U-M Prevails at Wisconsin in OT for First Big Ten Victory

Friday, October 22

Madison, Wis.

7:00 PM CT

Michigan

8-4-2, 1-2-0Big Ten

Wisconsin

6-8-0, 1-3-0Big Ten

OT 2

Michigan

Wisconsin

U-M Prevails at Wisconsin in OT for First Big Ten Victory

10/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Paul Dickerson

Site: Madison, Wis. (McClimon Soccer Complex)
Score: Michigan 2, Wisconsin 1 (OT)
Records: U-M (8-4-2, 1-2-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Oct. 24 -- at Northwestern (Evanston, Ill.), 2 p.m. CDT

MADISON, Wis. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team got back on the winning track tonight (Friday, Oct. 22) with a 2-1 overtime victory against Wisconsin at the McClimon Soccer Complex. Trai Blanks (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) scored the game-winning goal at 98:40 to give Michigan (8-4-2, 1-2-0) the victory and its first Big Ten win of the year. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Wolverines.

Neither team was able to generate much offense in the opening half. The Badgers outshot Michigan 7-3 in the half, but no scoring chances presented themselves and the score remained tied at 0-0 at halftime.

The defensive struggle continued late into the second half, and with less than 10 minutes to play the game remained scoreless. The Wolverines finally broke through at 85:25 with a goal by Steve Hecker (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern HS). The scoring opportunity started with a corner kick by Ryan Sterba (Westlake, Ohio/St. Ignatius HS), who found Mychal Turpin (Pontiac, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit HS) at the back post. Turpin sent the ball back across the net to Kevin Savitskie (Plymouth, Mich./Salem HS), who then flicked it on to Hecker. Hecker then fired the ball to the back of the net for the goal.

Wisconsin, however, was able to tie the game in the final minutes with a penalty-kick goal at 87:10. The Badgers found Nick Van Sicklen behind the Michigan defense, and in an attempt to break up the play the Wolverines were whistled for a foul inside the penalty area. David Martinez sent the attempt to the right side of the net for the Badgers, tying the score at 1-1 and sending the game into overtime.

Both teams had scoring opportunities early in the extra session. The Wolverines created the first scoring chance, finding Turpin inside the Badger box for a shot that went wide. Wisconsin answered by finding Matthew Jelicac behind the U-M defense, but his attempt sailed high and the game continued.

Blanks sealed the game for Michigan with the game-winning goal at 98:40. Turpin collected a pass on the right side of the field and found Adam Bruh (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Wheatly HS) on a run from his central midfield position down the middle of the field. Bruh dished the ball off to Blanks on the left side of the field, beating the Wisconsin defense. UW goalkeeper Eric Hanson came out to play the ball, but Blanks sent a left-footed chip shot over his head and into the back of the net.

Michigan returns to the field on Sunday (Oct. 22) at 2 p.m. CDT when it takes on Northwestern in Evanston, Ill.

GAME SUMMARY

Team	1	2	OT	F
Michigan	0	1	1	2
Wisconsin	0	1	0	1

Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- U-M, Steve Hecker, 85:25, (Kevin Savitskie, Mychal Turpin)
2nd -- UW, David Martinez, 87:10 (Penalty Kick)
OT -- U-M, Trai Blanks, 98:40 (Adam Bruh, Turpin)

Shots: U-M 8, UW 11
Saves: U-M 3 (Peter Dzubay), UW 1 (Eric Hanson)
Corner Kicks: U-M 3, UW 2
Fouls: U-M 13, UW 13
Cards: UW, Nick Van Sicklen, 54:16 (yellow)

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
On the game ... "It was a very well played game by both teams. Wisconsin is a team that is constantly getting better. It was a tough fight. We stayed with the tactical game plan and executed the way we needed to win."

On the performance of Trai Blanks ... "Trai had been a very strong and very dangerous player throughout the game. It's just he was rewarded with the game-winning goal. He can be a streaky player at times, so hopefully this goal will lead to more good performances for him."

On the importance of the win ... "This was a fantastic win. It was huge emotionally and a big lift to everyone's spirits. We have another tough Big Ten game coming up against Northwestern. They are playing very well right now, so hopefully we can take some of this momentum into that game."

NOTES

• With the victory, Michigan broke a three-game losing streak.

• Michigan played in its sixth overtime game of the season and improved its OT record to 3-1-2.

• Mychal Turpin handed out two assists in a game for the third time in his career to tie a career high. The two other times he posted two assists were also against Wisconsin.

• Trai Blanks' OT game-winner marked his first goal of the season.