Michigan
3-2
North Carolina
4-0-1
Tough Defense Not Enough in Loss to No. 5 Tar Heels
9/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Site: Chapel Hill, N.C. (Fetzer Field)
Event: Nike Carolina Classic
Score: #5 North Carolina 1, Michigan 0
Records: U-M (3-2), UNC (4-0-1)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Sept. 14 -- vs. North Carolina Greensboro at Nike Carolina Classic (Chapel Hill, N.C.), noon
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team was held scoreless for the first time since Sept. 29, 2002, and as a result the Wolverines fell 1-0 to No. 5 North Carolina Friday night (Sept. 12) in their first game of the Nike Carolina Classic at Fetzer Field. Though sophomore goalkeeper Peter Dzubay (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview HS) made a career-high nine saves, the Maize and Blue could only muster four shots, two on goal, on the offensive side of the field.
Playing in front of 2,136 fans, North Carolina (4-0-1) netted the game's lone goal with less than five minutes left in the game to remain undefeated in 2003. Following a Michigan foul in outside its 18-yard box, Tar Heel junior Ray Fumo served the ball into the Wolverines' six-yard box where Tim Merritt was able to get a head on it and beat Dzubay for the game-winner at 85:58.The goal was Merritt's first of the year.
Michigan (3-2) had only two shots on goal, as senior tri-captain Kevin Taylor (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) was able to send a header at the goal in the first half and junior Mychal Turpin (Pontiac, Mich./University of Detroti Jesuit) sent one on net in the second half.
The Wolverines return to the pitch Sunday afternoon (Sept. 14) to face UNC Greensboro in its final match at the Nike Carolina Classic. Kickoff is scheduled for noon on Fetzer Field on the campus of the University of North Carolina.
GAME SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North Carolina | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- UNC, Tim Merritt, 85:58 (Ray Fuma)
Shots: U-M 4, UNC 22
Saves: U-M 9 (Peter Dzubay), UNC 2 (Ford Williams)
Corner Kicks: U-M 1, UNC 5
Fouls: U-M 14, UNC 13
Cards: U-M, Adam Bruh, 10:37 (yellow); U-M, Dawson Stellberger, 44:58 (yellow).
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
On the match ... "We played a very good team tonight and our game plan was to steal a 1-0 win playing solid defense. Unfortunately for us they played the same way and stole the game from us with a late goal off a free kick."
On where Michigan is in the national spotlight ... "There is a very thin line that separates North Carolina and Michigan. We tried to jump over that line tonight, but we saw some aspects of where we want this program to be. Our guys showed great heart and desire on the field and even more during the cooldown period after the match. This game will pay great dividends in the future because we were tested to the limit tonight and we matched them in nearly every aspect."
On keeping their focus ... "That is exactly what we need to do. Mike White said it best when he talked to the team after the game: He told them that last year when we went to Brown, we tied the first game, then wound up losing the next one against Yale. This team is better than last year and I think the captains will not allow them to come out flat Sunday against UNC Greensboro."
NOTES
• Michigan is now 2-7 all-time against nationally ranked teams.
• The last time Michigan was held scoreless was in a 2-0 loss to Dayton on Sept. 29, 2002.
Team Stats
Tim Merritt (1)
Assisted By: Ray Fumo
header off free kick
65:58
