Bruh Times Two Equals Blue Win Against Northwestern

Friday, October 17

Ann Arbor, Mich.

1:00 PM

Michigan

10-4

Northwestern

5-5-4

Northwestern

Michigan

10/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Gene Skidmore

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Field)
Score: Michigan 2, Northwestern 1
Records: U-M (10-4, 2-1 Big Ten), Northwestern (5-5-4, 0-3-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Oct. 19 -- vs. Wisconsin (U-M Soccer Field), 2 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team earned its 10th win of the season today (Friday, Oct. 17) as the Wolverines defeated Big Ten Conference opponent Northwestern 2-1 at the U-M Soccer Field behind the strength of Adam Bruh's (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Wheatley HS) first two career goals. Bruh netted both of his tallies in the first half, with junior midfielder Knox Cameron (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman HS) earning an assist on each goal.

Bruh ended the stalemate with 20 minutes remaining in the first half when he scored his first career goal after receiving a pass from Cameron. Cameron fed Bruh at the top of the arc after picking off a clearing attempt by a Northwestern defender. Bruh proceeded to split two defenders and slot the ball to the left of onrushing Northwestern goalkeeper Ryan Heckenbach.

Bruh and Cameron nearly hooked up for a second goal with only six minutes remaining in the first half. The play began when Bruh served a corner kick into a streaking Cameron at the left corner of the six-yard box. Cameron managed to get his head on the ball and sent it just past the upper left corner of the Northwestern net.

Northwestern (5-5-4, 0-3-1 Big Ten) evened the score with two minutes remaining in the half when Wildcat midfielder Brad North walked in alone on Wolverine goalkeeper Peter Dzubay (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview HS) and tucked the ball into the left corner. The play started when North received a pass from Wildcat defender Brad Napper at the top of the box and went around Wolverine defender Michael O'Reilly (Spring, Texas/Klein HS) and in on Dzubay. North's goal came against the flow of play, as the Wolverines dominated possession throughout the last 30 minutes of the half.

The Wolverines (10-4, 2-1 Big Ten) regained the lead with only 37 seconds remaining in the half when Bruh netted the eventual game-winner at 44:23. For the second time Cameron managed to find an open Bruh at the top of the box and Bruh beat Heckenbach with a deflected shot low to the right side. Jeff Mirmelstein (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawerence Central HS) was also awarded an assist.

With his back to the goal, Cameron slotted the ball to a streaking a Bruh, who let loose a shot to the left corner. As the ball traveled to the goal, it deflected off a Wildcat defender and ricocheted just inside the right post for a 2-1 Michigan advantage.

Throughout the first 20 minutes of the second half the Michigan midfield and defense settled in and maintained possession in the middle third of the field. Neither team was able to establish a steady attack, as both the Wolverines and Wildcats committed a number of fouls.

As the second half continued, the Wildcat midfield seemed to wear down the Wolverines and manufacture a number of good scoring opportunities on the Wolverine net. Despite heavy pressure, Dzubay and the Michigan defense held strong and kept the Wildcats from evening the score.

The Maize and Blue resume Big Ten play when they take on the Wisconsin Badgers Sunday (Oct. 19) at 2 p.m. on the U-M Soccer Field.

GAME SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Northwestern	1	0	1
Michigan	2	0	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Adam Bruh, 23:33 (Knox Cameron)
1st -- NU, Brad North, 42:45 (Gerardo Alvarez, Kyle Moore)
1st -- U-M, Bruh, 42:23 (Cameron, Jeff Mirmelstein)

Shots: U-M 12, NU 8
Saves: U-M 1 (Peter Dzubay), NU 3 (Ryan Heckenbach)
Corner Kicks: U-M 3, NU 2
Fouls: U-M 21, NU 8
Cards: U-M, Ryan Sterba, 75:23 (yellow).

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
On the win ... "Any time you can collect a conference win we'll take it. You have to give credit to our team's maturity level. The fact that they recognized that they needed to keep possession of the ball and to make Northwestern expend a lot of energy is a sign of maturity on our part."

On the Knox Cameron and Adam Bruh combination ... "Knox was so strong with his back to the goal as a target, Bruh recognized how to move off of him and get balls underneath him in goal-scoring positions. That's Adam's role. The fact that Knox was able to receive balls up field where Bruh is able to get in goal-scoring position gave him a couple of great looks at net and he finished them."

On responding to the Northwestern goal late in the first half ... "I think again, that's a mature team that understands the time to go after another team. In a way I think out team felt frustrated. The frustration of not being able to connect for a lot of the first half mounted when they got a goal and suddenly we saw a level of determination in our guys to come back. It really started coming out of the second half, we started really strong and had a couple of great chances."

U-M Sophomore Midfielder Adam Bruh
On scoring his first collegiate goal ... "It's been awhile. You don't really think about it because I've been playing a more defensive midfield this year, but I was given the chance to attack from the beginning of the game and I just took advantage of it."

On the Big Ten Conference ... "Some of these Big Ten games you just have to gut it out. Like last year, we beat Northwestern 5-0 and came back in the tournament and only beat them 1-0. We know that Wisconsin is going to come in here and fight. Hopefully we'll be ready on Sunday."

U-M Junior Midfielder Knox Cameron
On assisting on Adam Bruh's two goals ... "It's about time I returned the favor to my boy. He's given me enough assists throughout his two years so I'm glad I could return the favor. He adds so much to our offense I am glad he finally got himself a goal."

On the Michigan size up front ... "It's a huge advantage to have us (Kevin Taylor) both up there. That's something we really focus on in practice because we know we have some good height and good hops out there. We do have the firepower to get those corner kicks eventually so that's something we are trying to take advantage of."

NOTES

• The victory improves Michigan's record to 10-4 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten. It marks the fastest the Wolverines have reached the 10-win pleateau (14 games). It took U-M 18 games to win game number 10 last year, as the Mazie and Blue finished with a record of 11-7-2.

• Jeff Mirmelstein increased his points streak to three games, as the junior now has an assist in his last three matches.

• Heading into today's game, Adam Bruh had dished out 17 career assists, with seven going to Knox Cameron. However, the roles were reversed today, as Cameron aided Bruh to his first two collegiate goals.

• Knox Cameron tied Mychal Turpin (Pontiac, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit HS) for the team lead with 23 points in 2003. Through 14 games Cameron has seven goals and nine assists, while Turpin has 11 goals and one assist.