Sullivant's Three-Point Day Sparks U-M Win Over WMU

Friday, September 6

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

3-0

Western Michigan

2-1

Western Michigan

Michigan

9/6/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Andrew Ladd

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Field)
Score: #9 Michigan 3, Western Michigan 1
Records: U-M (3-0), WMU (2-1)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Sept. 8 -- vs. Eastern Michigan (U-M Soccer Field), 2 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan women's soccer team senior Amy Sullivant (Utica, Mich./Eisenhower HS) scored the Wolverines' first goal and assisted on the game-winner to help the Maize and Blue beat Western Michigan by a score of 3-1 on Friday (Sept. 6) at U-M Soccer Field. With the win, No. 9-ranked Michigan remains undefeated and, at 3-0, is off to its best start since the 1999 season.

The Broncos played Michigan close throughout the first half, forcing Michigan to possess the ball out of the back and wait for its opportunities. The Wolverines were able to break through eight minutes before the half, when a Western foul in the left corner of the field put Sullivant on the ball. Sullivant's first shot of five on the afternoon curled around the two-player Bronco wall and past the reach of Western goalkeeper Kate Perz.

Michigan struck early to begin the second frame on another set piece. With just 45 seconds off the clock in the new half, Sullivant's corner kick found the head of Andrea Kayal (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills HS) to make the score 2-0. Kayal outjumped several Western defenders just outside the six-yard box to redirect the ball into the left side of the goal.

The Broncos responded at 54:23, taking advantage of a rare Michigan defensive miscue to cut their deficit in half. Pressure from WMU's forwards forced an errant Michigan pass in the Wolverine backfield. Kayal slid at the loose ball in front of the 18-yard box, but the Broncos' Andrea Tyler was able to put a foot on the ball first and chipped it over U-M keeper Suzie Grech (Narberth, Pa./The Shipley School) for Western's lone tally.

Aside from the lone mistake, Michigan's defense performed well, limiting WMU to only five shots. Grech made three saves.

The Wolverines put the game out of reach on a corner kick in the 71st minute. From the left corner, Sullivant sent the ball to the near post where freshman forward Therese Heaton (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South HS) was able to get a body on the ball, knocking it to the right foot of Carly Williamson (Barrington, R.I./Barrington HS). Williamson made the most of the opportunity and buried the Maize and Blue's third goal, in the upper right corner of the net.

Michigan completes its four-game homestand on Sunday (Sept. 8) with a 2 p.m. contest against Eastern Michigan at U-M Soccer Field.

GAME SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Western Michigan	0	1	1
Michigan	1	2	3

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Amy Sullivant, 37:30 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Andrea Kayal, 45:44 (Sullivant)
2nd -- WMU, Andrea Tyler, 54:23 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Carly Williamson, 70:05 (Therese Heaton)

Shots: U-M 21, WMU 5
Saves: U-M 3 (Suzie Grech), WMU 9 (Kate Perz)
Corner Kicks: U-M 9, WMU 0
Fouls: U-M 12, WMU 17
Cards: None

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Debbie Rademacher
On the team's first-half performance ... "I think that we came out flat. We talked about not coming out flat after being so high after a great weekend. Then to come out against a non-ranked opponent today, we couldn't discount them because every team is a good team. We have played Western Michigan before and they have some speed and they made us work. I think that the girls were not ready for that."

On having Amy Sullivant take the corner kicks over Andrea Kayal ... "Both of them can take corner kicks and free kicks. Amy was doing very well in free kicks so we had her take the free kick and she got a goal. She was on. I am sure that Andrea told her to take it and Andrea can head the ball so we had her get in there."

On what she said at halftime ... "We made it clear that we need to start playing harder and with more intensity. The way that we started the game is not the way we are going to be champions and really compete with the best teams out there. We just talked about coming out with the same fury that we had in the first two games and we matched it. We got a goal and that was one of our goals, to get an early goal and then to stay on them and pressure them."

U-M Senior Defender Amy Sullivant
On how she feels about the game ... "I feel really good about it. I think that we stepped it up in the second half and ended up pulling out a win."

On her assist to Andrea Kayal off the corner kick ... "When we take corner kicks we just try to place it right at the top of the six-yard box in the middle of the goal mouth. We tell our forwards and offense to just try to get something on it. I just put it right there and Andrea was aggressive enough to put something on it. It was definitely all of her credit."

On the defensive pressure by Michigan ... "That just gives us an advantage on offense. When the other team has shifted to one side of the field and we switch it quickly, it gives us a lane to attack right down the center of the field. That seemed to work pretty well today."

On the sluggish start ... "The first game that you play after a couple of tough games is always a wakeup call. We played two tough games last weekend and we did not come out as hard today because we all are a little tired and complacent in our playing. We realized what we need to do to stay in the top 10 in the country."

U-M Senior Defender Carly Williamson
On Michigan's defense ... "We have four veterans and everyone who is in there has been playing together for a long time. We play a flat four and all it takes is getting to know each other and who is going to step up and cover. Everyone has a really intense mentality and that helps."

On her goal ... "All of our goals came from set plays today. It was a corner kick and Amy Sullivant has been taking some great corners. It just came right off a foot and it was right there. I had kind of an easy goal right in front of the net."

NOTES

• Andrea Kayal, Amy Sullivant and Carly Williamson scored their first goals of the season. For both Kayal and Sullivant the goal was their first points of the season. Williamson had previously tallied an assist against Brigham Young.

• With her assist on the final goal, Therese Heaton became the Michigan's leading scorer this season with five points. She had been tied for the lead with senior Abby Crumpton (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) at four points.

• Two Wolverines saw their first action of the 2002 season against Western Michigan. Jillian Papa (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Preparatory) and Laney Rosin (Potomac, Md./Thomas S. Wootton HS) came on for the Maize and Blue in the second half.

• Sophomore Liz Dosa (Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont HS) set a personal best with three shots against Western Michigan. Dosa has had two shots in a game eight times.