Michigan
Xavier (ex)
U-M Defeats Xavier to Conclude Exhibition Action
8/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Complex)
Score: Michigan 2, Xavier 1 (exhibition)
Attendance: 317
Next U-M Game: Tuesday, Sept. 1 -- at Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team picked up a 2-1 win over Xavier in exhibition action Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 26) at the U-M Soccer Complex. Senior midfielder Mauro Fuzetti (Houston, Texas/Stratford) scored the game-winner in the 61st minute, while freshman Latif Alashe (Northville, Mich./Northville) added a tally, his second of the preseason.
Latif Alashe
Junior/sophomore Chris Blais (Seattle, Wash./Kennedy Memorial) prevented Xavier from gaining the upper hand with a point-blank stop in the 11th minute. Xavier's Brandon Bucher fought his way through the U-M defense and found himself alone with Blais but could not get it past the U-M goalkeeper, who stifled the shot outright. Blais finished with three saves on the afternoon.
The Wolverines seemed to have the upper hand offensively from the outset of the game. Junior forward Justin Meram (Shelby Township, Mich./Yavapai College) and freshman forward Hamoody Saad (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn) both had chances to get the Wolverines on the board early, but it was Alashe who broke the drought with a goal in the 38th minute. Senior/junior forward Matt Schmitt (Muskegon, Mich./Reeths-Puffer) collected the ball on the 10-yard line and passed to Alashe, who put the ball just past the Xavier goalkeeper for the 1-0 lead.
Fuzetti put the Wolverines up 2-0 in the second half. Schmitt, who assisted on both U-M goals, collected the ball on the far corner of the goal and with a crossing pass sent it to Fuzetti, who shot it just over the reach of Xavier goalkeeper Ryan Engelmann.
Xavier got on the board late in the 77th minute of the second half with an Anthony D'Amico header deep in the box that was placed just beyond the outstretched arms of Blais.
U-M had a marked advantage in several statistical categories, outshooting the Musketeers, 15-5. The Wolverines also had an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Wolverines open the regular season Tuesday (Sept. 1) when they head to South Bend, Ind., to take on preseason No. 12 Notre Dame. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. U-M will continue its season-opening road swing with contests at Drake on Friday (Sept. 4) and Valparaiso on Sunday (Sept. 6).
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | F |
| Xavier | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Michigan | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Latif Alashe, 37:17 (Matt Schmitt)
2nd -- U-M, Mauro Fuzetti, 60:49 (Schmitt)
2nd -- XU, Anthony D'Amico, 76:16 (Ryan Gray)
Shots: U-M 15, XU 5
Shots on Goal: U-M 5, XU 4
Saves: U-M 3 (Chris Blais); XU 3 (Ryan Engelmann)
Corner Kicks: U-M 8, XU 2
Fouls: U-M 8, XU 2
Cards: XU, Ricky Sutherland, 60:00 (yellow); XU, Andy Dimbi, 64:24 (yellow).
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
"We've taken some strong strides to be ready for our regular-season opener on Sept. 1. This was the first time we've scheduled three exhibitions, and the reason was to get a new group ready. In this game, we saw lots of positives in holding on to balls and creating chances, but I'm disappointed we didn't play a complete game; we had some mental errors and that happens with lapses of physical conditioning."
