Michigan
11-6-2
Michigan State
12-8-0
Bruh, White Help Maize and Blue to First Big Ten Final
11/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Site: State College, Pa. (Jeffrey Field)
Event: Big Ten Championship (Semifinals)
Score: Michigan 1, Michigan State 0
Records: U-M (11-6-2), MSU (12-8-0)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 17 -- at Penn State at Big Ten Final (State College, Pa.), 2 p.m.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The No. 2 seed University of Michigan men's soccer team gained its first appearance in the Big Ten Conference Championship title game with its second consecutive 1-0 victory Friday (Nov. 15). Junior tri-captain Mike White (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) netted the game-winner to lift the Maize and Blue over No. 6 seed Michigan State in the second semifinal match on Penn State's Jeffrey Field.
Michigan tallied the game-winner at 11:29 when he headed home an Adam Bruh (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Wheatley HS) corner kick from six yards out. The Wolverines earned the corner following a Joe Iding (Lansing, Mich./Lansing Catholic Central HS) shot that was blocked through the end line.
Bruh, who also set up White for the game-winner against Northwestern the previous day, served a line drive to the near corner of the keeper's box, where White was stationed with his back to the net. As the ball came into the penalty area White was able to head the ball to the middle of the net. Michigan State goalkeeper Tyler Robinson was in position to make the save, but the ball sailed over his head for a 1-0 Michigan lead.
Michigan State had a chance to tie the game with 6:34 left in the half as Brett Konley had open space to the left of the goal. With U-M freshman keeper Peter Dzubay (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview HS) off line on the right post, Konley blasted a shot that deflected off the left post and over the endline for a Michigan goal kick.
The game remained physical throughout the second frame as the two teams accumulated four second-half citations. The third card of the half left the Maize and Blue a man down with 11:08 remaining as second-team All-Big Ten defender Kevin Taylor (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) collected his second yellow of the game, forcing him to exit the contest.
Playing 10-on-11, Kevin Robinson (Caro, Mich./Faith Baptist HS) had an opportunity to give the Wolverines a two-goal lead with 8:07 remaining in the game when White found him behind the MSU defense. Robinson controlled the ball in the Spartan zone and carried it just inside the penalty area but sent his shot just wide, keeping the game 1-0.
Less than four minutes later, Robinson received a red card for a hard tackle and was sent off the field at the 85:35 mark, leaving the Wolverines two men down with 4:25 to go in the game. Michigan's defense was able to stymie the Spartan offensive attack for the remainder of the match, not allowing a single shot during that time.
Dzubay recorded his fourth shutout and eighth win of the season as he turned away each of the three shots the Spartans sent on goal.
Michigan will face Penn State in the Big Ten Championship final Sunday (Nov. 17) at 2 p.m. on Jeffrey Field. The host Nittany Lion upset No. 1 seed Indiana in the other semifinal, winning 4-2 on penalty kicks after the teams had battled to a 1-1 tie in two overtimes. Penn State downed Michigan 1-0 on Sept. 22 in Ann Arbor during the regular season.
The winner of Sunday's championship game will receive the Big Ten's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. The game will air tape-delayed on Fox Sports Chicago at 7 p.m. CST on Monday, Nov. 18, and at 3 p.m. CST on Saturday, Nov. 23.
GAME SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan State | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Mike White, 11:29 (Adam Bruh)
Shots: U-M 12, MSU 7
Saves: U-M 3 (Peter Dzubay), MSU 3 (Tyler Robinson)
Corner Kicks: U-M 8, MSU 3
Fouls: U-M 29, MSU 18
Cards: U-M, Ian Hirschfield, 35:04 (yellow), U-M, Mike White, 39:32 (yellow); U-M, Kevin Taylor, 48:43 (yellow); MSU, Scott Babinski, 51:13 (yellow); MSU, Jeffrey Krass, 61:53 (yellow); U-M, Kevin Taylor, 78:52 (red); U-M, Kevin Robinson, 85:35 (red).
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
On the game ... "It was all about emotion. This is a great instate rivalry with two great schools going at it. I think our guys played with a great deal of composure in the second half. Michigan State figured out that they could play with a real direct play against us and we tried to do the same to them. In the second half we did a good job of settling the game. Obviously we got the result that we wanted."
On the team's preparation ... "The preparation all week long has been that this is tournament time. As a program we have learned that you rip up the regular season and in the tournament every game is physical and you have to be prepared for every minute of the match. These guys understand it and because of it we have a game on Sunday."
U-M Junior Midfielder Mike White
On the game-winning goal ... "It was much like the one yesterday (to beat Northwestern). Adam Bruh played a great ball to my head. If I were defending I would have headed out, and as it was I was attacking and finished off the goal. I give a lot credit to him and Kevin Taylor, who drew some defenders away from me."
U-M Senior Defender Robert Turpin
On beating Michigan State ... "I didn't realize that this was our first win over them until Coach brought it up in our tent after the match. But every game before the match I think to myself that this may be my last game so to beat Michigan State is nice, but it is even better to make the Big Ten Championship final."
NOTES
• With his second straight game-winner, Mike White tied teammate Mychal Turpin for the Michigan single-season points record as each Wolverine has 25 in 2002. In 18 games this year White has nine goals and seven assists, while in 19 matches Turpin has totaled 10 tallies and five helpers.
• With the 1-0 victory Peter Dzubay became the Michigan single-season win leader among goalkeepers as he won his eighth of the season. Dzubay bettered teammate Joe Zawacki's (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) 2001 record of seven wins.
• Adam Bruh improved on his Michigan career- and single-season assist lead with his second consecutive game-winning helper to Mike White in the 1-0 win over Michigan State today.
• The 1-0 victory over Michigan State marks the first time in four meetings Michigan has beaten the Spartans.
• Michigan has now won three postseason matches, all by the score of 1-0. The Wolverines defeated Northwestern 1-0 yesterday (Thursday, Nov. 14) and downed host Wisconsin in the first round of the 2001 Big Ten Championship by the same score.
Team Stats
White, Mike
Assisted By: Bruh, Adam
11:29
