Ann Arbor, Mich. – The #1 ranked University of Michigan Men's Lacrosse team remained perfect on the season with a 14-11 win over #4 Brigham Young University on Saturday night (March 28) in Ann Arbor, Michigan at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse. 754 fans packed in to witness another classic game between the two rivals, with the Maize and Blue holding on down the stretch for their ninth win of the season and their fourth over a ranked opponent.

Sophomore attackman Trevor Yealy (Pittsburgh, Penn./Upper St. Claire) continued his solid play vs. the Cougars, notching four goals in the contest. In his two games last season vs. BYU, Yealy scored four goals each time; once in early March, and again in the MCLA semi-final round. Junior attackman Kevin Zorovich (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) and senior midfielder Anthony Hrusovsky (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) each added three goals of their own as Michigan's three-goal halftime lead held up in the end.

Michigan opened up the game with back-to-back goals from two unlikely sources this season, as junior midfielder Svet Tintchev (Rockville, MD./Bullis) scored on a dodge from the right wing, before sophomore long-stick midfielder Matt Asperheim (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids) bounced a shot from a similar spot as Michigan took a 2-0 lead.

After BYU answered back at 9:11, Senior captain Riley Kearns (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Brother Rice) scored on a scrum in front to help the Wolverines regain the two goal lead. Michigan extended the lead to 4-1 on a transition tally from senior attackman Peter Vasher (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer), who streaked down the right wing and fired high for the goal.

BYU scored next to cut the lead to 4-2 on a goal right out in front and almost had an opportunity with just seconds left in the first quarter, but sophomore defenseman Harrison Freid (Needham, Mass./Needham) threw a timely stick-check that forced a slow roller as Michigan took the two-goal lead into the second quarter.

Kevin Zorovich got the Wolverines on the board first in the second quarter on bad-angle shot from the right wing before BYU answered again at 10:21 to cut the U-M lead to 5-3. A BYU slash resulted in a Wolverine man-up attempt two minutes later and Anthony Hrusovsky notched his first of the game on a blast from the far right win for the 6-3 lead. BYU immediately answered however with back-to-back goals to cut the lead to 6-5 mid-way through the quarter.

Michigan slowed the momentum on a settled goal from Hrusovsky, his second in the quarter, but the Wolverines were immediately called for a penalty, resulting in a man-up tally for the Cougars. Michigan answered with their man-up goal from Zorovich who fired from the right wing after receiving a feed from junior attackman Josh Ein (Potomac, MD./Bullis). Trevor Yealy added his first goal of the game just over a minute later as Michigan rebuilt their three-goal lead, ahead 9-6 at the half-time break.

Michigan kept up their solid play coming out of the break as Yealy banged home another just outside the crease following a feed from Vasher. After multiple possessions for both teams, Yealy grabbed a mid-air rebound off of an initial Hrusovsky shot and fired high for Michigan's largest lead of the game at 11-6 with 4:49 left in the third quarter. The Maize and Blue kept up the pressure, scoring immediately following a man-up attempt on a long pass upfield from Hrusovsky that found Zorovich open on the crease.

Just as it looked like Michigan might start to blow things open, BYU notched back-to-back goals over the span of late in third quarter to cut the Wolverine lead to 12-8 as the teams entered the final frame.

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2009-03-29