Michigan
0-4-0
Northern Illinois
3-0-0
First-Half Goal Holds Up in Wolverine Loss to NIU
9/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 4, 2011
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Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Complex)
Score: Northern Illinois 1, Michigan 0
Records: U-M (0-4), Northern Illinois (3-0)
Attendance: 1,647
Next U-M Game: Friday, Sept. 9 -- vs. Marshall (U-M Soccer Stadium), 5 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team was unable to get on the winning side of the ledger on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 4), dropping a 1-0 decision to Northern Illinois before 1,647 fans at the U-M Soccer Complex. The Wolverines outshot the Huskies by an 18-7 margin, but the only goal came from NIU's Pat Sloan at 37:47.
U-M had eight different players register shots in the game, led by sophomore Fabio Villas Boas Pereira (Sao Paulo, Brazil/South Kent School [Conn.]) with five shots, including two on goal. Junior Latif Alashe (Northville, Mich./Northville HS) tallied four shots and freshman Matthew Rickard (Exeter, Devonshire/Clyst Vale CC) registered three shots. Freshman goalkeeper Adam Grinwis (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills HS) made three saves on four shots on goal.
Michigan's best opportunity came around the 29th minute as Rickard took the long pass from junior Kofi Opare (Niagara Falls, Ontario/St. Paul HS) and hit it off the left post. Alashe made a sliding attempt at the ball after it caromed off the post, but the ball slid wide of the goal.
Northern Illinois grabbed the lead when Sloan scored on his only shot of the half. Isaac Kannah passed the ball from the right side to the left on an odd man rush, where Sloan buried it for his second goal of the season.
Michigan had 11 shots in the first half compared to five attempts for Northern Illinois. Both teams had three shot attempts on goal. The Wolverines had the only corner kick of the opening half and nearly scored as Opare touched it over the crossbar. Pereira had two shots on goal and three total shots in the first half.
The Wolverines had a great scoring chance less than a minute into the second half, but Alashe's shot glanced off the upper left corner of the crossbar and out of play. A pair of corners in the final eight minutes provided scoring chances that ended fruitlessly.
Michigan continues its homestand with a pair of home games next weekend. The Wolverines host Marshall on Friday (Sept. 9) at 5 p.m. and play Georgetown on Sunday (Sept. 11) at 2 p.m.
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Illinois | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- NIU, Pat Sloan, 37:47 (Isaac Kannah)
Shots: U-M 18, NIU 7
Shots on Goal: U-M 4, NIU 4
Saves: U-M 3 (Grinwis 3), NIU 4 (Godsey 4)
Corner Kicks: U-M 3, NIU 3
Cards: NIU, Finn Jor, 61:41 (Yellow); U-M, Fabio Villas Boas Pereira, 83:15 (Yellow); NIU, Jordan Godsey, 88:13 (Yellow).
Team Stats
SLOAN, Pat (2)
Assisted By: KANNAH, Isaac
Long cross in front of net
37:47
