Michigan
10-4-2
Akron
10-3-2
Stacy's Goal Gives Michigan Upset of No. 17 Akron
10/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Boxscore
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Junior midfielder Jake Stacy(Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) scored 44 seconds into double overtime Wednesday (Oct. 24) to lead the University of Michigan men's soccer team to a signature win over the No.17 Akron Zips, 1-0, on a cold night on the U-M Soccer Field. After 100 minutes of solid defense and scoreless play, the Wolverines (10-4-2, 0-2-2 Big Ten) sealed the victory via Stacy's heroics.
Akron (10-3-2, 2-0-1 MAC) appeared to have a sure score when a Zip forward was head-to-head with junior/sophomore goalkeeper Patrick Sperry(Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) in the early part of the first half, but Sperry reached out and stole the ball from the oncoming Zip.
Michigan received a set piece off a Zip foul to earn a scoring chance of its own in the middle of the first half. With distractions from junior midfielder Jake Stacy(Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) and sophomore forward Peri Marosevic(Rockford, Ill./Edison Academy), junior defender Michael Holody(Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) ripped a shot on the direct kick but sent the ball over the net.
At the end of the opening half, Stacy booted a free shot that missed wide and the teams went into the half scoreless.
Akron came out of the locker room with force in the second half. The Zips took a strong shot early in the stanza from the middle of the 18-yard box, but Sperry made the tough save.
Minutes later, sophomore forward Mauro Fuzetti(Houston, Texas/Stratford) was charging hard to the Zips' goal at full speed with the ball, but Fuzetti ran into multiple Akron defenders who stopped the momentum and prevented the shot.
In the last second of regulation, Sperry made an acrobatic save to keep the Wolverines' chances alive.
The teams battled evenly through the first overtime with no major scoring opportunities.
Forty-four seconds into the second overtime, Stacy got a pass from sophomore/freshman Matt Schmitt(Muskegon, Mich./Reeths-Puffer) and shot the ball on the ground into the middle of the net. The golden goal gave Michigan its 10th win of the season, and handed Sperry his eighth shutout of the campaign to build on his current U-M record.
Michigan will head to Columbus, Ohio, to play Ohio State Saturday (Oct. 27) at 4 p.m.
GAME SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | OT1 | OT2 | F |
| Akron | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
OT2 --U-M, Jake Stacy, 100:44 (Matt Schmitt)
Shots: U-M 9, Akron 8
Saves: U-M 5 (Patrick Sperry), Akron 2 (Evan Bush)
Corner Kicks: U-M 4, Akron 5
Fouls: U-M 13, Akron 18
Cards: U-M, Michael Holody, 41:26 (yellow); U-M, Steve Bonnell, 63:35 (yellow); Akron, Ossie Michaelsen, 84:59 (yellow); Akron, Elliot Bradbrook, 88:12 (yellow).
Q U O T E S
Michigan Junior Midfielder Jake Stacy
On the win... "We've been waiting for a big win against a really good team, and this was definitely a big one for us."
On the implications of the win... "I think going into the end of our season, two games left and then the Big Ten Tournament, it's a big step for us. I think it's the momentum that we need."
On the golden goal... "I played it out to Matt Schmitt and he had a guy on his back. He faked him outside. He took him down the line and crossed it. He was coming across and the goalie was coming across thinking he could get it and then the goalie realized he couldn't get it. He scooted across and I put a foot on it and put it inside. It was my biggest goal of the year so far. I feel great. It's a huge win. We have Ohio State on Saturday so we can't soak up this win for too long."
Contact: Stacey Schwartz (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Stacy, Jake (3)
Assisted By: Schmitt, Matt
shot to the middle of the net on the gro
100:44
