Michigan
Ohio State
No. 23 Wolverines Trek to Ohio State for Crucial Big Ten Matchup
10/19/2017 11:16:00 AM | Men's Soccer
» Michigan enters the week ranked No. 23 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, as well as No. 30 in the College Soccer News Top-30, and is ranked No. 23 according to TopDrawerSoccer.com. U-M also checks in at No. 13 in the latest NCAA RPI rankings.
» At 4-1-1, the Wolverines are off to their best Big Ten start since 2013, and enter the week in fourth place in the Big Ten standings with 13 points.
» A tie or win over the Buckeyes would lock in the Wolverines to host a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal matchup on Sunday, Nov. 5, at U-M Soccer Stadium.
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• Match Day Information: U-M Soccer Stadium Information | Ticket Information
THIS WEEK
Saturday, Oct. 21 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 7 p.m.
Live Video | Live Stats
The No. 23 University of Michigan men's soccer team (8-4-2, 4-1-1 B1G) treks to Columbus, Ohio, to take on the Ohio State on Saturday (Oct. 25) at 7 p.m., at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in a crucial Big Ten matchup.
WOLVERINE BITES
• The Wolverines (8-4-2, 4-1-1 B1G) own their best record through 14 matches since 2010, a year in which the side started with a 9-2-3 record. At 4-1-1, the best Big Ten start since 2010, U-M is fourth in the league table with 13 points. The last time U-M won five Big Ten matches in a season was 2003.
• U-M could lock up a top-four spot in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament with a win or tie against the Buckeyes. Michigan also still maintains a chance for the Big Ten regular-season crown, but would need victories against the Buckeyes, as well as three points against the Maryland Terrapins in the final matchup of the season on Oct. 29, to have a chance of earning the crown.
• Freshman Mohammed Zakyi is coming off a match where he notched a brace in a 2-1 overtime win over Omaha on Oct. 14. Zakyi leads the team in goals with five, a number that ranks No. 6 in the Big Ten. He also remains the only player in the Big Ten this season to dish out three assists in a match, a feat that he accomplished in a 3-1 victory over Rutgers on Oct. 6.
• Michigan is No. 3 in the Big Ten in shots per match (14.36), and checks in at No. 2 in the Big Ten -- and No. 15 nationally -- in corner kicks per match (6.36). Additionally, U-M is 6-0-0 when scoring first in a match and 4-0-0 when leading at halftime.
• The Wolverines have utilized 10 different starting-lineup combinations due to various circumstances. Only two players in junior Robbie Mertz and freshman Marc Ybarra have started all 14 matches, while key contributors in Mohammed Zakyi, sophomore Abdou Samake, and juniors Daniel Mukuna, Francis Atuahene, and Ivo Cerda have all missed significant time due to injuries.
• Michigan has outscored teams 21-15 on the season, including a 7-4 margin in the first half. The program record for fewest goals allowed in a season (20) was set in 2015. The school record for fewest goals allowed in the first half of action is seven, which was set in the 2011 season.
• Michigan enters the week ranked No. 23 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, No. 30 in the College Soccer News Top-30, and are ranked No. 23 according to TopDrawerSoccer.com. U-M checks in at No. 13 in the latest NCAA RPI rankings and No. 4 in the Midwest Regional rankings.
• U-M has played the No. 12 schedule in the country according to the NCAA strength of schedule rankings, highlighted by a 1-1 draw at then-No. 1 Indiana on Sept. 13. Past opposition has combined for a 94-59-19 record (.602). In the NCAA RPI rankings, future opponents Ohio State (29), and Maryland (3) check inside the top 30. In all, U-M's future opposition boasts a combined record of 23-9-6 (.742).
OPPONENT PREVIEWS
Scouting Ohio State
The Buckeyes enter the weekend tilt after a 2-1 setback versus Syracuse on Wednesday (Oct. 18) in Columbus, Ohio. OSU has dropped each of its last five matches, with defeats coming against No. 1 Indiana, Oakland, No. 2 Maryland and No. 4 Michigan State. The Buckeyes are 3-3 in Big Ten play, putting them on nine points, good for sixth in the conference standings. Overall, OSU has been outscored, 16-15, and outshot, 179-146.
Offensively, the squad is paced by forward Abdi Mohamed, who leads the team in goals (three) assists (five) and points (11). He is joined by freshman Joshua Jackson-Ketchup (three goals) and Nate Kohl (2G, 3A).
Goalkeeper Parker Siegfried checks in at second in the Big Ten in saves per match (3.62), and total saves (47). He also boasts seven shutouts to go along with a goals-against average of 0.92.
Series vs. Ohio State
The Buckeyes own a 13-7-1 advantage in the all-time series, winning the last four matchups. The last time U-M defeated the Buckeyes was during the 2013 season in a 1-0 victory on Oct. 6 in Columbus.
Tweet of the Week
2?3? in the @UnitedCoaches Poll!#GoBlue
— U-M Men's Soccer (@umichsoccer) October 17, 2017
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Keep Up With the Wolverines
Stay current with everything going on with the Wolverines by following Michigan men's soccer on Twitter (@umichsoccer), Snapchat (@umichathletics) and "liking" the Wolverines on Facebook at "MichiganSoccer".
NEXT WEEK
Wednesday, Oct. 25 -- vs. Detroit (U-M Soccer Stadium), 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 29 -- at Maryland (College Park, Md.), 4 p.m., BTN
