First Touch #7: Wolverines Set for Weekend Tilts with Iowa, Nebraska at UMSS

» Michigan is coming off a four-point weekend on the road, tying Minnesota, 2-2, and upsetting No. 9 Wisconsin, 2-1, in overtime.
» Michigan hosts Iowa on Friday (Sept. 29) at 7:30 p.m. and Nebraska on Sunday (Oct. 1) at 2 p.m.
» Sunday's match is U-M's Pups at the Pitch event and fans are invited to bring their dog to the match (register by Sept. 29).
» The Wolverines climbed 12 spots in the NCAA Women's Soccer RPI to No. 15 this week.

THIS WEEK
Friday, Sept. 29 -- Iowa (U-M Soccer Stadium), 7:30 p.m.
Tickets | Live Stats
Sunday, Oct. 1 -- Nebraska (U-M Soccer Stadium), 2 p.m.
Tickets | Live Stats

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• Game Day Information: U-M Soccer Stadium Information | Ticket Information

PROMOTIONS
• Iowa: BCBSM Postgame Penalty Kicks [ more promotions ]
• Nebraska: Pups at the Pitch, Kids Go Blue Club Day, Postgame Autographs [ more promotions ]

STUDENT PROMOTIONS (NEBRASKA, OCT. 1)
• Free cider & donuts (while supplies last)
• First 250 students receive voucher to pick up Michigan scarf postgame
• H.A.I.L prize pickup (between 1-3 p.m.)
• Busing from Shapiro Undergraduate Library (UgLi): 1-2 p.m. and following game

Coming off an exciting four-point weekend on the road, the University of Michigan women's soccer team (5-2-4, 2-1-1 B1G) returns home to host a pair of matches against Iowa (5-4-0, 0-2-0 B1G) on Friday (Sept. 29) at 7:30 p.m. and Nebraska (6-3-1, 0-1-1 B1G) on Sunday (Oct. 1) at 2 p.m. at U-M Soccer Stadium.

Sunday's match is the program's inaugural Pups at the Pitch event. Fans are invited to bring their dogs to U-M Soccer Stadium for the game and must register their pup by Friday (Sept. 29). [ More Information ]

WOLVERINE BITES

• Michigan earned four points in a pair of exciting overtime matches on the road last week. The Wolverines played to a 2-2 draw at Minnesota after freshman Sarah Stratigakis scored the game-tying goal with 11 seconds remaining in regulation. U-M then upset No. 9 Wisconsin, 2-1, as junior Reilly Martin notched the game-winning goal in the 96th minute. The win gave Michigan its first victory over a top-10 opponent since 2014, when U-M also beat the then-ninth-ranked Badgers, 2-1, in Ann Arbor.

• Michigan is in a four-way tie for third place in the Big Ten standings. Penn State (10 points) and Ohio State (9 points) are one and two, while U-M, Rutgers, Purdue, and Northwestern each have seven points.

• Michigan defeated Iowa (1-0) and Nebraska (2-1) on the road last season, with junior Abby Kastroll tallying the game-winning goals in both matches.

• Michigan has gone to overtime in five of its last nine matches, going 1-0-4 in those outings. In total, the Maize and Blue has played an additional 86 minutes of soccer this season, nearly totaling another full match.

• U-M moved up 12 spots in this week's NCAA Women's Soccer RPI to No. 15. Through 11 games, the Wolverines have faced eight teams in the top 50 in RPI -- No. 1 South Carolina, No. 21 Wake Forest, No. 22 Purdue, No. 23 Ole Miss, No. 24 Wisconsin, No. 31 Washington, No. 34 Santa Clara, and No. 47 Indiana (current rankings, not at the time of the match). U-M has three more top-40 opponents remaining on its schedule in No. 13 Rutgers, No. 17 Penn State, No. 36 Ohio State. Iowa is currently sitting at No. 118 and Nebraska is No. 71. According to HERO Sports, Michigan ranks sixth in strength of schedule in the nation.

• Michigan has allowed just nine goals through 11 games this season, for an average of .82 goals per game. The Wolverines have recorded four shutouts and held five opponents to just one goal.

• Senior goalkeeper Sarah Jackson leads the Big Ten in saves per game, averaging 6.4 per outing, and is also second in the conference in save percentage at .882. In 626 minutes of action, Jackson has allowed six goals, made 45 saves and contributed to two shutouts en route to a 1-1-3 record this season.

• Michigan has scored the first goal in eight matches this season and is 5-1-2 in those matches, while the Wolverines are 5-1-1 in games where they are leading at halftime.

• Through 11 games, 10 different players have tallied points for Michigan, led by freshman Sarah Stratigakis' nine points on three goals and three assists. Junior Reilly Martin (2g, 4a) and senior/junior Taylor Timko (3g, 2a) follow with eight points each. Sophomore Jada Dayne (3g) and junior Abby Kastroll (2g, 2a) have six points each. Timko and Dayne give Michigan two defenders in its top-five offensive producers this season.

• Following this weekend's matches, Michigan will have just one home game remaining in the regular season. The Wolverines host Illinois for the program's senior day on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m.

OPPONENT PREVIEWS

Scouting Iowa
Led by fourth-year head coach Dave DiIanni, Iowa is 5-4-0 with a 0-2-0 mark in Big Ten play, including losses to Penn State (1-0) and Ohio State (2-0). The Hawkeyes have been held scoreless in each of their last three matches. Devin Burns is pacing Iowa with 12 points on five goals and two assists, while Olivia Fiegel (5g) and Kaleigh Haus (4g, 2a) each have 10 points. Sophomore goalkeeper Claire Graves has played the majority of time in goal and has all of Iowa's decisions (5-4-0). Graves has made 23 saves and recorded a goals against average of 1.07.

Series vs. Iowa: Michigan holds a 17-3-2 advantage in the all-time series with Iowa. The Wolverines have won each of the last three meetings against the Hawkeyes, including the last two by a score of 1-0.

Scouting Nebraska
Under the direction of 23rd-year head coach John Walker, Nebraska is 6-3-1 overall and 0-1-1 in Big Ten play with a 1-0 loss to Ohio State and 1-1 draw against Penn State. The Cornhuskers will face Michigan State on Friday (Sept. 29) prior to coming to Ann Arbor for Sunday's (Oct. 1) match. Overall, 10 different players have tallied at least one goal for UN. Senior Haley Hanson leads Nebraska with 12 points on five goals and two assists. Sophomore goalkeeper Aubrei Corder has played every minute in goal for the Huskers this season, making 22 saves and allowing six goals for a goals against average of 0.57, which ranks third in the Big Ten.

Series vs. Nebraska: Michigan owns a 7-1-1 edge in the all-time series against Nebraska, including a 6-0 mark since the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten Conference in 2011.

UP NEXT
Friday, Oct. 6 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 7 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 8 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 3 p.m.