Team Effort Earns U-M The Big Bear at Michigan State

Sunday, October 12

East Lansing, Mich.

2:30 PM

Michigan

9-4, 1-1

Michigan State

7-3-2, 1-1-2

Michigan

Michigan State

10/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Gene Skidmore

Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Old College Field)
Score: Michigan 4, Michigan State 2
Records: U-M (9-4, 1-1 Big Ten), MSU (7-3-2, 1-1-2 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Oct. 17 -- vs. Northwestern (U-M Soccer Field), 1 p.m.

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- In a game that featured 33 fouls and six yellow cards, the University of Michigan men's soccer team was awarded "The Big Bear" trophy for the first time in the program's four-year history today (Sunday, Oct. 12), as the Wolverines defeated Michigan State 4-2 on Old College Field. Pacing the Wolverine charge were junior Knox Cameron (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman HS) and senior tri-captain Kevin Taylor (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep). Cameron netted the eventual game-winner at 45:58, while Taylor converted his third penalty kick of the season and was the vocal leader in the Michigan backfield.

The Wolverines gained the first-goal advantage at 34:48 of the first half, as Kevin Robinson (Caro, Mich./Faith Baptist HS) came screaming into the Michigan State goal box to challenge for the ball and was awarded a penalty kick when Spartan keeper Mike Robinson met him with an elbow to the nose.

Taylor took the 12-yard free kick and sent the ball to the back of the net for the 1-0 Michigan advantage. As Robinson dove to his right, Taylor rifled the ball to where the keeper was standing for his third goal of the season. All three goals have come via the penalty kick.

The Wolverines made it a 2-0 advantage when senior tri-captain Mike White (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) netted his fourth goal of the season off an assist from Cameron with just 2:21 remaining in the first half. With the Wolverine offense rushing up the field, Cameron gained possession of the ball at the top of the 18-yard box, raced paced two Spartan defenders and slipped the ball to a charging White, who sniped out the right side of the goal for Michigan's first two-goal advantage of the five-game series.

Just out of halftime, U-M earned a 3-0 lead when Cameron sent a bending ball to the back of the net following a through ball from sophomore Adam Bruh (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Wheatley HS) at the 45:58 mark.

The Spartans cut the lead to 3-1 when Kevin Wittig sniped out the right post at 47:01. After a Michigan foul just outside its 18-yard box, Wittig gathered a Michigan clearing attempt and banged a 20-yard kick to the back of the net.

Nearly six minutes later Ryan McMahen made it a 3-2 game when he out-jumped U-M goalkeeper Peter Dzubay (Slyvania, Ohio/Northview HS)and kept the ball inside the Wolverines goal box. Dzubay fell to the ground after the challenge, while McMahen remained on his feet and kicked the ball into the goal at 52:45.

With 13:31 remaining in the game freshman walk-on Kevin Savitskie (Plymouth, Mich./Salem HS) put the Wolverines ahead 4-2 when he banged home a Robinson rebound. Robinson came on a run down the left side and sent a shot on the goal, which the MSU keeper was able to punch the ball away. Savitskie, however, found space in the Spartan goal box and redirected the ball to the back of the net for his first collegiate goal.

Michigan continues its Big Ten Conference season with a pair of league home affairs with Northwestern and Wisconsin. The Wolverines welcome the Wildcats to the U-M Soccer Field for Friday afternoon (Oct. 17) at 1 p.m. and then return to the pitch Sunday afternoon (Oct. 19) for a 2 p.m. kickoff with the Badgers.

GAME SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Michigan	2	2	4
Michigan State	0	2	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Kevin Taylor, 34:48 (Penalty kick)
1st -- U-M, Mike White, 42:39 (Knox Cameron)
2nd -- U-M, Cameron,45:58 (Adam Bruh)
2nd -- MSU, Kevin Wittig, 47:01 (unassisted)
2nd -- MSU, Ryan McMahen, 52:45 (Craig Hearn)
2nd -- U-M, Kevin Savitskie, 76:29 (unassisted)

Shots: U-M 21,MSU 12
Saves: U-M 6 (Peter Dzubay), MSU 9 (Mike Robinson)
Corner Kicks: U-M 7, MSU 5
Fouls: U-M 21, MSU 12
Cards: MSU, Mike Robinson, 34:48 (yellow); MSU, Thomas Trivelloni, 46:17 (yellow); U-M, Joe Iding, 48:02 (yellow); MSU, John Minagawa-Webster, 70:10 (yellow); MSU, Kevin Wittig, 78:18 (yellow); MSU, Nick DeGraw, 81:41 (yellow).

NOTES

• The victory was Michigan's first over Michigan State during regular-season play. With the win Michigan now takes control of the traveling trophy, "The Big Bear," until the two teams meet again next season in Ann Arbor.

• Jeff Mirmelstein (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central HS) and Kevin Robinson were in the starting lineup for the second consecutive game.

• The Wolverines remain perfect on the season in penalty kick conversions as Kevin Taylor has made good on all three tries in 2003.

• Kevin Savitskie netted his first collegiate goal when he banged home a Kevin Robinson rebound to end the game's scoring with a 4-2 Michigan advantage.

• Knox Cameron improved his 2003 point total to 21 as he posted a goal and an assist in the 4-2 victory over the Spartans.