Wolverines' NCAA Tournament Run Ended at Indiana

Saturday, November 29

Bloomington, Ind.

7:00 PM

Michigan

13-6-3

Indiana

14-6-3

Michigan

Indiana

11/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Bill Armstrong Stadium)
Event: NCAA Championship (Third Round)
Score: #12 Indiana 3, #14 Michigan 0
Records: U-M (13-6-3), Indiana (14-6-3)
Next U-M Game: Season Complete

Boxscore | Notes & Quotes

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The No. 14-ranked University of Michigan men's soccer team, the 11th seed in the national tournament, was eliminated after a 3-0 loss to sixth-seeded and No. 12-ranked Indiana in the third round of the NCAA Championship on Saturday night (Nov. 29) in Bill Armstrong Stadium. Senior/junior Patrick Sperry(Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) made four saves in the losing effort.

Michigan tried to draw first blood in the first five minutes when junior Mauro Fuzetti(Houston, Texas/Stratford) sent in a bounding pass from corner past the foot of an IU defender to senior Steve Bonnell(St. Clair Shores, Mich. /Detroit Country Day) in the box. The senior tried to jockey for position but could not find a clear path to the net. He got off a shot that went careening off of a defender and out to senior/junior Daniel Gray(Setauket, N.Y./Chaminade), who sent a blast wide to the left.

Sperry was tested and responded with strong saves on a pair of shots inside 20 minutes, but it was in the 18th minute when the Wolverine defense made its best play of the opening stanza. The Hoosiers came storming down the left side, stringing together several passes as they overlapped their way to goal. As an IU forward tried to make the final cut into the box, junior Julian Robles(Los Angeles, Calif./Damien) came crashing in, making a clean slide tackle to stymie the forward progress and assume possession for the Maize and Blue.

Indiana broke the stalemate on its eighth shot of the game to go up 1-0 in the 34th minute. Indiana cycled the ball around the box until a slim gap for a shot opened up from the top of the box. IU's Andy Adlard sent a low shot through the crowd and past the outstretched Sperry into the back left corner of the cage.

Michigan threatened eight minutes after the break but could not find pay dirt. Senior Michael Holody(Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) sent a booming pass from midfield to senior Santos Perez(Troy, Mich./Athens) on the right wing. Perez got to the ball and settled it before sending a blast from the top corner of the box. His shot came just inches from ringing off the crossbar but was tipped away by the leaping IU goalkeeper.

The two teams engaged in air combat for the next several minutes, trying to use a long pass to establish a presence in the opposing third. The back-and-forth play continued for a bulk of the frame with both teams generating unsuccessful chances in the box. Perez continued to be U-M's launcher of choice once it got inside the attacking third. The senior had three strong serves into the box between the 60th and 70th minute.

Michigan got a golden chance to level the slate in the 73rd minute when junior Peri Marosevic(Rockford, Ill./Edison Academy) got off a point-blank shot. The Wolverines caught an advantage by playing through after IU seemed to expect a penalty call. Holody found his teammate from the right side of the goal mouth, sending a pass through three defenders to Marosevic all alone on the doorstep. IU netminder Chay Cain was in the right spot though, turning aside the attempt.

IU added to its lead at 76:50, going up 2-0. The Hoosiers came racing down the field but were slowed by the U-M defense. Adlard lobbed a pass from the right over two defenders and an attacker to Brad Ring on the far side where he chipped the ball into the back of the cage.

The home team piled on to its lead five minutes later, increasing its edge to 3-0. John Mellencamp got a pass behind the Wolverine defense with no one to beat but the goalkeeper. With Mellencamp bearing down on him, Sperry made a valiant attempt, but the IU attacker was able to send a shot into the right side of the net.

The Wolverines continued to press as time wore down, controlling the ball in the attacking third for the final five minutes of the contest but did not convert.

The loss cuts short the Wolverines' bid at the College Cup and concludes a 2008 season that produced a 13-6-3 overall record.

GAME SUMMARY

By Periods	1	2	F
Michigan	0	0	0
Indiana	1	2	3

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- IU, Andy Adlard, 33:52 (Lee Hagedorn, Neil Wilmarth)
2nd -- IU, Brad Ring, 76:50 (Adlard)
2nd -- IU, John Mellencamp, 81:33 (Adlard)

Shots: U-M 9, IU 18
Shots on Goal: U-M 1, IU 7
Saves: U-M 4 (Patrick Sperry), IU 1 (Chay Cain)
Corner Kicks: U-M 6, IU 7
Fouls: U-M 14, IU 16
Cards: U-M, Mauro Fuzetti, 30:56 (Yellow); IU, Daniel Kelly, 36:11 (Yellow).