ORONO – It would have been the unthinkable, as University of Maine field hockey coach Terri Kix put it.

And it nearly became that, as the Black Bears took the University of Michigan into overtime in Tuesday afternoon’s game at Alfond Stadium.

But two days after taking another Big Ten team into overtime and winning, it wasn’t to be again for the Bears. The Wolverines, who were ranked third in the nation coming into this season after going to the Final Four last year, eked out a 4-3 victory.

“It was an exciting game,” Kix said. “You’re always disappointed when you have the chance to do the unthinkable. But we did the best we could.”

On Sunday UMaine and Ohio State went into overtime and the Bears beat the Buckeyes 2-1 in the third set of penalty corners.

Even though Tuesday’s game was a loss, the 1-1 Bears were clearly pleased with their performance. Maine rallied to tie the game twice and led at one point in the first half.

“We didn’t have anything to lose,” said senior forward Rachael Hilgar, who scored two goals. “They’re third in the country and the pressure’s on them. And we put it on them.”

Adrienne Hortillosa was credited with the game-winner with 7:51 left in the first 15-minute, sudden-death overtime. Her shot, which came off a penalty corner, was actually tipped in by Maine goalie Jamie Morin. She got a stick on the ball but it trickled behind her and into the goal.

“It was a drag flick off the corner and it was going to be high,” said Morin, who had eight saves on 21 shots. “… Unfortunately it went in. It was a good shot.”

Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz wanted to go to Hortillosa, who had already scored and assisted on a goal.

“Adrienne has a really nice flick and she’s really strong. We just went with that,” Pankratz said. “Their goalie got a nice piece of it and almost had it.”

Hilgar’s second goal tied the game at 3-3 with 14:10 left in regulation. She said she actually meant for the shot to be a pass to Shaunessy Saucier, but the ball scooted past Michigan goalie Molly Maloney.

The Bears were nothing if not economical in the second half – Hilgar scored on Maine’s only shot of the second half – but Michigan dominated play. The Wolverines racked up 11 shots in the period and had six penalty corners.

It added up to plenty of chances for the Wolverines to put the game out of reach. But UMaine’s defense, powered by starting backs Joanna Fernandes, Meagan Connolly and Liz Mendell held up and Morin made four saves in the half.

“[Michigan] had times of the game that they had some dominance but I thought our defense really played smart and played with a lot of heart,” Kix said. “… We were trying to deny some of their big guns and keep them from getting good looks at the cage. We played very aggressive.”

Hilgar also scored in the first half to tie it at 1-1 after Michigan’s Jessica Blake scored less than three minutes into the game. Mendell gave Maine a 2-1 lead off a pass from Amie Dubois.

Blake scored off a Hortillosa pass to tie the game before halftime. Horillosa gave the Wolverines a 3-2 lead in the second, setting up Hilgar’s tying goal.

Maloney made two saves on six shots for Michigan, now 1-2.