The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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help and, in heartbreaking fashion, it wouldn't come when Nebraska twice earned double-overtime wins — beating Wisconsin by scoring a goal with one second left on the clock — to finish the year 10-1-0, ever so slightly ahead of the 9-1-1 Maize and Blue. "It's just an unlucky break," said Toohey. "We beat Nebraska. We won out, which was really hard to do, and we all thought that we were going to win the Big Ten, but it just didn't happen. "We were upset, but it only fueled our postseason desire." Eight Big Ten teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament, and Michi- gan outlasted them all, winning three games, including a 1-0 Sweet 16 vic- tory over Notre Dame to advance to the Elite Eight. In Charlottesville, Va., the Maize and Blue gave everything they had but lost 2-1 to No. 1 Virginia. "We had our chances, and it was right there. I left that game feeling like we had played our best, and there was nothing more we could do on that day," said Toohey. "Some- times it just doesn't go your way, but overall, it was an unbelievable year. "We all came together to do some- thing special for the program. To make the final eight for the only the second time in our history, to win more Big Ten games than we've ever won. We should have won the Big Ten, but that's coming because this program is getting stronger and stronger." There is another step in the jour- ney — a trip to the Final Four and a national title. If that day comes, the 2013 team will have played a ma- jor role in lifting Michigan to new heights. "Right from the beginning, this team set super-high expectations — the highest we've ever had in the six years Greg and I have been here," said Duerst. "They had the talent, they had the experience, and they had the will to want more from their careers here. "I think this is the beginning of a new era for us, and it's going to be this team that gave us that edge. They established this culture of high expectations and then went out and did it." ❑ Fr e s h m a n g o a l i e Ta y l o r B u c k l i n s e t Michigan single-season records for wins (18), shutouts (12) and goals-against aver- age (0.48 goals per game). PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS