Thompson’s OT goal stunned No. 6 Cornell, Sends Michigan to the NCAA Quarterfinals

Peter Thompson led the Wolverines with four goals and one assist, while seven Wolverines scored at least one goal. Thompson played the hero, scoring the winner in the 2:40 part of the first overtime.
Michael Boehm set the program’s single-season goalscoring record (45) with three goals in a game.
The win gives UM a berth in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament versus either the No. 1 seeds Duke or Delaware.

ITHACA, NY — Graduate student Peter Thompson scored overtime sudden death as The 15th-ranked University of Michigan men’s lacrosse team defeated 6th-ranked Cornell Big Red 15-14 in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament on Sunday (May 14) at Shoellkopf Court. The win was Michigan’s first in NCAA postseason history and came during UM’s first NCAA tournament game.

With this win, the Wolverines will advance to the quarter-finals of the NCAA tournament and will face the No. 1 winner. 1 Duke versus Delaware on Saturday (May 20) in Albany, NY

Following a great save from the new goalkeeper Taylor Hunter just six seconds into the four-minute overtime period, Thompson secured the win for Michigan in 2:40 with help from a graduate Bryce Clay.

Neither team led by more than two goals during regulation, and although Michigan led 14-13 in the last minute of play, Cornell’s Billy Coyle scored the equalizer in just 59 seconds to force overtime.

Michigan (10-6) opened the scoring with a junior touchdown Michael Boehm at 12:31 of the first quarter, but Cornell (11-4) pulled back with three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead.

Goals from seniors Josh Zawada at 7:33 in the first quarter cut Cornell’s lead to one touchdown before the sophomore Aidan Mulholland scored at 2:28 to tie the game, 3-3. Cornell scored again at 1:50 to briefly regain the lead before a goal from Thompson thirty seconds later (1:20) tied the game once again, 4-4.

At the 11:24 mark of the second quarter, Cornell scored again to break the tie before juniors Justin Wietfeldt won the next encounter and scored at 11:18 to force a 5-5 tie. The back-and-forth feud continued as Cornell’s Spencer Wirtheim scored at 8:30 of the second quarter, bringing the score to 6-5, and junior Isaac Aronson scored at the 2:27 mark to tie the game at 6-6. With eleven seconds remaining in the second quarter, one touchdown from the seniors Jake Bonomi giving Michigan the first lead of the contest and a 7-6 lead heading into halftime.

In the third quarter, Cornell’s Kelleher scored again to level the score at 7-7 at 13:38. Michigan closed the third quarter with two goals to lead 9-7, however, as Aronson scored his second goal of the game with 4:20 left and Bonomi added another at the 3:35 mark.

The fourth quarter was a scoring flurry as the teams combined for 12 goals. Cornell’s CJ Kirst scored the first goal at the 14:13 mark and cut Michigan’s lead to one goal before Zawada scored his second goal of the game at 13:43, restoring Michigan’s two-goal lead. Cornell’s Blake scored back-to-back goals at 11:17 and 10:38 to draw level at 10-10. A minute later (9:39), Boehm scored his second goal of the game, setting the single-season school record for goals in a season.

Cornell tied the game at the 8:38 mark of the fourth quarter with another goal from Kirst, but Thompson responded with back-to-back touchdowns at 5:15 and 4:39 to put Michigan ahead, 13-11. The scoring continued, as Cornell answered with two more goals at 4:14 and 4:05 to level the score at 13-13. Boehm responded with his third touchdown of the game 1:49, giving Michigan another one-goal lead before Cornell’s Coyle tied the game 14-14 with 59 seconds left in regulation. The match went into overtime, with UM clinching a 15-14 victory.

Thompson led Michigan with four goals — including the game winner — and one assist in the game, while Boehm had three goals and one assist. Boehm’s three goals that day set a single-season program goals record (45), and the junior now boasts 99 in his career.

Taylor made 16 saves at net, while the defender passed Andrew Darby holding Tewaaraton Award finalist Kirst to just three points (two goals, one assist). Senior longstick midfielder Ryan Schriber has five ground balls and causes a pair of turnovers.