Michigan Squanders First-Half Lead in Loss to Oakland

Thursday, September 21

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

4-3-2

Oakland

3-6-0

Oakland

Michigan

Michigan Squanders First-Half Lead in Loss to Oakland

9/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Matt Baumer

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Field)
Score: Oakland 2, Michigan 1
Records: U-M (4-3-2)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Sept. 24 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), noon

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team failed to hold a 1-0 halftime lead in a 2-1 loss to Oakland on Thursday night (Sept. 21) at U-M Soccer Field. The Wolverines held a 17-6 shot advantage and Judy Coffman (San Jose, Calif./Santa Theresa) scored her second goal of the season in the defeat.

Michigan opened the offensive chances with a corner in the eighth minute. Melissa Dobbyn's (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) cross sailed to Jamie Artsis (Chatsworth, Calif./Harvard-Westlake School) in the six-yard box, but Oakland defended the play and cleared.

The Wolverines cashed in on a thread-the-needle long ball from Dobbyn to Coffman in the 16th minute. Dobbyn raced through the midfield and sailed a laser over the Oakland defense to a streaking Coffman, who settled the ball and poked a shot over Oakland goalkeeper Kim Herbst to give Michigan a 1-0 lead at 15:32.

The two teams traded corner kick attempts and Madison Gates (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) came up with a save in the closing minutes, allowing the Wolverines to carry a 1-0 lead into the half. All seemed well as Michigan outshot the Grizzlies 10-2 after holding Oakland to zero shots through the first 41:43 of play.

An innocent Michigan foul led to the tying mark by the Grizzlies. Kristi Evans fired a direct free kick from 25 yards out over the U-M wall and into the back left corner of the net at 47:41, evening the score at 1-1.

In the 59th minute, Coffman dribbled through the Oakland defense, beating two defenders along the way, but her shot from in-close hit the outside of the net. The Grizzlies' go-ahead score came at 65:58 on a corner kick. Kristi Mitchell's set piece went right to the head of Marianne Samdal near-post for the score as OU took a 2-1 lead. Just following the score, Dobbyn sped past a defender and fired a low liner that bounced off the left post and out.

Michigan's offensive pressure picked up in the final 15 minutes of play as the Wolverines created numerous chances to tie the game. A wild scramble following a U-M corner in the 78th minute nearly squirted in, but Oakland cleared it out of danger. Danelle Underwood (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern) earned the next chance as she beat a defender at the top of the box and sent a shot over the bar.

The final opportunity came on a dead-ball kick. Coffman, attempting to catch the Oakland defense napping, played a pass to a wide-open Underwood at the top of the box. Underwood collected the feed and ripped a shot that sailed over the crossbar.

U-M could not muster any scoring chances in the waning minutes and fell for the second straight game.

The Wolverines next head on the road for the Big Ten Conference opener as they take on Penn State at noon Sunday (Sept. 24) at Jeffrey Field.

GAME SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Oakland	0	2	2
Michigan	1	0	1

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Judy Coffman, 15:32 (Melissa Dobbyn)
2nd -- OU, Kristi Evans, 47:41 (unassisted)
2nd -- OU, Marianne Samdal, 65:58 (Kristi Mitchell)

Shots: U-M 17, OU 6
Shots on Goal: U-M 5, OU 4
Saves: U-M 2 (Madison Gates), OU 4 (Kim Herbst)
Corner Kicks: U-M 5, OU 5
Fouls: U-M 8, OU 9
Cards: None

NOTES

• Michigan has not allowed a first-half score in any of its nine games this season. U-M also has not allowed a goal in the beginning stanza in 11 straight regular-season games dating back to last season. The last first-half score allowed came against No. 1-ranked Penn State on Oct. 21, 2005.

• Senior Judy Coffman scored for the second time this season. Her last goal came in overtime as she scored the game-winner in a 1-0 defeat of No. 17 Arizona on Aug. 27.

• Sophomore Katie Miler made her first career start in tonight's game.

• Sophomore goalkeeper Madison Gates made her first start since Oct. 9 of last season when she started against Wisconsin.

• The Wolverines fall to 6-3-1 all-time against the Grizzlies after defeating Oakland 3-2 last season. Madison Gates started the 2005 meeting as well.