Kleinholz Factors on Both Michigan Goals in Rainy Victory

Friday, September 20

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

6-1

Iowa

4-2

Iowa

Michigan

Kleinholz Factors on Both Michigan Goals in Rainy Victory

9/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Andrew Ladd

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Field)
Score: #14 Michigan 2, Iowa 1
Records: U-M (6-1, 1-0 Big Ten), Iowa (4-2, 0-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Sept. 22 -- vs. Illinois (U-M Soccer Field), 11:30 a.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Following an hour-long rain delay, the University of Michigan women's soccer team earned its sixth victory of the season and won its Big Ten Conference opener with a 2-1 triumph over Iowa, after the officials called the game due to thunder and lightning with 5:21 left to play. The Wolverines started the game strongly despite the heavy rain, netting both of their goals in the first nine minutes of play.

Junior midfielder Erika Kleinholz (North Ridgeville, Ohio/Elyria Catholic HS) spearheaded the Wolverine attack, creating both Michigan goals. Michigan pushed the ball deep into Iowa territory following the opening kickoff, forcing an early corner kick. For the second time this season, a quick restart from Kleinholz resulted in a Michigan goal. Not allowing the Hawkeyes to organize their defense, Kleinholz pushed the ball into play with a short pass to senior defender Vicky Whitley (Spring, Texas/Klein HS). Whitley then knocked a low cross into the six-yard box, where freshman forward Therese Heaton (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South HS) was able to direct her fourth goal of the season past Iowa goalkeeper Britta Vogele from close range just 1:13 into play.

Kleinholz struck again at 8:11, deflecting an Abby Crumpton (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) cross off of her forehead and into the right side of net for what would become the game-winning goal.

Michigan defended its lead well; goalkeeper Suzie Grech (Narberth, Pa./The Shipley School) made two saves and marking backs Amy Sullivant (Utica, Mich./Eisenhower HS) and Colleen McAndrews (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East HS) kept Iowa from creating any opportunities on the sloppy pitch.

The Hawkeyes did, however, manage to score before the game was delayed. Awarded a free kick 30 yards away from the Michigan goal, senior Sarah Lynch skipped a shot through the Michigan defense and past a diving Grech, cutting the Michigan lead to one goal at 82:08.

Just minutes later, the officials suspended play due to the weather. Finally, following nearly an hour, the game was resumed, only to have lightning flash seconds into play, causing the referee to end the game at 84:39.

The Wolverines hopes to earn their second Big Ten win in as many games when they host Illinois this Sunday (Sept. 22) in a 11:30 a.m. contest at the U-M Soccer Field.

GAME SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Iowa	0	1	1
Michigan	2	0	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Therese Heaton, 1:13 (Vicky Whitley, Erika Kleinholz)
1st -- U-M, Kleinholz, 8:11 (Abby Crumpton)
2nd -- Iowa, Sarah Lynch, 82:08 (unassisted)

Shots: U-M 7, Iowa 8
Saves: U-M 2 (Suzie Grech, 84:39), Iowa 2 (Britta Vogele, 84:39)
Corner Kicks: U-M 7, Iowa 2
Fouls: U-M 15, Iowa 9
Cards: U-M, Nicole D'Hondt, 44:35 (yellow); U-M, Andrea Kayal, 84:39 (yellow); U-M, Colleen McAndrews, 84:39 (yellow)

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Debbie Rademacher
On the importance of playing well after a loss last weekend ... "It was really important for us to have a good first half. I felt we had been flat at the start in a lot of our games and we really wanted to come out and have a strong start. Obviously, we were pleased to have two quick goals."

On the play of Erika Kleinholz ... "We worked all week on possessing the ball along the sides of the field and having that be effective for us in terms of going to the end line in order to create dangerous opportunities. Erika did exactly what we asked her to do and found herself on both the sides of goals, passing and scoring, by putting herself in the right places."

On the game conditions ... "It was difficult to make it a pretty game, especially as the game went on. The field just kept getting worse. Touches were bad, balls would skip, it just wasn't an ideal situation. We played really well considering the nature of the weather."

NOTES

• Erika Kleinholz's goal in the ninth-minute was the junior midfielder's first goal since Oct. 1, 2000, against Illinois. It was also Kleinholz's first career three-point game.

• Therese Heaton's goal at 1:13 is the fifth fastest goal in U-M women's soccer history. Heaton scored the program's fastest goal with the first tally of her career just 36 seconds into play against Florida (Aug. 30).

• With the win, Michigan improved to 4-5 in the opening game of the Big Ten season since the program's inaugural season in 1994.

• Michigan is now 7-0 all-time against Iowa.