Michigan
Illinois
U-M Drops Big Ten Season Opener at Illinois in Overtime
9/21/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Site: Champaign, Ill. (Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium)
Score: Illinois 2, Michigan 1 (OT)
Records: U-M (2-4, 0-1 Big Ten), Illinois (3-2, 1-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Sept. 23 -- at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), 1 p.m. CDT
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team fell 2-1 in overtime at Illinois on Friday (Sept. 21) in its Big Ten Conference season opener.
U-M played a strong first half despite being outshot 16-4 by the Fighting Illini. Senior Laurie Peterson (Del Mar, Calif./Torrey Pines HS) picked up her first point of the season when she headed the ball past Illinois goalkeeper Leisha Alcia at 19:42 of the first half. Sophomore Stephanie Chavez (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood HS) headed the ball to Peterson to set up U-M's only goal of the game.
The Wolverines held their 1-0 lead through the entire second half and it appeared as though they were going to get their first win of the Big Ten season, but Illinois' Colleen Joyce scored unassisted with just 40 seconds remaining in the game to force overtime.
Still confident after its second-half efforts, the Wolverines played strong to start the overtime, but Joyce took the ball alone inside the box and scored off the dribble two and a half minutes into the extra session for the 2-1 win.
Goalkeeper Suzie Grech (Narbeth, Pa./The Shipley School) made eight saves for U-M while facing 27 shots.
Michigan heads to Iowa City, Iowa, on Sunday (Sept. 23, 1 p.m. CDT) to take on Iowa to close out its Big Ten opening weekend. U-M is home next weekend for matches against Northwestern (Sept. 28, 4 p.m.) and Wisconsin (Sept. 30, 1 p.m.).
GAME SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | OT | F |
| Michigan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Illinois | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Laurie Peterson, 19:42 (Stephanie Chavez)
2nd -- Illinois, Colleen Joyce, 89:20 (Unassisted)
OT -- Illinois, Joyce, 92:27 (penalty kick)
Shots: U-M 15, Illinois 27
Saves: U-M 10, Illinois 7
Corner Kicks: U-M 4, Illinois 4
Fouls: U-M 11, Illinois 12
Cards: None
QUOTES
Michigan Assistant Coach Scott Forrester
On the team's performance ... "There were points in the game when we played very well and then there were times when we played in a lull. Illinois is a tough team and we can't have those lulls. They took advantage of mental breakdowns."
On facing Iowa on Sunday ... "Every team in this conference is tough. Anybody can beat anybody anytime. Hopefully we will take this loss to Iowa, take it out on them and come home 1-1 in the Big Ten."
