Michigan
5-2-0
Kentucky
Alexander Nets OT Winner as Michigan Beats Kentucky
9/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team pulled off a close victory, beating Kentucky 1-0 in sudden-victory overtime on Sunday (Sept. 18) at the U-M Soccer Field.
Going into overtime, the Wolverines had a ton of momentum, after ending regulation with just four shots against them. Just 5:26 into overtime, senior Ryan Alexander (Southfield, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit) and freshman Jake Stacy (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) displayed the importance of the U-M momentum when they connected for the game-winning goal. The goal was set up when Stacy found Alexander cutting to the net from the left wing and lofted the ball, giving Alexander the opportunity to head the ball into the net, beating the goalie to his right side.
The game between Michigan and Kentucky began and ended with pressuring offense from U-M. The Wolverines outshot their opponent 21-9, with six shots on goal. In the first half, Michigan took 11 shots and only gave up three. The pressure from U-M gave them plenty of scoring opportunities, but Kentucky goalie Andy Gruenebaum was there to stop them five out of six times. The first promising shot on goal came from senior Adam Bruh (Roslyn Heights, N.Y./Wheatley), when he took a hard shot on goal, causing Gruenebaum to stretch out and block the shot out of the goal area.
In between taking shots, the Wolverines played a ferocious defensive game, only allowing four shots on goal throughout the entire game, and no shots on goal in overtime. The first test of Michigan's defense came when a Kentucky player rocketed a shot past senior goalie Peter Dzubay (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview), but freshman Michael Holody (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) kicked the ball away from the net, giving Michigan its third team save of the season.
After intermission, the Wolverines continued to play a ball-controlling game, keeping the ball on Kentucky's side of the field for most of the game and forcing Gruenebaum to grab one save for the half, even though they took seven shots.
The Wolverines will begin the Big Ten season with a 2 p.m. home game against Northwestern on Sunday (Sept. 25) on the U-M Soccer Field.
GAME SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | OT | F |
| Kentucky | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
OT -- U-M, Ryan Alexander, 95:26 (Jake Stacy)
Shots: U-M 21, UK 9
Saves: U-M 4, UK 5
Corner Kicks: U-M 4 , UK 5
Fouls: U-M 16, UK 13
Cards: UK, Bench Personnel, 0:00 (yellow); U-M, Ryan Sterba, 2:31 (yellow); UK, Thomas Senecal, 33:27 (yellow); UK, Nathan Marks, 37:30 (yellow); UK Alex Mcdonald 53:12 (red); UK, Bench Personnel, 54:40 (red)
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
On the game ... "I think what you saw in this game was the beginning of a great rivalry. I think Kentucky brings all the energy and all the intensity and they spill it all out on the field over 90 minutes and Michigan does the same thing, and it was really a great beginning to a great rivalry for years to come."
On U-M's game plan ... "We know that Kentucky is a team that presses, and we wanted to quickly move the ball from one side of the field to the other, to find our strength players out in wide spaces, and I think we were able to get in behind them and find a couple of decent match-ups and get a lot of action created in front of the net and almost convert. But the fact that Kentucky held tough shows just how disciplined and how strong of a team they are."
On the performance of Ryan Alexander ... "Ryan is a guy that is going to make a major impact on this team, and it's great to see him get started early. And hopefully we can see consistency from him throughout the rest of the season, especially heading into the Big Ten season."
Contact: Joseph Conrad (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Alexander, Ryan
Assisted By: Stacy, Jake
header to beat goalie to the right
95:26
