Michigan
Princeton
Michigan Advances to NCAA Second Round After Penalty-Kick Marathon
11/15/2018 11:16:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Stadium)
Event: NCAA Tournament -- First Round
Score: Michigan 1, Princeton 1 (2OT); Michigan advances on PKs, 11-10
Records: U-M (12-5-3), Princeton (10-5-3)
Attendance: 474
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 18 -- at No. 7 Notre Dame - NCAA Tournament, Second Round (South Bend, Ind.), 5 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior Noah Kleedtke scored the equalizing goal in the 75th minute to secure a 1-1 draw and sophomore Henry Mashburn made four huge saves in the penalty kick shootout to help the University of Michigan men's soccer team advance in the NCAA Tournament on a snow-covered Thursday (Nov. 15) at U-M Soccer Stadium.
Deadlocked at 1 after 110 minutes, the two teams went to a 14-round penalty kick shootout on the north end of the stadium. Princeton had two chances to advance, but Mashburn was there for the save in both round five (on Sean McSherry) and in round 12 (on Bryan Prudil). Sophomore Jackson Ragen converted the go-ahead PK in the 14th round, and Mashburn guessed right on Danny Hampton, pawing the shot off the right post to send the U-M Soccer Stadium crowd into a frenzy.
The moment: Round 14 of PKs
— Michigan Men's Soccer (@umichsoccer) November 16, 2018
The hero: @henrymashburn.#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/kcbIQAjIGH
The conditions on Thursday were far from ideal. Several inches of snow fell throughout the day and blanketed the pitch, causing slick conditions for the players and the ball. It was an extremely physical match with 46 total fouls called and eight cards issued, six of them shown to Michigan.
The visitors were the aggressor in the first half, going up, 1-0, on a goal in the 39th minute from Benjamin Martin. The best chance for the Wolverines came in the 40th minute on a free kick from sophomore Marc Ybarra, but his top-corner shot from distance was tipped over the bar by Princeton goalkeeper Jacob Schachner.
Mashburn was clutch throughout the second half. In the 56th minute, McSherry attempted to sneak one by him at the near post, but Mashburn was up to the task, as he dove to his right to save it. In the 63rd minute, Kevin O'Toole's shot was blocked and the deflection ping-ponged off a couple players, but Mashburn scooped it up to alleviate the danger.
The Wolverines were brought level in the 75th minute off a well-hit ball from Kleedtke. Senior Peter Brown sent his service into the box, which sophomore Umar Farouk Osman touched backward. Kleedtke brought it on his right, dribbled right, but shot back across his body, beating Schachner by putting the shot into the side netting. With four seconds left in regulation, Princeton had a final chance to end it, but the shot was punched away by Mashburn.
The best chance for either side in the overtime periods came in the 103rd minute. Off a Princeton free kick, a header was redirected in the box, but Mashburn once again reacted well to make the save, setting the stage for the PK shootout.
With the draw and shootout victory in hand, Michigan turns its attention to Sunday, when it will face No. 7 Notre Dame in the second round in South Bend, Indiana. The Fighting Irish won the regular-season contest, 2-1, back on Oct. 16. Sunday's match will begin at 5 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.
