Banco's Birthday Goal Pushes U-M Past No. 19 Purdue

Friday, September 29

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

5-4-2, 1-1-0Big Ten

Purdue

9-2-2, 2-1-0Big Ten

Purdue

Michigan

9/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Matt Baumer

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Field)
Score: Michigan 2, #19 Purdue 0
Records: U-M (5-4-2, 1-1 Big Ten), Purdue (9-2-2, 2-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Oct. 1 -- vs. Indiana (U-M Soccer Field), 1 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For the second time this season, the University of Michigan women's soccer team used a birthday score to win at home. On her 21st birthday, Sarah Banco (Medfield, Mass./Noble and Greenough School) scored and had an assist as the Wolverines upset No. 19 Purdue in a 2-0 shutout Friday night (Sept. 29) at U-M Soccer Field.

Megan Tuura (Tucker, Ga./St. Pius X Catholic) came back after missing two games due to injury and earned the shutout win behind a stellar defense. Melissa Dobbyn (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) scored the game-winner nine minutes in for the Wolverines.

Michigan took it to the 19th-ranked Boilermakers from the opening whistle, outshooting Purdue 8-2 in the first half and 15-6 overall. The Wolverines jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 8:48 when Banco collected a loose ball in the midfield and sent a cross-field switch to Dobbyn at the top of the 18-yard box. The junior striker sprinted to the end line just right of the goal and punched a low, soft shot under Purdue goalkeeper Lauren Mason for the first score of the game.

The Wolverines kept up the pressure following the goal. Banco earned a chance in the 19th minute but fired her shot wide. U-M held possession for the remaining minutes and looked to add to the lead on a corner in the 36th minute. Judy Coffman's (San Jose, Calif./Santa Theresa) service went to Emily Kalmbach (Coto de Caza, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) at the top of the box. Her shot popped off a defender to Katelin Spencer (Brighton, Mich./Brighton), who sent a header just over the bar as the Wolverines carried the momentum into the second half up 1-0.

U-M lost no jump following halftime as it once again controlled the play. Banco got another opportunity in the 51st minute when she volleyed a loose ball in the box over the crossbar. U-M's hustle earned a free kick from 28 yards out in the 64th minute. Coffman rocketed a bomb toward the back post that Mason just punched over the net.

Luck was also on the side of the Maize and Blue in the 70th minute. Purdue's Sylvia Forbes took a cross and headed a laser off the crossbar that would have tied the game. Michigan took advantage minutes later as Katie Miler (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) fought through a defender and popped a cross into the middle of the box past a Purdue defender directly to Banco, who curled a volley over Mason into the top right corner of the net to give Michigan a 2-0 lead at 75:47.

Tuura had to make a save late, and the Wolverine defense stayed organized to stifle Purdue in the remaining minutes to help Michigan to the victory.

The Maize and Blue next takes on Indiana for a Sunday afternoon affair (Oct. 1, 1 p.m.) at U-M Soccer Field. The game will be broadcast live on Comcast Local.

GAME SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Purdue	0	0	0
Michigan	1	1	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Melissa Dobbyn, 8:48 (Sarah Banco)
2nd -- U-M, Banco, 75:47 (Katie Miler)

Shots: U-M 15, PU 6
Shots on Goal: U-M 5, PU 1
Saves: U-M 1 (Megan Tuura), PU 3 (Lauren Mason)
Corner Kicks: U-M 5, PU 1
Fouls: U-M 7, PU 12
Cards: PU, Zarinah Blockton, 86:26 (yellow)

NOTES

• The Wolverines continued their dominance defensively to extend their streak of not allowing a first-half goal in any home game this season. U-M also has streak of eight regular-season home games without giving up a goal in the beginning frame dating back to last season.

• Michigan has won its Big Ten home opener each of the last six seasons.

• U-M scored multiple goals for just the second time this season. Michigan won by the same score of 2-0 at Oklahoma to open up September.

• The Wolverines matched the program record for shutouts through the first 11 games of a season. Michigan has blanked its opponent six times.

• Michigan toppled a ranked opponent for the second time this season after going 0-2-3 against the Top 25 in 2005. U-M took down No. 17 Arizona in overtime in the second game of the season before beating No. 19 Purdue tonight.

• Senior Lindsey Cottrell started her 50th career game in tonight's contest.

• Junior Melissa Dobbyn moved into the seventh place on U-M's career points list with her game-winning score. Her 62 career points push her past Debbie Flaherty's 61 career points.

• Junior Sarah Banco scored her first goal of the season in her first career goal-and-assist game. She becomes the first Michigan player this season to be in on more than one goal in a game. The junior captain matched her scoring total from last season with the goal and assist tonight.

• Sophomore Katie Miler notched her first career assist on Sarah Banco's second-half tally. Miler now has a goal and an assist on the season.

• Sophomore Christina Paras saw her first action of the season in reserve.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Debbie Rademacher
On tonight's win ... "We needed this win. We knew we played two tough teams recently in Notre Dame and Penn State and this game was do or die for us. We felt like we had seen great players in the past two weeks so we are not going to feel intimidated by any team. It was just a matter of us fighting and creating energy."

On the play of junior Sarah Banco ... "She's a captain and a leader and she certainly showed that tonight when we needed her to step in and produce. She definitely had her best game of the season so far."

On returning senior goalkeeper Megan Tuura healthy ... "It is great to have her back. We put Madison (Gates) in two of the toughest games of the season and she played fine. It is always nice to get your players back healthy and start everything on the right foot. Our defenders were pretty mindful tonight about not putting Megan in dangerous situations. We kept focused and organized for her."

U-M Junior Forward/Midfielder Sarah Banco
On tonight's game ... "I focused on wanting to win more than anything. We had lost our last three games. Individually, I wanted to do what I could for the team. We wanted to possess the ball, face up, and run at them. We wanted high ball pressure up top and to make sure we held the ball up top and not allow counterattacks."

On her first goal of the season ... "It could have been right place, right time, but we worked a lot in practice on runs; forwards making sure that when we get the ball out wide that we get into the box. As a team, we really worked on that this week, and I tried to remember that when I was up top today."

On scoring on her birthday ... "I feel awesome. I was really happy with what I was able to do for the team tonight. I am glad to be back playing minutes. On my birthday, I couldn't ask for a better gift than to beat the No. 19 team in the country."