcasing the depth and variety that lie within the team. 

As they emerged from halftime, both teams were filled with energy; the Wolverines were eager for a win, and Ohio State was prepared to make a comeback. 

The third period was a defensive showdown between the two teams. The tight and aggressive man-to-man defense played by each side overwhelmed their respective offenses.

At the end of the third quarter, Michigan’s goalie, junior Shane Carr, tallied 12 saves while the Buckeyes’ goalie amassed seven. 

Complementing the strong performance from Carr, Michigan netted two more goals in the final period, bringing the score to 14-8. While Ohio State answered each of those goals, the Wolverines’ lead was already cemented. 

Despite its victory, Michigan already had its sights on the semifinals against Penn State. 

“On Monday, we’re going to take a hard look at when we played Penn State three weeks ago and see what made us successful early on in the game and why we let it slip away from us,” Michigan coach Kevin Conry said. “It’s going to be a lot about how we are able to be the best versions of ourselves.” 

An entire season of ups and downs has left the Wolverines fighting for their lives, and if they continue to play as they did on Saturday, they just might survive.

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With 52 seconds left in the game, the Michigan men’s lacrosse team’s junior attacker Michael Boehm sprinted around the defenders, zeroing in on an opening in Ohio State’s formation. The crowd erupted in cheers as he netted his eighth goal of the game — shattering both his career record and the program’s single-game goal record — securing the win for the Wolverines. 

“It feels great,” Boehm said. “But, I think that it’s just a tribute to everyone else doing their jobs. A lot of the time, I was just the person at the end of the rainbow who finished the ball. We talked about finishing all week, and I was lucky enough to do that today.”

Indeed, finishing has proved to be a persistent problem for Michigan all season. Especially when playing Penn State last weekend, the Wolverines’ inability to finish in the final quarter cost them the game. There, Michigan’s offense especially struggled, taking seven shots on the goal and netting none. 

Boehm was noticeably disappointed by the loss, stating that working on finishing the game strong was a “huge emphasis this week.”

That drive to do better paid off during Friday’s game, as Boehm was a key force in the offensive push that propelled Michigan to victory against the Buckeyes. 

At the start of the game, Boehm exhibited some of his skills by feeding the ball to his teammates, helping move the offense around the field and wrestling with Ohio State defenders for the ball. It wasn’t until the end of the first quarter that he would net his first goal of the game, a goal that gave him and the Wolverines the necessary momentum. 

In the second quarter, both teams had started to pick up the pace, with the Buckeyes beginning to narrow the gap, 5-4. But, Michigan would soon score as, cutting around the defenders, Boehm dove and released a clean shot that sailed into the back of the net. Not only did this goal end the Wolverines’ ten-minute scoring drought, but it also earned Boehm a hat trick. 

“I don’t think there’s too much thinking, just playing lacrosse and having fun with it,” Boehm said. “I have all the belief and faith in the world in these guys. No matter who we’re lined up against, it’s always about the block M and the guys in that locker room.”

The third quarter of the game was electric for Michigan as they netted ten goals and pulled away from Ohio State, taking a 17-9 lead. Five different players scored the 10 goals, but four of them alone were put up by one player — Michael Boehm. While his agility and skill set played a monumental role in these goals, so did his motivation which stems from his team. 

“We have such a deep care for ourselves and growing our relationships with each other, and I think that’s what binds us,” Boehm said. “And obviously, that starts with the seniors and the leaders; they’ve done a great job all year, and I think going out and doing that for them after all they’ve given our program was huge.”

Using that energy from senior week, Boehm and the rest of the team powered through and played a full 60 minutes, something that wasn’t accomplished often for the Wolverines this season. 

Boehm’s performance on Sunday helped Michigan to create the dominant offense needed to lead it to success. If his performance on Friday and throughout the season are any indication, it seems he is prepared to fill the shoes of the seniors that he and the rest of the team look up to. 

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Instead of collecting points in the final quarter of the game against No. 5 Penn State, the No. 16 Michigan men’s lacrosse team defenders collected penalties. 

As the Wolverines entered the final period of the game with a three-point lead, Michigan was optimistic about a win. But its hopes were dashed as its defense tripped and fell into the penalty box, ending their chances of holding onto the lead.

“We were in the penalty box too much,” Michigan coach Kevin Conry said. “I thought it was a little ticky-tacky in that type of game and that type of environment, but we went to the box, and we couldn’t stop them.”

Indeed, taken aback by Penn State’s rapid change of pace, the Wolverines became more desperate as the Nittany Lions began to close the gap. Egged on by frustration, Michigan abandoned its brand of lacrosse and looked frenzied as it attempted to match pace. In its struggle, defenders grew sloppy and aggressive, giving way for the Nittany Lions to seize the lead. 

Despite their performance in the final minutes of the game, the Wolverines’ defenders were able to function as an effective unit for the prior three periods.  For many other teams, such a solid performance for the majority of the game would point to a victory. 

Yet for Michigan, it’s been anything but. This season, the Wolverines lost games in the final moments against both No. 11 Rutgers and then-No. 8 Johns Hopkins. 

So, despite leading 9-6, at the close of the third quarter, the game was far from over for Michigan. With 15 minutes left on the clock, it entered the most dangerous period of the game. 

As the Nittany Lions took the field, it was clear that their strategy had shifted. They saw that the Wolverines’ defense was tiring and their offense crumbling. Penn State’s offense capitalized on the gaps they created by hurtling through the exhausted defenders, netting a goal less than a minute into the final quarter. While this closed the gap to two points, Michigan was still in the lead. 

Its downfall truly started with a penalty on freshman defender Jimmy Pisani for unnecessary roughness. Putting the Nittany Lions on the man-up opportunity, they were able to overwhelm the already fatigued defenders — pulling within one.  

Alarmed, the defense deviated from the calculated game of lacrosse they had been playing before. They were careless, receiving three more penalties that quarter to give Penn State more man-up opportunities. 

On the third penalty of the quarter, with senior defender Ryan Schriber called for withholding the ball, the Nittany Lions used their extra man advantage to tie the game. 

And with their lead suddenly erased, the Wolverines grew more frantic than ever. As the offense failed to maintain possession of the ball, the pressure weighed heavily on their drained defenders, who were unable to bounce back. 

So as the buzzer sounded, the Penn State sideline stormed the field to celebrate their 11-9 win over Michigan — a win powered by the Wolverines’ costly penalties.  

With this grueling loss, Michigan was unable to break the pattern, once again losing the match through their inability to execute in the game’s final minutes. And, like before, the Wolverines have vowed that this is not the end for them. 

“We are a caged animal that is about to be set free,” Conry said. “And, we are foaming at the mouth to get back at it.” 

But in spite of this promise of a comeback, time and time again, Michigan’s lopsided reliance on its special teams has failed them in the most crucial moments of the game. 

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Members of the Michigan men’s lacrosse team looked on from the sidelines in overtime, tensing as Rutgers midfielder Justin Kim executed a perfect pick that prevented junior defender Jack Whitney from blocking incoming Scarlet Knight Shane Knobloch. With this move, Knobloch sprinted toward the goal, hurling the ball into the back of the net and sealing the deal. 

On Friday, No. 15 Michigan (5-5 overall, 1-2 Big Ten) was in high spirits coming off of a win against then No. 2 Maryland. However, its momentum was not enough as they fell to No. 11 Rutgers (8-3, 1-2), 13-12, after a late-game push fell flat. 

“It really came down to the end,” Michigan coach Kevin Conry said. “In my opinion, Ethan Rall is the best pole in the conference, and he came up with a huge ground ball for Rutgers, got it down, and they were able to call a time-out and draw something up. Big-time players make big-time plays in those kinds of situations. I’m not saying we don’t have that, it’s just sometimes it falls to some of those guys who have had that final four experience under their belts.” 

While the Scarlet Knights didn’t win the National Championship last year, they made it to the final four, allowing most of the players on their roster to gain valuable experience. With such, Rutgers is well-equipped to strategize and execute effective plays in big games such as Friday’s. 

Nonetheless, the Wolverines fought hard in a game characterized by their ability to close the distance that Rutgers steadily created throughout the game. 

In the beginning of the first quarter, Rutgers netted two quick goals, using its speed to create scoring opportunities. 

But, capitalizing off a pick from graduate student attacker Bryce Clay, junior attacker Michael Boehm gave the Wolverines their first goal of the game with 9:21 left in the first quarter. Both teams netted one more goal, ending the first 15 minutes of the game with the Scarlet Knights in the lead, 3-2. 

Even with only one-quarter complete, it was clear that the game would be close. Hungry to win and armed with the skillset to do so, both Michigan and Rutgers alike were prepared to fight for victory. 

The Wolverines started off the second quarter strong, scoring two goals in the first five minutes, which put them up by one. But, this lead was short-lived as the Scarlet Knights answered both of those goals, heading into halftime with a 5-4 lead. Michigan’s success wouldn’t remain, though. 

The two scores that the Wolverines netted in the third quarter were their only goals for the next 20 minutes of the game. Rutgers’ quick offense, aggressive defense and ability to win faceoffs — taking seven of eleven to that point— combined to successfully overwhelm Michigan. 

“They did a great job of getting to our hands – being physical – and it took us out of rhythm,” Conry said. “It forced us to rush some early possessions, and I think when we review the tape, we’re going to be pretty disappointed at our use of the shot clock.” 

Indeed, what little possession Michigan was able to gain was quickly lost as the Scarlet Knights forced multiple turnovers. Moreover, Rutgers’ solid defense put a lot of pressure on the Wolverines’ offense, leading to many rushed, unprecise shots. 

As Michigan entered into the third quarter of the game, the Scarlet Knights continued to dominate. Taking advantage of faceoff wins and using fast passes to score, Rutgers put up four more goals, contributing to its 6-0 run and 9-4 lead. 

However, sprinting toward the goal, sophomore attacker Ryan Cohen was able to get his defender to overcommit, creating an opening for him to score. He seized this moment, hurling the ball into the back of the net and ending the Wolverines’ 20 minute scoring drought.

Building off this, sophomore midfielder Aidan Mulholland and senior midfielder Jacob Jackson scored two more goals, helping close the gap. Additionally, Boehm scored again in the quarter, earning him a hat trick and contributing to Michigan’s 4-0 run. Finally in striking distance, the Wolverines were able to finish the third quarter only trailing by one. 

Entering the fourth quarter, it was anyone’s game, and the teams knew it. For every goal that the Scarlet Knights put up, Michigan was quick to answer. It came down to the goalies, with junior Shane Carr making 14 saves for the Wolverines. 

In the final four minutes of the quarter, Michigan was down 12-11. But, catching the feed from senior attacker Josh Zawada, Boehm whipped the ball into the net, tying the game and sending the game into overtime.

It was 38 seconds into that overtime that the Wolverines lost the game, as a result of the clever pick placed by Rutgers. 

In spite of being on the cusp of success, Michigan was never able to get its foot in the door to actually secure a victory. 

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As the buzzer sounded, the Michigan men’s lacrosse team erupted off the sideline, storming the field to celebrate their historic performance against No. 2 Maryland. 

On Saturday, the Wolverines (5-4 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) faced the Terrapins (6-3, 1-1) and pulled off an upset, 16-11. This historic win was monumental for the team, marking their first-ever win against Maryland in program history — and their first Big Ten win against a top-five ranked team ever. 

“It feels amazing,” senior attacker Josh Zawada said. “I think it was a massive step for our program, and we kind of got over that edge of finishing those games. I know we played the number one team in the first game of the year and ended up losing by four goals, but we were always in that game and just couldn’t finish it out. So, I think this was a massive step for us because they were the number two team, and we finally closed it out and played a full 60 minutes.”

That full 60 minutes began in the first quarter with the Wolverines starting strong. While the Terrapins scored first, junior attacker Michael Boehm quickly answered, tying the game at one apiece. Maryland scored one more time in the first period before Michigan went on a 5-0 run, finishing the frame with a 6-2 advantage.

However, going into the second quarter, the Terrapins showed signs of a comeback — they were the second-ranked team in the country, after all. 

When Maryland’s offense looped behind the goal and around to the other side to shoot, the Wolverines’ defenders were slow to follow, leaving them open to score. Quickly taking advantage, the Terrapins began to close the gap by capitalizing on those unguarded moments. Heading into halftime, Maryland was only trailing by one point.

But one point was the closest that the Terrapins got to Michigan for the remainder of the game. Through the toughness of their defenders, versatility within their offense and ability to function as a team, the Wolverines only widened the gap.

And that gap only grew as Michigan had a powerful start to the third quarter. Weaving around the defense, senior midfielder Jacob Jackson caught a feed from Boehm and hurled the ball into the back of the net. Less than a minute later, fifth-year midfielder Peter Thompson netted another goal for Michigan before Jackson scored again 30 seconds later. 

These three rapid goals in the first 90 seconds of the quarter propelled Michigan to an early 10-6 lead. Maryland noticeably tightened its defense, making it harder for the Wolverines to find shooting angles; nonetheless, Michigan was undeterred. As the final quarter of the game approached, it led 11-8. And, of those first 11 goals, 6 came from seniors on the team. 

“We sat down with all the seniors on Monday and went through what was going on and how we struggled through games,” Zawada said. “I think it just starts with us and attention to detail from our seniors. It kind of goes through the entire team once the seniors are doing everything right. So, if we have that attention to detail that flows through the entire team, we’ll have success.”

Entering the final 15 minutes of the game, the Wolverines knew it would be close. The Michigan bench and the Terrapin fans alike were buzzing with excitement as the prospect of a win for either team was likely. However, Maryland fans soon became worried as their defense deteriorated, leaving the Wolverines wide open. Unguarded and armed with a powerful shot, Michigan’s offense netted five more goals to the Terrapins’ three, sealing the deal. 

Energized by the win, Michigan is feeding off its newfound confidence and momentum.

“I think it’s all confidence now,” Zawada said. “We’ve seen that once we play a full 60 minutes of our lacrosse and have a good week of practice, we can compete with any team in the country. We’re going to use this game to kind of build up confidence for us and lead it game by game into these next couple of games and get those wins.”

Michigan’s win against Maryland was historic for both the team and the program. As the Wolverines continue on to the remainder of their Big Ten games, they will need to continue playing the brand of lacrosse that led them to victory on Saturday. 

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Senior attacker Josh Zawada sprinted down the field, locating a gap in the Johns Hopkins defense and hurling the ball into the back of the net. With that move, he gave the Michigan men’s lacrosse team a 7-6 lead with 13:45 left in the third quarter. Less than a minute later, though, Blue Jays attacker Garrett Degnon plowed through the Wolverines’ defenders to answer Zawada’s goal, tying the game at seven. 

This back-and-forth action characterized Michigan’s game against No. 8 Johns Hopkins for three of the four quarters played on Saturday.

However, things changed for the Wolverines in a grueling final quarter in which they were unable to function as a team, ultimately losing the game. 

Optimistic about the chance of a win, Michigan and its fans were buzzing with excitement entering the final quarter of the game. The crowd’s stomping and cheering energized the players for what fans hoped would be a tense match that would end in celebration for the Wolverines.

Instead, they were left with disappointment. 

Two minutes and eight seconds into the fourth quarter, Michigan failed to clear the ball, causing a turnover and allowing the Blue Jays’ offense to take over. While the Wolverines’ defenders formed a solid barrier between the opposing offense and the goal, Johns Hopkins sliced through them and scored. 

“We went 12-19 in the clearing,” Michigan coach Kevin Conry said. “Every second chance opportunity that we gave them, Hopkins scored.” 

Clearing the ball was an evident struggle for Michigan during the matchup, but in the first three quarters, the Wolverines’ powerful defense masked their mistakes. 

“I think we were a little bit pissed off after Notre Dame,” graduate attacker Bryce Clay said about the defensive improvements in the first three quarters. “So, we got after each other a little bit in practice this week.”

Successfully able to mend the holes that Notre Dame created, the Wolverines’ defenders proved a force to be reckoned with early against Johns Hopkins. Their defensive pressure led to the Blue Jays running out of time on the shot clock seven times during the game. 

But, when the defense deteriorated in the final quarter and couldn’t combat the offensive mishaps, Michigan lost its grip on the game. 

Capitalizing on the dysfunction, Johns Hopkins netted five more goals in the fourth quarter alone. With 4:34 left in the game, they were up 15-10. 

Frustration evident, Michigan scrambled to regroup and attempt a comeback, but time continued to pass by as it remained without a goal. Finally, fifth-year midfielder Peter Thompson successfully evaded the Blue Jay defenders and scored Michigan’s final goal of the game. 

But that goal proved futile, and as the clock reached zero, Johns Hopkins erupted in cheers alongside the dejected Wolverines. 

Despite a promising start, Michigan’s hope of winning its first Big Ten game was dashed in the final 15 minutes of the game. As its defense crumbled, it could no longer cover up all the prior mistakes made in the first three quarters, ultimately costing them the victory.

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