Michigan
3-4-3, 0-0-1Big Ten
Iowa
5-4-1, 0-0-1Big Ten
Michigan's Defense Shines in Scoreless Tie With Iowa
9/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Site: Canton, Mich. (PCEP Varsity Soccer Field)
Score: Michigan 0, Iowa 0 (2OT)
Records: U-M (3-4-3, 0-0-1 Big Ten), Iowa (5-4-1, 0-0-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Sept. 28 -- vs. Minnesota (Canton, Mich.), 1 p.m.
CANTON, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team battled to a 0-0 tie with Iowa on Friday (Sept. 26) on the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Varsity Soccer Field to open the 2008 Big Ten slate.
Jackie Carron
The U-M backline of senior Skylar Andrews (Dallas, Texas/Plano West Senior), junior Kylie Neschke (Still River, Mass./Tabor Academy), sophomore Jackie Carron (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester) and freshman Kim Siebert (Troy, Mich./Avondale) held Iowa without a shot on goal after the 13th minute of the game. Senior Madison Gates (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) had to contend with only one shot on net and turned it aside.
The first half was dominated by both offenses in the middle third and both defenses in their respective ends. The Hawkeyes mounted early expeditions into the Wolverine end before the Michigan backline turned them away without a scoring chance. A U-M corner almost generated a chance in the 16th minute, with Carron taking a pass off the corner and sending a shot ping-ponging into a crowd in the box before it could be cleared away.
Michigan's offense carried the play for much of the second half, outshooting Iowa by a 5-3 margin despite failing to dent the twine. The Wolverines had seven quality scoring chances that were broken up by the Hawkeyes. Freshman Natalie Horner (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) had two of the best opportunities, taking two strikes from inside the box midway through the frame.
Neither team was able to develop a serious threat in either of the 10-minute overtime frames. Iowa outshot Michigan 3-0 in the two extra periods, but the Wolverine defense ended the threats and pacified the shots.
Michigan will return to the field to take on Minnesota on Sunday (Sept. 28) at 1 p.m. at the PCEP Varsity Field in Canton, Mich.
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | OT | OT | F |
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
None
Shots: U-M 6, Iowa 9
Shots on Goal: U-M 1, Iowa 1
Saves: U-M 1 (Madison Gates), Iowa 1 (Kali Feiereisel 0, Emily Moran 1)
Corner Kicks: U-M 7, Iowa 4
Fouls: U-M 10, Iowa 10
Cards: None
NOTES
• The Wolverines are now 6-7-2 in Big Ten Conference openers.
• Madison Gates recorded her fifth career shutout and second of the season.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Greg Ryan
On the first conference game ... "For me, it is learning the style of play (of the Big Ten). It is a real physical, hard game -- more physical than finesse. So for me, tonight was a learning experience. I thought the girls learned a lot from the game. In the beginning, (Iowa) had more of the play, but as the game went along we were able to create the better chances."
On the play of the defensive group ... "I have never seen a more improved group of players in my life -- and I tell them that. I have worked with them myself every day for the last month and their understanding of how to play as a group has come so far. Right now, I feel like Madison (Gates), the back four and the two midfielders in front are doing a fantastic job of closing down the other team's chances. We were playing with four forwards tonight, so we weren't playing a conservative system. Our forwards did do a good job of putting pressure on Iowa's back four and that helps our defense, too."
