Freshman Jenna Lang scored twice in two minutes to tie the match and eventually give Michigan the lead as the Wolverines defeated Rutgers 3-2 on Thursday night before 496 fans in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Scarlet Knights had staked themselves to a 2-0 lead, and led comfortably at the end of the first half on the strength of goals by Sara Brocious at 1:25 and Riley Tiernan at 10:10. For Brocious it was her fifth goal of the season, while Tiernan’s tally was her third of the year.

From there the game settled into a familiar pattern, with the Scarlet Knights’ defense choking off the Wolverines attack, while Meagan McClelland handled anything that somehow made it through the scarlet net.

But indicative of the Big Ten conference, parity is the norm, and no team can be counted out on any given night. The second half appeared to be a completely different game, as Michigan came out with a burning intensity and found scoring opportunities.

Junior Sarah Bridenstine scored unassisted at 64:15 for her third goal of the season, and like that, McClelland’s shutout was gone. But the tide turned with that goal, as though the Wolverines had suddenly been plugged in.

The tenor of the match changed, and suddenly the pitch, which had seemed tilted in Rutgers’ favor, became a home field advantage. More importantly, Michigan goalkeeper Izzy Nino was staunch in net, turning away everything the Scarlet Knights threw at her for the final 80 minutes of the contest.

Michigan was clearly in control of the match in the second half, and by the time lightning struck twice in the form of two goals by Lang, the Scarlet Knights’ fate was sealed. In a contest where RU had taken the Wolverines and their fans out of the game, the team uncharacteristically allowed the opposition to gain a foothold, establish a beachhead, and secure a victory.

The Scarlet Knights (13-2-2 overall and 5-2-2 in conference) now prepare for their final game of the regular season, as they travel to East Lansing to take on the 2022 Big Ten regular season champion Michigan State Spartans. The game is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 23 at 2 p.m.