Saad, Meram Each Score Twice to Propel Michigan Past Bowling Green

Wednesday, October 27

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

9-4-3

Bowling Green

5-7-2

Bowling Green

Michigan

Saad, Meram Each Score Twice to Propel Michigan Past Bowling Green

10/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Jessica Poole

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Stadium)
Score: Michigan 5, Bowling Green 1
Records: U-M (9-4-3), BGSU (5-7-2)
Attendance: 632
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Oct. 30 -- vs. Michigan State - Maize Out/Senior Day (U-M Soccer Stadium), 1 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The largest offensive output of the season for the University of Michigan men's soccer team resulted in a 5-1 win over Bowling Green on Wednesday (Oct. 27) at the U-M Soccer Stadium. Senior Justin Meram (Shelby Township, Mich./Eisenhower) and freshman Soony Saad (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn) each recorded two goals as the Wolverines jumped out to a 4-0 halftime lead and cruised to the victory.

Justin Meram

In the 14th minute, Saad won the ball in a scrum with a Bowling Green player and launched a shot from midfield to the surprise of the Falcon goalkeeper. The shot sailed over the goalie's head and dropped just under the crossbar to put U-M up, 1-0. Less than four minutes later, Meram extended the Wolverines' lead to two as he juked around a defender at the top of the 18-yard box and found the upper right-hand corner of the net.

As the end of the first half drew near, senior Alex Wood (Northville, Mich./Northville) and freshman Dylan Mencia (Honesdale, Pa./Scranton Prep) combined on a give-and-go to give Wood enough space from 18 yards out to beat the keeper inside the right post. Two minutes later, Meram notched his second marker as he beat two defenders and slotted it past the keeper from the top of the 18-yard box.

Saad then tallied his second goal of the night less than two minutes into the second half to put U-M ahead, 5-0, before Bowling Green broke up the shutout with 10 minutes to play.

The Wolverines jump back into conference action when they host in-state rival Michigan State on Saturday (Oct. 30) for the final regular-season home game at the U-M Soccer Complex. The Wolverines will honor the 2010 senior class and its contributions to the program in a pregame ceremony. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

GAME SUMMARY

By Periods	1	2	F
Bowling Green	0	1	1
Michigan	4	1	5

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Soony Saad, 13:27 (unassisted)
1st -- U-M, Justin Meram, 17:11 (S. Saad)
1st -- U-M, Alex Wood, 39:29 (Dylan Mencia)
1st -- U-M, Meram, 44:26 (David Yang)
2nd -- U-M, S. Saad, 46:44 (Hamoody Saad)
2nd -- BGSU, Brian Comiskey, 80:05 (Brandon Silva)

Shots: U-M 13, BGSU 13
Shots on Goal: U-M 7, BGSU 5
Saves: U-M 4 (Chris Blais 3, Tim Bergsma 1), BGSU 2 (Miguel Rosales 2, Michael Wiest 0)
Corner Kicks: U-M 4, BGSU 4
Fouls: U-M 12, BGSU 10
Cards: BGSU, Dusko Toplic, 26:43 (Yellow).

NOTES

• Michigan moves to 6-2-0 against Bowling Green and has won each of the last five meetings between the two squads, including each of the last two games by two or more goals. U-M also moves to 20-17-2 against teams from the state of Ohio.

• U-M closed out its non-conference schedule with tonight's game. The Wolverines move to 7-2-3 in non-conference action with the win and finish with a 6-1-1 record against non-conference opponents at the U-M Soccer Stadium. Michigan has an 85-50-15 overall non-conference record.

• The Wolverines sported pink shoelaces and wristbands during tonight's game in honor of breast cancer awareness month.

• Redshirt freshman Noble Sullivan and sophomore David Yang earned their first career starts in tonight's game.

• Goalkeeper Tim Bersgma made his second appearance and his first at the U-M Soccer Stadium this season.

• Soony Saad extended his scoring streak to five consecutive games with a goal, which is the longest streak of any Wolverine this season. Tonight's effort is also the third career multi-goal game for the rookie.

• Soony Saad and Hamoody Saad got together for a goal for the third time this season. Soony has tallied two goals on assists from his older brother, while Hamoody has tallied one goal from Soony.

• With his two goals, Justin Meram earns his first multi-goal game this season.

• Dylan Mencia tallied his first career point with an assist.

• Michigan's four first-half goals are the most for U-M in the opening frame this season. During the 2009 campaign, Michigan also defeated Bowling Green by a score of 5-1 and scored four goals in the second half.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
On the game ... "I congratulated the players afterwards as we were due for a breakout scoring game. Five goals out of seven shots on frame. We scored some great goals tonight. Soony's first goal was the longest goal ever scored in a Michigan uniform. He struck it from 65 yards out and it wasn't by accident. He's a very aware player that saw the Bowling Green goalkeeper off his line and he made him pay for it with a strike that was pure class"

On the first career starts for David Yang and Noble Sullivan ... "Both guys earned their starts for how great they've been playing in practice. Noble is such a threat going forward and he showed it tonight as he caused some real problems for Bowling Green's defense. Yang was one of our best players tonight. He has such quick feet and he's so balanced defensively. He worked his socks off tonight and I'm really proud of his development this season."