Michigan
0-1-0
USF
1-0-0
Start of Daley Era Spoiled at No. 5 South Florida
8/24/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Site: Tampa, Fla. (Corbett Stadium)
Score: #5 South Florida 2, Michigan 1
Records: U-M (0-1), USF (1-0)
Attendance: 3,076
Next U-M Game: Friday, Aug. 31 -- vs. Vermont (U-M Soccer Stadium), 7 p.m.
TAMPA, Fla. -- Junior Dylan Mencia (Honesdale, Pa./Scranton Prep) netted the first goal of his career in the 47th minute to give the University of Michigan soccer team a 1-0 lead, but two scores from the fifth-ranked South Florida Bulls less than a minute apart later in the half led to a 2-1 final on Friday (Aug. 24) at Corbett Soccer Stadium.
Dylan Mencia
U-M dodged a bullet in the third minute of action when a USF shot rang off the crossbar. The Bulls tallied six shots overall in the opening stanza of action, including forcing Adam Grinwis (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills) to make a pair of stops.
With less than a minute left in the opening half of action, Mencia, who subbed on with 28 minutes left in the half, fired Michigan's lone shot on goal. The try on net was turned away, however, keeping the match knotted at 0-0.
Michigan capitalized on Mencia's spark when Luke Coulson (Manchester, England/Sutton Academy) found the junior, who headed home the cross from the left flank to give U-M the 1-0 advantage.
The Bulls knotted the contest up 1-1 in the 65th minute and less than a minute later a USF player was taken down inside the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick for the Bulls. The ensuing shot was initially turned away by Grinwis diving to his left but was followed up with rebound goal to give the Bulls a 2-1 lead.
With 16 minutes to go, junior Ezekiel Harris (Flint, Mich./Carman-Ainsworth) had an opportunity from 14 yards out, but his attempt slipped through the box wide left.
Senior Latif Alashe (Northville, Mich./Northville) had the final quality chance for the Wolverines, firing a shot from 30 yards out that narrowly sailed over the crossbar.
Michigan opens its 2012 home slate Friday, Aug. 31, playing host to the Vermont Catamounts at 7 p.m. at U-M Soccer Stadium.
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| South Florida | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- U-M, Dylan Mencia, 46:14 (Luke Coulson)
2nd -- USF, Brenton Griffiths, 64:36 (Mario Mesen, Leston Paul)
2nd -- USF, Ben Sweat, 65:20 (Paul)
Shots: U-M 4, USF 11
Shots on Goal: U-M 2, USF 5
Saves: U-M 3 (Adam Grinwis), USF 1 (Eric Osswald)
Corner Kicks: U-M 3, USF 1
Cards: U-M, Luke Coulson, 64:36 (Yellow); U-M, Kofi Opare, 65:20 (Yellow).
NOTES
• The match was the first in the tenure of new head coach Chaka Daley.
• Four Wolverines made their career debuts in the match in Luke Coulson, James Murphy, T.J. Roehn and Colin McAtee.
• Michigan falls to 8-5 in season openers since the program's inception and 1-1 on the road against nationally ranked opponents all-time in openers.
• Junior Dylan Mencia's score in the 46th minute was the first of his career.
Team Stats
Dylan Mencia (1)
Assisted By: Luke Coulson
GOAL by MICH Dylan Mencia (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Luke Coulson, goal number 1 for season.
46:14
GRIFFITHS, Brenton (1)
Assisted By: PAUL, Leston , MESEN, Mario
GOAL by USFM GRIFFITHS, Brenton, Assist by PAUL, Leston and MESEN, Mario, goal number 1 for season.
64:36
SWEAT, Ben (1)
Assisted By: PAUL, Leston
PENALTY KICK by USFM PAUL, Leston MISSED, save Adam Grinwis.
65:20
