Blais, Schmitt Sweep Big Ten Weekly Awards
11/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 2, 2009
PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Sophomore/junior goalkeeper Chris Blais (Seattle, Wash./Kennedy Memorial) and senior/junior forward Matt Schmitt (Muskegon, Mich./Reeths-Puffer) of the University of Michigan men's soccer team were named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, respectively, this afternoon (Monday, Nov. 2). The Michigan duo led the Wolverines to a 1-0 double-overtime upset victory over No. 12 Northwestern on Sunday (Nov.1).
This is the first time the Wolverines have swept the Big Ten weekly honors since Oct. 6, 2008, when former Wolverines Patrick Sperry (2005-08) and Jake Stacy (2005-08) earned both awards. It is the second Big Ten Player of the Week honor for Blais, who was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week on Sept. 14, and is the first career honor for Schmitt. The announcement marks just the third time in program history that U-M claimed both awards in one week and the second time that the Wolverines earned a clean sweep of the awards. Last season, Sperry and Holody swept the awards for only the second time in program history. Kevin Robinson (2000, 2003-05) and Peter Dzubay also took both awards on Nov. 4, 2002, but Dzubay had to share the defensive laurel.
Schmitt delivered Michigan's lone goal in the victory over No. 12 Northwestern in front of a home crowd at the U-M Soccer Complex. The golden goal came in the 102nd minute when Schmitt connected on a deflected shot off the goal post, drilling the ball into the back of the net to give Wolverine head coach Steve Burns his 100th career victory and the program its 100th all-time victory. Schmitt, who has seen limited action this season due to injury, picks up his sixth career goal and his first career gamewinner. The strike was Schmitt's second goal in as many games as a reserve. Schmitt led the Wolverines with seven assists in 2008.
Blais, who is in his first season as Michigan's starting goalkeeper, earned his sixth shutout and 10th victory of the season on the strength of four saves, including one crucial stop in the first extra period. During 2009, Blais has twice tied his career best of six saves and was named to the Top DrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week on Oct. 19 and was tabbed co-Big Ten Player of the Week on Sept. 14. Blais currently ranks fourth in the Big Ten in saves with 57 and is sixth in saves percentage (.750) and fifth in saves per game (3.56). Blais was also named to CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District first team for his exploits both on and off the soccer field last week.
The Wolverines close the 2009 season with a trip to Columbus, Ohio, to take on Big Ten foe Ohio State on Saturday (Nov. 7). Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Ohio State's Jesse Owen Memorial Stadium.
Contact: Jessica Poole (734) 763-4423
