Michigan
4-1-2
Massachusetts
3-3-0
Record Crowd Sees U-M Blast UMass in Stadium Dedication Game
9/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Stadium)
Score: U-M 5, Massachusetts 0
Records: U-M (4-1-2), UMass (3-3)
Attendance: 3,503
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Sept. 19 -- vs. Youngstown State (U-M Soccer Stadium), 2 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team rolled to a 5-0 victory over Massachusetts in the U-M Soccer Stadium Dedication game on Friday night (Sept. 17) in front of the largest home crowd in program history (3,503). The U-M freshman class led the way with four goals and 11 points on the night.
Nkem Ezurike
Freshman forward Nkem Ezurike (Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia/Sackville) knocked in a career-high two goals and tossed in an assist in the match. Freshman forward Kayla Mannino (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Avondale HS), freshman midfielder Tori McCombs (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) and junior midfielder Courtney Mercier (Erie, Pa./McDowell HS) each tacked on a goal for the Wolverines, and junior/sophomore goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer (Troy, Mich./Lahser HS) recorded two saves en route to the clean sheet.
Michigan's offense ignited late in the first half, denting the twine twice in the space between the 35th and 37th minutes to take a 2-0 lead. Ezurike opened the scoring after controlling a throw-in from senior defender Amanda Bowery (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester), blasting a 20-yard strike into the upper right-hand corner. Mannino added the second marker after receiving a through ball from Ezurike and beat the charging goalkeeper from 15 yards out into the lower right-hand corner as Michigan took the two-goal lead into the half.
The Wolverines' offensive onslaught continued in the second frame as Ezurike notched her second goal of the match in 63rd minute to give Michigan a 3-0 advantage. Freshman midfielder Meghan Toohey (Philadelphia, Pa./Phil-Mont Christian HS) created U-M's fourth goal with a steal at midfield. She sent a pass in front of a sprinting Ezurike for a breakaway goal. Two minutes later, McCombs followed her own shot and tapped in the rebound just inside the right post from two yards out to put U-M up 4-0 midway through the second half.
Mercier finished the scoring in the 87th minute off a designed corner kick. Freshman forward Shelby Chambers-Garcia (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) delivered the corner into the box to Bowery. The Wolverine senior then flicked the pass to Mercier, who headed it into the back of the net.
Michigan concludes the non-conference portion of its schedule on Sunday (Sept. 19) when Youngstown State comes to town for a 2 p.m. match.
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | F |
| Massachusetts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- U-M, Nkem Ezurike, 34:46 (Amanda Bowery)
1st -- U-M, Kayla Mannino, 36:43 (Ezurike)
2nd -- U-M, Ezurike, 62:33 (Meghan Toohey)
2nd -- U-M, Tori McCombs, 64:50 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Courtney Mercier, 86:50 (Bowery, Shelby Chambers-Garcia)
Shots: U-M 20, UMass 4
Shots on Goal: U-M 11, UMass 2
Saves: U-M 2 (Haley Kopmeyer), UMass 6 (Emily Cota)
Corner Kicks: U-M 6, UMass 1
Fouls: U-M 12, UMass 13
Cards: UMass, Meghan Collins, 75:45 (Yellow); UMass, Brittany Moore, 87:42 (Yellow)
NOTES
• Michigan packed 3,503 fans into the U-M Soccer Stadium for the dedication game, establishing a new program record. The old record was set on Oct. 28, 2005, when 1,887 people packed the U-M Soccer Field to watch the Wolverines and Michigan State do battle in the regular-season finale.
• Michigan improved to 2-0-1 inside U-M Soccer Stadium.
• The five Wolverine goals are the most since U-M posted six goals against Oakland University on September 11, 2008.
• Michigan scored in the opening half for the first time this season, denting the twine twice in the first 45 minutes. The Wolverines had scored all eight of their goals coming into today's game in the second half.
• Freshman Nkem Ezurike netted a career-high two goals and five points (2 g, 1 a) today.
• Ezurike upped her season total to five goals, the most by a rookie since current senior Amanda Bowery dented the twine five times in 2007.
• Freshman Kayla Mannino scored her first career goal in the opening half.
• Freshman Meghan Toohey recorded her first career point, an assist, on Ezurike's second goal of the game.
• Freshman Shelby Chambers-Garcia picked up an assist, and her first career point, on Tori McCombs' goal..
• Bowery's two assists move her into 12th on the U-M career list (12 assists). She leapfrogs Andrea Kayal (11, 1999-2002) today and becomes the 14th player in program history to collect 40 career points. Bowery has amassed 14 goals and 12 assists during her career.
• Junior/sophomore Haley Kopmeyer improves to 8-8-7 in her career, matching Madison Gates (8, 2005-08) for sixth all-time win by a goalkeeper.
• Freshman goalkeeper Vicky Correa-Parsons made her collegiate debut in the 81st minute.
Team Stats
Ezurike, Nkem (4)
Assisted By: Bowery, Amanda
throw in, shot from 20 yards, far 90.
34:46
Mannino, Kayla (1)
Assisted By: Ezurike, Nkem
lead pass sent 14 on breakaway, low shot
36:43
Ezurike, Nkem (5)
Assisted By: Toohey, Meghan
steal at midfield, pass forward, shot at
62:33
McCombs, Tori (3)
followed own rebound, snuck in just befo
64:50
Mercier, Courtney (1)
Assisted By: Bowery, Amanda , Chambers-Garcia, S.
corner kick, flicked in to the box, 16 b
86:50
