Michigan
Minnesota
Michigan to Begin Big Ten Play, Honor Seniors vs. Minnesota
9/13/2023 12:21:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Promotions
vs. Minnesota
• Senior Night
• Postgame Shots
The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan women's soccer team (4-1-2) opens up Big Ten play against Minnesota on Friday (Sept. 15) at 7 p.m. at U-M Soccer Stadium, a match that will be streamed live on B1G+. Prior to the contest, U-M will honor its four-member senior class.
Notes
• Senior goalkeeper Stephanie Sparkowski was named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week on Tuesday (Sept. 12), and is riding one of the best hot streaks in recent program history. U-M is coming off a week where she stopped 16 shots against only two goals allowed. She ranks 42nd nationally in saves per game (5.43), and her four clean sheets on the season list No. 16 in the nation.
• Ranked No. 19, U-M is in the United Soccer Coaches Poll for first time since match-week two of the 2022 season, and highest ranking since the tail end of the 2021 campaign. U-M also is ranked No. 23 in the WoSo Independents unadjusted RPI.
• U-M conceded a first-half goal to Western Michigan on Sunday (Sept 10), the first the Wolverines had allowed in 431 minutes, a shutout streak that began in the second half against Pepperdine (Aug. 19).
• Senior Sammi Woods leads U-M in goals with four. She is coming off a two-goal effort in the Wolverines' 3-2 win over Western Michigan, giving her five multi-goal games in her career and boosting her career total to 20 goals, which gives her the career active leader in the category.
• U-M's 4-1-2 record in non-conference play is its best since 2021 (6-0-2). Per WoSo Independent, U-M's non-conference schedule was rated as the 17th-most difficult in the country prior to the season.
• Sophomore Kali Burrell and junior Avery Peters both achieved career firsts against Western Michigan. Burrell scored the first goal of her career in the 62nd minute on Peters' first-career assist.
• Prior to Friday's match, U-M will honor seniors Sparkowski, Woods, Sarah Bridenstine and Kacey Lawrence, in addition to student managers Max Nemoy and Kara Stark.
• Michigan has scored eight goals on the season, with all of them coming between the 34th and 62nd minutes of play. U-M also enters conference play with a 3-0 home record, is 2-1-2 when outshot by an opponent and is 2-2-1 all-time in conference openers under head coach Jennifer Klein.
• The Wolverines dropped the first five games to Minnesota in the all-time series before winning five of the next six from 1999-2004. Most recently, Michigan secured a 1-0 win at Minnesota in 2022.
