Michigan
7-3-3
Valparaiso
6-4-4
Wolverines Shut Out Valparaiso to Wrap Homestand
10/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
» Francis Atuahene scored his team-best 10th goal in the 51st minute, giving him seven goals in the last eight matches.
» Evan Louro made three saves for his fifth shutout of the season.
» U-M outshot the Crusaders, 19-12, and picked up a 9-2 corner advantage en route to moving to 5-1-2 over the last eight matches.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Stadium)
Score: Michigan 1, Valparaiso 0
Records: U-M (7-3-3), Valpo (6-4-4)
Attendance: 796
Next U-M Match: Saturday, Oct. 24 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Freshman forward Francis Atuahene found the back of the net for his seventh goal in eight games to guide the University of Michigan men's soccer team a 1-0 victory over the Valparaiso Crusaders on Monday (Oct. 19) at Michigan Soccer Stadium.
Michigan controlled possession for most of the first half and had 10 shots in the opening 23 minutes of action. The best chance came in the ninth minute, when sophomore Tyler Anderson fired a shot from 25 yards out on the left side, but a diving save by Valpo's Nico Campbell pushed it up and over the crossbar.
Overall, the Wolverines outshot the Crusaders, 13-4, and notched nine corners in the first 45 minutes, with four coming from senior William Mellors-Blair.
The Wolverines found the breakthrough in the 51st minute, as Mellors-Blair's hard work resulted in a prime cross from the right touchline that was sent through with pace through the six. The service went scot free through the six and found Atuahene at the top of the area, where he calmly finished near post for his team-leading 10th marker of the season for the lone goal of the match for either side.
Valparaiso was held in check with only four shots in the opening stanza but outshot the Maize and Blue, 8-6, in the second half of play, as Isaiah Madrid led the way with four shots on the night.
Sophomore keeper Evan Louro made three saves to close out the shutout. In the second half, he caught a high cross off the corner in traffic and made a diving stop on a Valparaiso header from Madrid right in front of the area to turn away Valpo's best scoring chance on the evening.
U-M returns to Big Ten play next, traveling to Bloomington, Indiana, to take on the Indiana Hoosiers Saturday (Oct. 24) at 7 p.m.
Postgame Notes
• Marcello Borges played with U-M for the first time since Sept. 27, after missing the last four matches due to U.S. National Team U20 duty.
• Louro notched his fifth shutout of the season and gives him clean sheets in back-to-back matches for the first time this season.
• Atuahene's 10th goal of the season gives him the most for a U-M player since 2010 when Soony Saad had 19 goals.
• The assist for Mellors-Blair is his fourth of the season, placing him second on the team in the category.
• U-M improves to 24-14-4 at home under head coach Chaka Daley.
Team Stats
Atuahene, Francis
Assisted By: Mellors-Blair, Will
low cross from right side thru six top l
50:40
