Michigan
1-4-0
Marshall
0-4-0
Pereira Nets Game's Only Goal, Wolverines Shut Out Marshall
9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Complex)
Score: Michigan 1, Marshall 0
Records: U-M (1-4-0), Marshall (0-4-0)
Attendance: 960
Next U-M Game: Sunday, Sept. 11 -- vs. Georgetown (U-M Soccer Stadium), 2 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team earned its first win of the 2011 season with a 1-0 victory over Marshall on Friday night (Sept. 9) in front of 960 fans at the U-M Soccer Complex. Sophomore midfielder Fabio Pereira (Sao Paulo, Brazil/South Kent School [Conn.]) tallied the game's lone goal -- his third of the season -- in the 58th minute, while freshman goalkeeper Adam Grinwis (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills HS) registered one save and earned the clean sheet.
Fabio Pereira
While neither squad punched one into the back of the net in the first half, the Wolverines came close on several chances, tallying three shots on goal in the process. The Maize and Blue's biggest chance came in the 40th minute, when junior midfielder Latif Alashe (Northville, Mich./Northville HS) played a through-ball to junior forward Etienne Lussiez (Livonia, Mich./Winston Churchill HS), who was streaking down the right side of the box where he hit a strike from 16 yards out on net, but the Marshall keeper punched the shot aside for a Michigan corner.
The second half began with a steady downpour, causing slippery field conditions early on, and as a Thundering Herd defender was trying to receive a crisp pass in the back, he slipped on the wet grass, allowing Pereira to possess the ball with no one between himself and the net. Pereira took advantage of the opportunity and slotted a wide-open shot from 14 yards past the keeper for a 1-0 lead.
Marshall rallied late in the last 10 minutes of the match in an attempt to knock in an equalizer. The Thundering Herd's best opportunity was in the 80th minute when a Marshall striker took a shot from the left side of the box past Grinwis and off the crossbar. The rebound came straight back to another Marshall attacker 18 yards out, but his second-chance shot was turned away by sophomore forward Ezekiel Harris (Flint, Mich./Carman-Ainsworth), who had hurried back into the net to help preserve the win.
Michigan hosts Georgetown this Sunday (Sept. 11) at 2 p.m. at the U-M Soccer Complex to close out its four-game homestand.
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Marshall | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- Fabio Pereira, 57:42 (unassisted)
Shots: U-M 14, Marshall 9
Shots on Goal: U-M 8, Marshall 2
Saves: U-M 2 (Adam Grinwis 1; Team 1), Marshall 7 (Daniel Withrow)
Corner Kicks: U-M 6, Marshall 5
Cards: Marshall, Travis Brent, 14:42 (Yellow); Marshall, Jordan Hilgefort, 26:29 (Yellow); U-M, Dylan Mencia, 38:43 (Yellow).
NOTES
• Fabio Pereira has notched all three Michigan goals this season. His tally tonight was his second career game-winning goal. Pereira's first game-winner was last season during the Wolverines' magical run in the NCAA Tournament, sending U-M past Maryland and into the 2010 NCAA College Cup with an overtime goal.
• Adam Grinwis notched his first career win and first career clean sheet in today's 1-0 win.
• Senior defender Eric Leifland made his first start of the season and second start of his career. Leifland's first career start was against Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament on Nov. 12, 2009.
Team Stats
Pereira, Fabio (3)
Defender slipped, slotted from 14 yds
57:42
