U-M Drops Regular-Season Finale at Michigan State

Friday, October 27

East Lansing, Mich.

3:00 PM

Michigan

8-6-5, 4-3-3Big Ten

Michigan State

8-9-1, 4-6Big Ten

Michigan

Michigan State

10/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team fell 1-0 in its regular-season finale at Michigan State Friday afternoon (October. 27) at Old College Field. In a choppy, physical battle, the Spartans earned the game-winner in the 63rd minute and packed in the defense for the remainder of the game, stifling Michigan's chance for the tying marker.

Goalkeeper Megan Tuura (Tucker, Ga./St. Pius X Catholic) was tested early, punching away a high header on a Michigan State corner kick in the eighth minute. The save set up the Wolverines best offensive sequence of the afternoon, beginning in the 13th minute. Melissa Dobbyn (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) fired two shots on goal, but Michigan State goalkeeper Nicole Galas made the first two of her five saves on the day. Lindsey Cottrell (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central) then took a cross and headed one on net that Galas reached out and stopped.

Minutes later, Sarah Banco (Medfield, Mass./Noble and Greenough School) created space inside the box and ripped a shot that the MSU defense blocked away, and the Wolverines went into halftime in a scoreless tie for the 11th time this season.

Michigan opened the half with offensive pressure, nearly capitalizing on a corner kick in the 56th minute. Judy Coffman (San Jose, Calif./Santa Theresa) served a ball far post to Katelin Spencer (Brighton, Mich./Brighton, Mich.), who leaped and headed the ball toward the upper corner, but Galas got a hand out and made the save.

The Spartans answered back, scoring the only goal of the afternoon at 62:06. After Lauren Sinacola's shot from the top of the 18-yard box struck the cross bar, Jenee Witherspoon put home the rebound, moving the score to 1-0.

The Maize and Blue had a tough time gaining space to create scoring chances following the Spartans' goal, as Michigan State packed the backline. The Wolverines' corner kick in the 80th minute resulted in an opening for Katie Bohard (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central), but her shot bounced off an MSU defender, hit the post and dribbled out of danger.

Michigan generated once last-ditch effort to tie the game in the final seconds. Katie Miler (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) raced down the right sideline, firing a cross into the box that tailed on goal. Galas punched the ball away, securing the MSU win.

Next up for the Wolverines is the Big Ten Tournament, which begins next week at Jeffrey Field in State College, Pa. Michigan holds the fifth seed and will take on Indiana at 7:30 p.m. EST.

GAME SUMMARY

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

Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- MSU, Jenee Witherspoon, 62:06 (Lauren Sinacola)

Shots: U-M 8, MSU 9
Shots on Goal: U-M 5, MSU 3
Saves: U-M 2 (Megan Tuura), MSU 5 (Nicole Galas)
Corner Kicks: U-M 7, MSU 4
Fouls: U-M 12, MSU 22
Cards: MSU, Maureen Pawlak, 60:58 (yellow); MSU, Lauren Sinacola, 86.34 (yellow).

Contact: Matt Baumer (734) 763-4423