Wolverines Open Big Ten Home Slate With Win Over Wisconsin

Sunday, October 4

Ann Arbor, Mich.

1:00 PM

Michigan

8-2-1, 1-1-0Big Ten

Wisconsin

2-5-2, 0-2-0Big Ten

Wisconsin

Michigan

Wolverines Open Big Ten Home Slate With Win Over Wisconsin

10/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Jessica Poole

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Complex)
Score: Michigan 3, Wisconsin 0
Records: U-M (8-2-1, 1-1-0 Big Ten), WIS (2-5-2, 0-2-0 Big Ten)
Attendance: 1,035
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Oct. 10 -- vs. Indiana (U-M Soccer Complex), 3:30 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior forward Mauro Fuzetti (Houston, Texas/Stratford) scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season -- the game-winner -- and added an assist to lead the University of Michigan men's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over Wisconsin on Sunday (Oct. 4) at the U-M Soccer Complex.

Mauro Fuzetti

Freshman midfielder Hamoody Saad (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn) also added a goal and an assist, while junior forward Justin Meram (Shelby Township, Mich./Yavapai College) picked up his sixth goal of the season in the victory. Junior defender Jeffrey Quijano (Simi Valley, Calif./Canoga), junior midfielder Alex Wood (Northville Mich./Northville) and senior/junior midfielder Cam Cameron (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) each tallied an assist, while junior/sophomore goalkeeper Chris Blais (Seattle, Wash./Kennedy Memorial) made two saves.

With the Wolverines holding a 1-0 halftime advantage, freshman defender Kofi Opare (Niagara Falls, Ontario/St. Paul) nearly doubled the lead with a quality scoring opportunity in the 63rd minute that deflected off the inside goal post and just out of bounds. Despite not scoring on that attempt, U-M made good on its next trip into the Wisconsin box, picking up the second goal of the afternoon. Saad served a corner kick from the right side and connected with Fuzetti in the box. Meram, who was on the goal post, found the ball and headed it just behind Wisconsin's Alex Horwath for the score.

The teams continued to battle throughout the game in typical Big Ten fashion, but a goal from Saad in the 83rd minute iced the victory for the Wolverines, who picked up their third Big Ten home-opening victory and moved to 5-0 at the U-M Soccer Complex in 2009.

In a game of evenly-match opponents, the Wolverines were able to control the offense at the outset of the game. U-M, which was held scoreless in its last two outings, found the back of the net first just eight minutes into the first half when Quijano connected with Fuzetti on a long cross in the box and Fuzetti headed the ball home.

Michigan takes to the pitch again on Saturday (Oct. 10) when it welcomes Big Ten rival Indiana at 3:30 p.m. to the U-M Soccer Complex for a televised contest. The game will air on the Big Ten Network on a same-day delay at 7:30 p.m.

GAME SUMMARY

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

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Mauro Fuzetti, 7:59 (Jeffrey Quijano)
2nd -- U-M, Justin Meram, 77:23 (Fuzetti, Hamoody Saad)
2nd -- U-M, Saad, 82:41 (Alex Wood, Cam Cameron)

Shots: U-M 22, WIS 6
Shots on Goal: U-M 10, WIS 2
Saves: U-M 2 (Chris Blais), WIS 7 (Alex Horwath)
Corner Kicks: U-M 6, WIS 5
Fouls: U-M 22, WIS 10
Cards: U-M, Mauro Fuzetti, 28:55 (Yellow); U-M, Jeffrey Quijano, 43:30 (Yellow); U-M, Justin Meram, 57:20 (Yellow); U-M, Brian Klemczak, 58:02 (Yellow); U-M, Latif Alashe, 61:31 (Yellow); WIS, Taylor Waspi, 17:42,(Yellow); WIS, Austin Spohn, 29:45 (Yellow); WIS, Brandon Miller, 43:30 (Yellow); WIS, Austin Spohn, 58:02 (Yellow); WIS, Jon Rzepka, 76:51 (Yellow)

NOTES

• With today's victory, U-M leads the series with Wisconsin 8-2-3, but each of the last three previous meetings have ended in a tie, including a 0-0 tie in last season's Big Ten Tournament in which the Wolverines advanced on penalty kicks.

• U-M has not lost to Wisconsin in Ann Arbor since moving to varsity status in 2000. The Badgers are 0-4-1 all-time vs. Michigan in Ann Arbor.

• U-M moves to 5-0 at the U-M Soccer Complex this season. Last season, U-M had a program-best home record of 9-2 at it home venues, which included Eastern Michigan's field and Saline high school's.

• Wisconsin assistant coach Ernie Yarborough served as an assistant coach for the Wolverines for seven seasons, serving as the first assistant from 2000-2006.

• U-M moves to 98-74-19 all-time and with two more victories will record the program's 100th victory. Head coach Steve Burns will also pick up his 100th career victory.

• Senior forward Mauro Fuzetti moves into fourth place all-time at U-M with 23 career goals and is tied for third all-time with 61 career points. His game-winning goal also gives him eight game-winners -- good for second-place all-time.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
On the game ... "We were concerned and aware that Wisconsin was starting eight seniors in their starting lineup. Eight seniors that are on a mission to achieve in their final season at Wisconsin under a new coach; we knew it was going to be a battle. The first goal really helped open the game up because Wisconsin figured out where a couple of seams were on us and they played a direct game that they had some control over and it turned into a hard-fought Big Ten battle."

On playing through adversity ... "We battled a lot of adversity with the weather and the fact that we're playing such a tough physical team and we had to make adjustments in our game with the referee as well because it was a game that turned into a choppy one as the play got physical and the referee was trying to gain control of the game. I thought that favored Wisconsin because we're a team that likes that flow and depends on that flow."