Michigan
9-7-6
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
16-3-2
Wolverines Lose Penalty Shootout to Panthers in NCAA First Round
11/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Site: South Bend, Ind. (Alumni Field)
Event: NCAA Tournament (First Round)
Score: Michigan 0, Wisconsin-Milwaukee 0 (2OT) -- UWM advances on penalty kicks, 5-3
Records: U-M (9-7-6), UWM (17-3-1)
Next U-M Event: Season Completed
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team ended its 2006 season Friday night (Nov. 10) in a 0-0 (5-3 PKs) shootout loss to Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, hosted at Notre Dame's Alumni Field. U-M was outshot 12-6, and senior goalkeeper Megan Tuura (Tucker, Ga./St. Pius X Catholic) made four stellar saves in her final game as a Wolverine to help Michigan into overtime.
Two early free kicks generated quick chances for Michigan. Judy Coffman's (San Jose, Calif./Santa Theresa) first service sailed toward the upper corner, but was snagged by UWM goalkeeper Erin Kane. U-M collected another free kick in the 16th minute -- this time, Coffman elected to send a feed to a streaking Melissa Dobbyn (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson), but Kane grabbed her pass.
U-M continued to gain the better scoring chances during the first half, as Dobbyn took a drop pass from Katie Miler (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) at the top of the box and rifled a shot just over the bar. But despite generating more of the limited opportunities in the half, the Wolverines headed into halftime in a scoreless tie.
The opening minutes of the second frame saw most of the play in the middle third of the field. The Michigan defense then came up big in the 65th minute, just following a UWM throw in, when a loose ball squirted through the box, opening up a point-blank shot that Erica Gordy (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Detroit Country Day) blocked away.
Michigan dodged a bullet on Milwaukee's next shot from long range. UWM's Kate Megna fired one from 25 yards out that sailed toward the top corner, bounced off the post and into the box before Tuura gobbled it up.
After making another save on a Milwaukee shot from 20 yards deep, Tuura sprawled to stop a shot from just left of the penalty area. The ball rolled along the end line before Emily Kalmbach (Coto de Caza, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) cleared it out of danger.
The Wolverines worked toward the clinching goal in the final minutes, but had to settle for their eighth overtime game of the season.
Gordy came up huge again in the start of overtime. A U-M clearing attempt went right to a Panther, who sent a pass to a wide-open Louise Vraney in front of the net. As Vraney let the shot go, Gordy sprawled in to block the point-blank attempt.
Michigan carried most of the possession in the first extra frame, but could not break behind the Panthers' back line, sending the contest into a second overtime period.
A Wolverine corner in the 104th minute created the best scoring opportunity of the second overtime. UWM cleared the service directly to Dobbyn, who laced a shot that Kane just got her hands on.
With just under four minutes to play, Dobbyn nearly ended it from 20 yards out, but her shot, headed for the top portion of the net, was punched out by Kane.
Michigan defended a late Milwaukee corner, leaving battle to be decided in a penalty-kick shootout.
After each team scored their first two attempts on net, with Coffman and Spencer converting for U-M, Lindsey Cottrell's (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central) shot sailed over the bar, giving UWM the shootout lead, 3-2. After Milwaukee converted its fourth chance, Miler connected to keep Michigan alive.
That celebration was short-lived, however, as the Panthers converted their fifth attempt, taking the shootout win and leaving the Wolverines on the wrong side of a heartbreaker.
GAME SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | OT | OT | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Penalty Kicks Shootout
PK -- UWM, Joanna Severson (good)
PK -- U-M, Judy Coffman (good)
PK -- UWM, Louise Vraney (good)
PK -- U-M, Katelin Spencer (good)
PK -- UWM, Molly Duffy (good)
PK -- U-M, Lindsey Cottrell (missed)
PK -- UWM, Pam Shipway (good)
PK -- U-M, Katie Miler (good)
PK -- UWM, Bailey Briggs (good) -- UWM advances on penalty kicks (5-3)
Shots: U-M 6, UWM 12
Shots on Goal: U-M 2, UWM 4
Saves: U-M 4 (Megan Tuura), UWM 2 (Erin Kane)
Corner Kicks: U-M 5, UWM 3
Fouls: U-M 14, PSU 15
Cards: UWM, Taylor Powell, 78:55 (yellow)
NOTES
• Michigan allowed just three first-half goals during the 2006 season. The Wolverines also equaled the program record for fewest goals allowed in a season (20).
• The senior class of Judy Coffman, Katelin Spencer, Lauren Fifield and Megan Tuura finish 3-1-1 at Notre Dame's Alumni Field. The wins included two over Fighting Irish teams ranked in the top five in 2003.
• U-M falls to .500 in games against programs from the state of Wisconsin (11-11-3) and matches in the NCAA Tournament (9-9).
• Senior Katelin Spencer started for the 88th and final time to move into a tie with Kacy Beitel on Michigan's career starts list. Spencer and fellow senior captain Judy Coffman each completed their careers with 88 games played, which is good for eighth in program history.
• Senior Megan Tuura finished the season with a goals-against average of 0.60, setting a new program record for lowest GAA in a season. She now holds the top two spots in the category after posting a GAA of 0.74 as a freshman. She also recorded four saves against the Panthers, giving her 322 for her career, which is six shy of the U-M record of 328 set by Carissa Stewart (1997-2000).
• Tuura's shutout in this evening's contest give her seven on the season and 20 in her career. She equaled her previous single-season career high in shutouts from her sophomore season.
• Junior Melissa Dobbyn's team-high three shots give her 95 for the year to set a new program record for shots in a season, breaking Kacy Beitel's previous mark of 94 in 2000.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Debbie Rademacher
On Melissa Dobbyn having a strong game despite injury ... "She is pretty key to our offense with the way she can strike balls and hold the ball. To be able to come out and contribute is essential. We are missing a lot of key players."
On the season ... "Certainly getting back into the NCAA Tournament was a huge lift. One and done is pretty disappointing because I feel we had the ability to go further, but we also had numerous injuries to key players and we have had people contribute big-time goals at crucial points in the season when they had never even scored before or have not had much playing time before. That is pretty rewarding to have a team that can rally and contribute when the team needs it. We did that all season in crucial moments. Today we played a team that had 15 shutouts and we knew they were going to be hard to score on. We have nothing to be ashamed of."
On the play of Erica Gordy after missing most of the season with illness and injury ... "She did a great job. Erica has been battling a virus all season long and has been physically out. I am pleased with her ability to go into a big game and be able to focus and contribute the way she did."
U-M Senior Midfielder Katelin Spencer
On finishing her career No. 2 all-time in games started, having played in every game ... "There have been so many awesome players to go through this program and I am humbled by them. It is really sad to end the way that we did. Those numbers honestly don't really matter to me. What matters more is the relationships and the bonds that I formed with awesome people. Also, to be a part of such an awesome program and institution is special. Athletics here are just incredible. It has been an awesome run, but I am sad to go."
On the 2006-07 senior class ... "This is a tight-knit group. It was exciting to see this class step up and bring this team back into the tournament and achieve some goals. It is exciting to see us go out on what I would like to call a high note. It is sad to see a game end that way, but we fought for 90 minutes and two overtimes and we competed."
On the play of Erica Gordy ... "I am so proud of Gordy today. It is tough to step in, but she is a competitive player and she was on it. She was winning balls in the air and keeping possession for us. I am really proud of her and of her effort."
On today's game ... "Today there was two fairly evenly match teams. We fought hard and they fought hard. There were changes of momentum throughout the game. I think in overtime, with us having the momentum in the two overtimes, it was clear which team wanted it more. We definitely fought as hard as we could today. Every single player on the field gave it everything they had. Some days you just get unlucky."
