Michigan
12-5-4
Notre Dame
10-6-4
Michigan Draws Notre Dame, Falls in Penalty Kicks to Wrap Season
11/18/2018 8:21:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Site: South Bend, Ind. (Alumni Stadium)
Event: NCAA Tournament -- Second Round
Score: Michigan 0, #7 Notre Dame 0 (2OT), ND advances on PKs, 11-10
Records: U-M (12-5-4), ND (10-6-3)
Next U-M Event: Season Completed
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team played No. 7-seed Notre Dame to a 0-0 draw and found itself part of another marathon penalty-kick shootout, but came up just short, falling, 11-10, to the Fighting Irish in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday (Nov. 18) at Alumni Stadium.
The Wolverines finished the 2018 season with a 12-5-4 record, and finished tied for third in the Big Ten and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. In the last two years, U-M has gone 24-12-5 with a Big Ten championship (2017) and two NCAA Tournament bids.
Despite being shorthanded defensively -- sophomore Joel Harrison and freshman Declan Gaffney made their first career starts on the back line -- the Wolverines shut down the Fighting Irish in the first half, also while making the most of their opportunities in the attacking third. Michigan led in shots, 7-3, and got its first one in the first 33 seconds, but a volley by senior Robbie Mertz went high.
Sophomore Henry Mashburn made four saves for his eighth shutout of the season. His effort helped secure a school record for fewest goals allowed (18 in 21 matches). Notre Dame had only one shot on goal in the half, coming from Sean MacLeod in the 17th minute, but his dipping shot from distance was punched away by Mashburn.
In the 30th minute, on a counter attack, senior Noah Kleedtke slipped one to Mertz on the edge of the box, but his follow-up shot was knocked down by Notre Dame goalkeeper Duncan Turnbull. Ten minutes later, Notre Dame's Jack Lynn was played in behind the Michigan back line, but was challenged by Mashburn, who came off his line to meet him. There appeared to be contact, but the referee waved it off, and play continued. The Wolverines had two chances in rapid succession in the closing seconds of the first half off a long throw, but neither were on frame, sending the teams in the halftime locker room scoreless.
Michigan had the majority of the ball in the second half, but like the first, neither team could find a breakthrough. In the 50th minute, Harrison sent a service to the back post where several Wolverines waited, but the header by senior Ivo Cerda was snatched out of the air by Turnbull. In the 72nd minute, the Fighting Irish had a chance in close from Ian Aschieris, but Michigan did well to surround the ball and allow Mashburn to claim it. Ninety minutes of play yielded no goals, taking the match to overtime.
In overtime, Hallahan had the first opportunity in the 93rd minute, playing a beautiful 1-2 with Mertz. Hallahan brought it down on his right, flipped it to his left and fired, but his low shot was scooped by Turnbull. In the final seconds of the first overtime period, Notre Dame's McFadden was played in behind and tried placing one inside the near post, but Mashburn went down to push it out for the save. Neither team had much going in second overtime period.
In penalty kicks, the teams matched each other through four rounds. In the fifth round, sophomore Umar Farouk Osman missed, giving the Fighting Irish a chance to win, but Mashburn stood tall, saving Aschieris' attempt to keep the shootout going. In the 12th round, sophomore Marc Ybarra missed and Notre Dame's Felicien Dumas converted, sending the home side on to the Sweet 16.
