Michigan Readies for Wake Forest in Sweet 16

THIS WEEK
Sunday, Dec. 1 -- at #9 Wake Forest - NCAA Tournament, Third Round (Winston-Salem, N.C.), 5 p.m.
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The No. 17-ranked and No. 13-seeded University of Michigan men's soccer team (11-4-6) marches on in the NCAA Tournament, facing No. 7-ranked and No. 4-seeded Wake Forest (14-4-2) in the Sweet 16 on Sunday (Dec. 1) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The match will begin at 5 p.m. at Spry Stadium.

The advancing team will play either No. 5-seed Indiana or UC Santa Barbara in the quarterfinals on Saturday, Dec. 7. The match will be played on the campus of the higher seed. [ Bracket ]

How They Got Here

Michigan is through to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010 after it defeated Wright State in penalty kicks, 5-4, in the second round last Sunday (Nov. 24) at U-M Soccer Stadium. The Wolverines were seeded 13th in the NCAA Tournament and earned a first-round bye.

On Oct. 20, following back-to-back defeats to Indiana (1-0, Oc. 13) and Western Michigan (2-1, Oct. 17), U-M was 6-4-3 and ranked No. 36 in the RPI, firmly on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. Since that day, Michigan is unbeaten in eight matches (5-0-3), outscoring opponents, 11-4.

The Wolverines padded their NCAA Tournament resume with four results against RPI top-25 teams down the stretch, including road wins at Notre Dame (1-0, Oct. 22) and Maryland (4-2, Nov. 3). They also made a run in the Big Ten Tournament, beating Penn State in the semifinals (1-0, Nov. 15) and playing Indiana to a draw in the final (0-0, 2OT on Nov. 17). They received an at-large bid based largely on quality wins (3-3-2 vs. RPI Top 50), strength of schedule (No. 33, 7-4-3 vs. RPI Top 100) and play in the last 10 matches prior to Selection Monday (6-2-2).

NCAA Tournament History

Michigan is in the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in program history (2019, 2018, 2017, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2004, 2003), earning three consecutive bids for the first time in school history. The Wolverines have advanced past the second round four times: 2019 (Sweet 16), 2010 (College Cup), 2008 (Sweet 16) and 2003 (Elite Eight).

Overall, U-M is 7-6-4 in the NCAA Tournament. Dating back to last year, its last three NCAA Tournament matches have all gone to PKs: an 11-10 win over Princeton in the first round (2018), an 11-10 loss to Notre Dame in the second round (2018) and a 5-4 win over Wright State in the second round (2019).

Opponent Preview

WAKE FOREST (14-4-2), the No. 4 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament, is in the third round after eliminating Maryland, the defending national champions, by a 3-0 score last Sunday (Nov. 24) at Spry Stadium. The Demon Deacons finished second in the ACC Atlantic Division this year, going 6-2-0 in conference play. They are 10-1-2 at home, and are plus-27 in goal differential (41 goals, 14 goals against).

Six players earned All-ACC honors this season, led by midfielder Bruno Lapa (eight goals, three assists), a consensus All-American and MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist last season. He was a first-team All-ACC choice, while Machop Chol (4G, 7A), Alistair Johnston (2G, 5A), Andrew Pannenberg (41 saves, 0.67 goals-against average) and Isaiah Parente (1G, 7A) were all named to the third team. Calvin Harris (6G, 3A) was picked to the ACC All-Freshman Team.

Series: This will be the first meeting between Michigan and Wake Forest.

Team Notes

• The Wolverines have fielded one of the stoutest defenses in the country this season, ranking ninth nationally in shutout percentage (.524) and 13th in goals-against average (0.68). Since allowing four goals in the season opener on Aug. 30, U-M has conceded only 11 goals in 21 matches and has 11 shutouts, a new school record. During the Big Ten regular season, it allowed only five goals in eight matches (including two via penalty kick). Collectively, the back line is allowing only 7.7 shots per match and 2.8 shots on goal per match.

• Freshman Owen Finnerty has started the last six matches in net after replacing senior Andrew Verdi in overtime during the team's 1-1 (2OT) draw vs. Wisconsin on Oct. 25. Since taking the reins, Finnerty has four shutouts in six matches, making 12 saves in nearly 595 minutes. Verdi, the 2019 Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, started the first 15 matches of the season, making 32 saves and recording seven shutouts.

• Michigan won 15 corner kicks in last Sunday's draw vs. Wright State, the most since Oct. 7, 2014 vs. Notre Dame (21). The Wolverines rank ninth in the NCAA in corner kicks per game (6.57).

• With his game-winning goal against Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, senior Jack Hallahan now ranks second in Michigan history in career points (73), surpassing Knox Cameron (72, 2001-04). He has 73 points in 78 career matches, scoring 26 goals (third in U-M history) and talliying 21 assists (tied for third in U-M history). Mychal Turpin (85, 2001-04) is the program leader in career points.

• Graduate student Nebojsa Popovic, the 2019 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, has 23 points on the season (10G, 3A). He is the seventh man in program history to score 10 goals or more in a single season, joining Soony Saad (19 in 2010), Justin Meram (17 in 2010), Mychal Turpin (14 in 2003, 10 in 2002), Peri Marosevic (13 in 2008), Knox Cameron (12 in 2003, 10 in 2002) and Francis Atuahene (10 in 2015).

• Five student-athletes have played in all 21 matches this season: graduate student Nebojsa Popovic (21 games/21 starts), junior Marc Ybarra (21/21), freshman Christian Pulselli (21/6), senior Abdou Samake (21/21) and junior Austin Swiech (21/17). Ybarra is the only player on the roster to play every minute this season.

• U-M is 8-1-0 when scoring two goals or more this season (3-3-6 when scoring one or scoreless). In addition, Michigan has scored 21 of its 31 goals in the second half.

• Michigan has 39 assists this season, the fourth-highest total in school history and most since 2010 (49). In that category, U-M ranks 19th in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten.

• U-M has scored 31 goals this season, reaching the 30-goal milestone for the third consecutive year (2017: 32; 2018: 36). With 101 points, the 2019 team is the sixth in school history to reach 100 points in a season.