Michigan Advances Past Hoosiers in Opening Round of Big Tens

Thursday, November 2

State College, Pa.

7:30 PM

Michigan

9-6-5 *4-3-3

Indiana

9-7-4 *5-4-1

Michigan

Indiana

Michigan Advances Past Hoosiers in Opening Round of Big Tens

11/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Matt Baumer

Site: State College, Pa. (Jeffrey Field)
Event: Big Ten Tournament (Quarterfinals)
Score: Michigan 2, Indiana 1
Records: U-M (9-6-5), Indiana (9-7-4)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Nov. 3 -- at Penn State in Big Ten Semifinals (State College, Pa.), 7:30 p.m.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Lindsey MacDonald's (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) first career score in the 29th minute held up as the game-winner and gave the University of Michigan women's soccer team a 2-1 victory over Indiana in the quarterfinal round of the 2006 Big Ten Tournament on Thursday night (Nov. 2) at Jeffrey Field. A chilly, windy evening saw just nine shots on each side and two own goals. Megan Tuura (Tucker, Ga./St. Pius X Catholic) made four key saves, and MacDonald's blast came from one of U-M's three corner kicks.

Michigan opened the game with the majority of possession in the offensive end, nearly taking the lead five minutes into the match on a breakaway. Kristin Thomas (Centennial, Colo./Cherry Creek) dribbled through a tackle and lofted a thruball to Melissa Dobbyn (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson), sending her in free on the goalkeeper, but Dobbyn's shot slid just wide of the net.

U-M dodged a bullet in the 15th minute on a long-range shot by the Hoosiers. Going with the wind, Indiana's rocket banged the inside of the post and out. Unfortunately, the Hoosiers took the lead seconds later on a Michigan own goal, giving IU a 1-0 lead at 15:22.

The Wolverines returned the favor with an own goal of their own at 19:21. Katie Miler (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) launched a long ball into the box intended for Dobbyn, but an Indiana defender miscue deflected the ball into the net to tie the score at 1-1.

Michigan took the lead for good on its second corner of the game at 28:18. Judy Coffman's (San Jose, Calif./Santa Theresa) set piece sailed high, deflecting off the head of an Indiana defender straight to MacDonald, who raced in and sent a liner from 16 yards out into the top right corner of the net, giving Michigan the 2-1 lead. U-M held a 5-3 shot advantage and headed into halftime up a goal.

A slow-paced second half saw U-M create two quick chances to begin play. MacDonald had the first opportunity on a cross from Sarah Banco (Medfield, Mass./Noble and Greenough School). However, she could not get much power on the shot, and IU goalkeeper Stacey Van Boxmeer grabbed the loose ball. Minutes later, a give-and-go from Coffman to Emily Kalmbach (Coto de Caza, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) nearly set Dobbyn up for an insurance marker, but Kalmbach's cross just missed Dobbyn cutting near the goal line.

The middle of the half stayed physical and was dominated by defense as neither team could break behind the backline. Tuura came up huge in the 75th minute on an IU restart kick. Two quick Hoosier passes set up a deflection headed for the bottom right corner, but Tuura extended her arms and jumped on the ball before it crossed the goal line.

The Wolverines defended two close-in Hoosier chances and sealed the 2-1 win, advancing to a Friday (Nov. 3) semifinal meeting against the top-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions. The match is set for 7:30 p.m. at Jeffrey Field in State College, Pa.

GAME SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Michigan	2	0	2
Indiana	1	0	1

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- IU, U-M Own Goal, 15:22
1st -- U-M, IU Own Goal, 19:21
1st -- U-M, Lindsey MacDonald, 28:18 (unassisted)

Shots: U-M 9, IU 9
Shots on Goal: U-M 5, IU 5
Saves: U-M 4 (Megan Tuura), IU 3 (Stacey Van Boxmeer)
Corner Kicks: U-M 3, IU 1
Fouls: U-M 12, IU 10
Cards: IU, Beverly Markwort, 11:36 (yellow)

NOTES

• The Wolverines end a two-game skid against the Hoosiers and improve to 10-3-1 all-time against Indiana. The Maize and Blue also up its record all-time in the Big Ten Tournament to 18-10.

• U-M advances past the first round of the conference tournament for the fourth straight season with tonight's victory.

• The Wolverines surpass last season's win total of eight with tonight's victory.

• Michigan improves to 6-0 in games it scores more than once. Following tonight's win, the Maize and Blue have defeated Oklahoma and Purdue by a 2-0 margin, dropped Iowa and No. 24 Illinois by a score of 2-1 in consecutive games, and won at Ohio State 2-1.

• Lindsey MacDonald's first career goal -- the game-winner -- comes on her 12th career shot and in her 26th career game. MacDonald becomes the sixth Wolverine to record her first career points this season, joining Katie Miler, Katie Bohard, Megan Tuura, Kristin Thomas and Emily Kalmbach.

• With her team-best four shots in tonight's match, Melissa Dobbyn now has 88 on the season, which is the third-highest total by a single player in a season in program history. She is one shot from tying her single-season career high and trails Kacy Beitel's program-record 94 shots in 2000.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Debbie Rademacher
On today's game ... "We came out with a lot of energy. Maybe it was that we had to wait all day and we finally got out there to play, but we were energized. We responded very well to the wind and the cold and didn't let it affect us. The game was a pretty hard fought game."

On Lindsey MacDonald's first career goal holding up as the game-winner ... "All season long when we have asked different people to step in due to injuries or any other reason. We have had people score their first career goals at big times and for game-winning goals. It is great when you can get contributions from your whole team."

U-M Senior Goalkeeper Megan Tuura
On today's win ... "(This win) is amazing. It's so weird to think I am going to be done with soccer in a couple more games. At this point, with one more game, I would do anything for another game. I was really happy to keep playing."

On combating the cold and windy weather ... "It was awful. It takes a lot of heart and mental toughness to get through that. You can't feel your fingers or your toes. It was really cold and it just takes a lot of mental toughness to make it."

U-M Junior Midfielder Lindsey MacDonald
On scoring her first career goal for the game-winner ... "I went into the game knowing it could be the last game of the season; wanting to put everything out there. Before that corner kick, I was far post, and normally the ball doesn't come to me. I had this feeling so I was really ready. I inched in towards the goal a little more and the ball went right to my foot."

On stepping in for injured starters ... "It's been up-and-down all season, but I feel like every game I am ready to do whatever my role is and what I need to do. I am ready to step up and fill holes. Crucial players have got hurt and it's been really hard, but I have learned a lot from other players in the middle there about what my job is and my role is. Lately, I have been into it and I get on the field and feel like I am part of the play. I feel like I have connected as of late and have been a linking player on the field."