U-M Rallies in Second Half to Down Niagara in Double OT

Sunday, September 6

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

2-1

Niagara

0-4

OT 3

OT 4

Niagara University

Michigan

James Murphy

U-M Rallies in Second Half to Down Niagara in Double OT

9/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

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By: Scott Kemps

» Senior James Murphy scored a game-winning header to down the Purple Eagles in the 102nd minute of action on a Rylee Woods assist.
» Michigan outshot Niagara, 17-4, including a 10-2 advantage in the first half. Niagara scored on its first shot of the game in the 23rd minute.
» Freshman Ivo Cerda scored his first career goal, and Marcello Borges recorded his first career assist in the 71st minute to even the score line.

Site: U-M Soccer Stadium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Score: Michigan 2, Niagara 1 (2OT)
Records: U-M (2-1), Niagara (0-4)
Next U-M Match: Friday, Sept. 11 -- vs. Maryland (College Park, Md.), 7 p.m. (TV: BTN)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior captain James Murphy scored the match-winner in the 102nd minute of action to aid the University of Michigan men's soccer team to come from behind and defeat the Niagara Purple Eagles, 2-1, in double overtime on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 6) at U-M Soccer Stadium.

The Wolverines started the day by dominating possession and looked dangerous on the attack. Murphy had the game's first chance in the sixth minute courtesy of a Rylee Woods corner. Woods played the ball to the back post, and Murphy's header was cleared off the goal line by a Purple Eagle (0-4) defender.

Two minutes later, it was Woods again playing a dangerous ball into the Niagara box. This time he linked up with senior TJ VanSlooten, but the forward's sliding effort from eight yards out went over the crossbar.

In the 13th minute, Woods looked to create again from his left back roll. After making a run down the left wing, he found senior Colin McAtee all alone at the top of the box, but the ball just got away from him and was cleared by the Purple Eagles.

As Michigan pushed numbers forward and held most of the possession, Niagara was pinned in its own end. After a Michigan free kick was cleared off the line, Fabrizo Chiari managed to find Alex Dimitriu against the run of play with a long ball. The freshman forward did not hesitate to shoot and fired a strike from 25 yards that dipped just under the crossbar to give the Purple Eagles the 1-0 lead

The half ended with Niagara leading by one despite the Wolverines outshooting the Purple Eagles, 8-1, and a corner kick advantage of 9-0.

The Maize and Blue nearly equalized right out of the intermission in the 46th minute, when freshman Marcello Borges struck a free kick off the crossbar from 25 yards out and again in the 60th minute when junior Lars Eckenrode headed a corner off the post.

In the 72nd minute, U-M answered when Borges cut back on the left wing and floated a ball toward the back post. Cerda managed to get his head on it and directed the ball off the post and into the net, tying the game for Michigan and giving Cerda his first career goal and Borges his first career assist as the teams headed to overtime tied, 1-1.

The Wolverines picked up the pressure in the first overtime period and were nearly rewarded in the 94th minute. Cerda picked up a loose ball at the top of the box, controlled it with his thigh and fired a shot that just rolled wide on the far post.

After Murphy finished a rebound in the 99th minute that was called offsides, the teams headed to double overtime, where the Michigan faithful did not wait long to see a winner in second session. Just two minutes in, freshman Francis Atuahene was fouled at the top of the box, giving the Wolverines a free kick in a dangerous area. Woods stepped up again and delivered a perfect cross into the box, and Murphy sent a venomous header into the back of the net for the game-winning goal.

Michigan will next travel to College Park, Maryland, to take on the perennial power Maryland Terrapins Friday (Sept. 11) at 7 p.m. in a match that will be broadcast live via the Big Ten Network.

Postgame Notes

• Michigan improves to 19-12-4 at home all-time under Chaka Daley.

• The match-winner is the fourth of Murphy's career.

• The last time U-M had at least 10 corners in a match was Nov. 2, 2014, against Michigan State.

• U-M's 2-1 start marks the best start to a U-M season under Daley.

• Four of U-M's five goals this season have been scored by freshman (Atuahene 3, Borges 1).