Michigan
10-5-2, 0-3-2BT
Ohio State
10-3-3, 3-1-1BT
U-M's Upset Bid at No. 25 Ohio State Falls Short in OT
10/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Site: Columbus, Ohio (Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium)
Score: #25 Ohio State 1, Michigan 0 (OT)
Records: U-M (10-5-2, 0-3-2 Big Ten), OSU (10-3-3, 3-1-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 4 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 2 p.m.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A controversial goal less than a minute into overtime gave No. 25 Ohio State a 1-0 victory over the University of Michigan men's soccer team Saturday afternoon (Oct. 27) in front of a Big Ten Network audience and a crowd of 1,734 at OSU's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Junior/sophomore goalkeeper Patrick Sperry (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) made five saves in goal for the Wolverines (10-5-2, 0-3-2 Big Ten), who were bidding for their second upset of a ranked team this week.
In the first minute of overtime, the Buckeyes (10-3-3, 3-1-1 Big Ten) took advantage of a corner kick opportunity. Xavier Balc served the ball in bounds, and as Sperry went to play the ball he collided with an opposing player. With U-M junior midfielder Jake Stacy (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills) standing in front of the goal line, Tim Gabel's left-footed shot bounced off the ground then off Stacy's right arm and into the underside of the crossbar and fell in front of the goal line, but the referee claimed the ball had crossed the line and signaled a goal at 90:49.
In the first half, one of Michigan's best chances to take control of the scoreboard came in the 11th minute off a Stacy corner kick. After Stacy mailed the ball in, junior midfielder Alex Morisset (Shelby Township, Mich./De La Salle) took a shot from the far right wing, but the ball went wide.
Michigan's next scoring opportunity arrived at 22:02 off sophomore/freshman forward Matt Schmitt's (Muskegon, Mich./Reeths-Puffer) shot which was blocked. On the rebound, junior forward Steve Bonnell (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Detroit Country Day) sent a blazing ball from within the 18-yard box on the left side, but Buckeye goalie Casey Latchem made the save.
Sperry completed a flawless first half with three saves and played well under a barrage of Buckeye shots in the second half as well. OSU threatened in the 64th minute with a close-range shot, but Sperry kept the Buckeyes off the scoreboard. A minute later, on an Ohio State possession from inside the 18-yard box, Sperry came up with a save once again and U-M cleared the ball.
Michigan's best scoring chance in the second half came in the 78th minute when junior/sophomore midfielder Daniel Gray (Setauket, N.Y./Chaminade) had possession of the ball inside the 18-yard box. As he approached the OSU goalie free of Buckeye defenders, he kicked the ball toward the goal but it broke wide.
Michigan will have a week off before traveling to State College, Pa., for a Big Ten contest against Penn State next Sunday (Nov. 4) at 2 p.m.
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | OT | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ohio State | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
OT -- OSU, Tim Gabel, 90:49 (Xavier Balc)
Shots: U-M 11, OSU 21
Saves: U-M 7 (Patrick Sperry 5, Team 2), OSU 7 (Casey Latchem)
Corner Kicks: U-M 4, OSU 7
Fouls: U-M 12, OSU 13
Cards: U-M, Santos Perez, 52:15 (yellow).
Team Stats
Gabel, Tim (3)
Assisted By: Balc, Xavier
Header from close left wing off corner k
90:49
