Michigan
16-7-1
Santa Clara
19-4-1
Michigan's NCAA Tournament Run Ended by Santa Clara
11/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team stumbled in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament with a 3-1 loss to No. 6 seed and defending national champion Santa Clara this afternoon (Saturday, Nov. 30). The Broncos exploded for two goals in just over two minutes toward the end of the first half to blow the game open and cruised to the final score despite Michigan's efforts to even the score.
| | Morgan tallied two of U-M's eight goals during the 2002 NCAA Tournament. |
Both squads were locked in a back-and-forth battle in the midfield throughout most of the first half before the Broncos netted their first goal. Santa Clara earned only a 5-2 shot advantage in the half, but Michigan was able to pressure the defense for its best scoring opportunity of the half. With 24:36 left in the half, Abby Crumpton (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) fielded a cross from the right side and flicked the ball to the top right corner of the six-yard box for Michele Pesiri (New Hyde Park, N.Y./Sacred Heart HS). A Bronco defender, however, blocked Pesiri's shot from close range, negating the opportunity.
Andrea Kayal (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills HS) had an attempt at goal on a free kick in the 31st minute, but the shot went high. Minutes later Santa Clara's Devvyn Hawkins put away a corner kick from All-American Aly Wagner at 34:28.
The Broncos struck again in the 37th minute on a great individual play from Veronica Zepeda. Gaining the ball at the top left side of the 18-yard box, Zepeda dribbled into open space past three defenders before shooting the ball past Grech for a 2-0 lead.
Santa Clara was able to create space against Michigan's offensive press in the second half by using the width of field at Buck Shaw Stadium. SCU nearly tripled its shot total with 14 shots in the second frame. Wagner netted the Broncos' third goal at 82:35 on a penalty kick after Zepeda was tripped inside the box.
The Wolverines kept battling despite the deficit, and Morgan netted her second tally in three games on an Amy Sullivant (Utica, Mich./Eisenhower HS) corner kick at 85:53. Sullivant send her corner to the near post of the goal, while Morgan moved in front of Bronco goalie Alyssa Sobolik to deflect the ball into the net.
Santa Clara advances to the NCAA College Cup in Austin, Texas, to play North Carolina next Friday (Dec. 6) in the NCAA semifinals. Michigan finishes its season with a 16-7-1 overall record.
MATCH SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Santa Clara | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- SCU, Devvyn Hawkins, 34:28 (Aly Wagner)
1st -- SCU, Veronica Zepeda, 36:32 (unassisted)
2nd -- SCU, Wagner, 82:35 (penalty kick)
2nd -- U-M, Kate Morgan, 85:53 (Amy Sullivant)
Shots: U-M 6, SCU 19
Saves: U-M 5 (Suzie Grech), SCU 0 (Alyssa Sobolik)
Corner Kicks: U-M 3, SCU 6
Fouls: U-M 15, SCU 17
Cards: SCU, Jessica Ballweg, 31:06 (yellow); U-M, Amy Sullivant, 47:35 (yellow); U-M, Erika Kleinholz, 60:06 (yellow); U-M, Andrea Kayal, 82:32 (yellow)
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Debbie Rademacher
On the game ... "They were a good team and I thought we really fought until the end. They moved their defenders forward, which forced our forwards to move up with them and then when you're coming back and trying to hold the ball against their defense with only one forward that makes it tough. I think that was the key for them."
On playing against Santa Clara's three-forward lineup ... "We don't play a three-front defense typically, but we knew that we had to mark their three center midfielders. So we gave our outside midfielders the responsibility having to play both ends of the field. That's really the only way we could have done it."
On Abby Crumpton's injury in the first half ... "Well, she sprained her ankle and we wanted to test her out at the beginning of the second half to see what she could give, and she really couldn't give anything."
On taking a step forward as a program ... "We definitely did. We started off really strong and had a few bumps along the way, but I think that really helped us prepare for the tournament. We have a very big senior class, a lot of experience there, and I think that is what helped us through the first three rounds."
On next season ... "We have a strong class coming in and a strong supporting cast. This is the best experience the underclassmen have had. Like I've said, we've lost big senior classes before and the rest of the team has stepped it up; they've been mentored. Every team goes in a cycle, we'll certainly have a different team next year than the one this year, but they'll find their identity. But they've certainly learned from a great group."
On Santa Clara ... "They always play the same style. They want to play an attractive, possession style of soccer and they do that year after year. Certainly they have a lot of experience whether they have seniors or not. They're a pretty similar team to the team they had last year in the championship."
U-M Senior Tri-Captain Carly Williamson
On Santa Clara's strengths ... "Their vision was incredible. Their ability to pass and hold onto the ball was really strong. They were really able to exploit the width of the field and use their playmaking ability. Aly Wagner is a great player, but their whole team was tough today. They were ball-winners and could really hold onto the ball after winning it."
U-M Senior Tri-Captain Andrea Kayal
On Santa Clara's two quick goals ... "Obviously when a team scores against you, you want to come back right away with intensity. I don't think that we were lacking it, however, I think that scoring made them more focused on getting another one and really got them going."
Santa Clara Head Coach Jerry Smith
Opening statement ... "I'd like to congratulate Michigan on a great year and a great match today. Like our last match against Nebraska, they gave us a very tough match, but I'm very proud of my team. We did a lot of things right today. We reached another one of our goals for the season, to reach the College Cup. We feel like we're peaking at the right time of year. We've certainly come a long way from the beginning of the season when we lost to Stanford 3-0 in our opening match. There's a lot to be said for peaking at the right time and our team is doing that."
On Veronica Zepeda ... "Veronica is one of the cleverest dribblers in college soccer. If teams have never played against dribblers like her or Aly (Wagner), they're very surprised. One of things we talked about was that Michigan had good size in their back four and we need to try and keep the ball on the ground. We felt although our players were a little smaller, we were a little quicker and more agile. I though Veronica's goal was a perfect example of quickness, cleverness, and overcoming bigger, stronger players."
On Michigan's goal ... "They kept the game tight the whole time and after we scored our third goal, we might have relaxed a little bit and they pumped that one in on us. And that can happen anytime."
SCU Senior Midfielder Aly Wagner
On the Broncos' two goals in just over two minutes ... "One thing we focus on is that five-minute period after a goal is scored, to really focus on keeping the ball in your half and taking advantage and capitalizing on opportunities."
SCU Senior Midfielder Devvyn Hawkins
On her goal ... "It was a perfect hit ball, and I just put my head on it and redirected the ball."
SCU Junior Midfielder Veronica Zepeda
On her goal ... "Last week, I had a couple of shots outside the box and we wanted to minimize that this week. This week in practice we focused on taking the extra touch before taking the shot. That's what I did. I was actually about to shoot the ball, and through my head, it kept running, 'Don't take a shot yet,' so I tried to get a little bit closer, and it worked."
N O T E S
San Jose, Calif., native Kate Morgan notched her second goal of the season -- and second of the postseason -- with her tally in the 86th minute. She scored Michigan's final goal in its 4-0 second-round win over Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 17.
Goalkeeper Suzie Grech and the Wolverines had held opponents scoreless in the 2002 NCAA Tournament for 304:28 minutes before Santa Clara's first goal, at 34:28. Dating back to the Big Ten Tournament, the shutout streak spanned 383:14 minutes. U-M posted shutouts over Oakland (1-0), Miami of Ohio (4-0) and Pepperdine (2-0) in the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
HAWKINS, Devvyn (5)
Assisted By: WAGNER, Aly
header off corner kick
34:28
ZEPEDA, Veronica (5)
duped three defenders
36:32
WAGNER, Aly
82:35
Morgan, Kate (2)
Assisted By: Sullivant, Amy
off corner kick
85:53
