Weekly Release #7
10/4/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Tuesday, Oct. 5 -- at Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.), 4 p.m. CT
Friday, Oct. 8 -- vs. Michigan State (U-M Soccer Field), 4 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 10 -- at Northwestern (Evanston, Ill.), 1 p.m. CT
Friday, Oct. 15 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 7 p.m. CT
Sunday, Oct. 17 -- at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.), Noon CT
This Week
The Michigan women's soccer team opens a busy week with a rare mid-week contest at No. 6 Notre Dame on Tuesday (Oct. 5). The game will be televised in South Bend and rebroadcast locally in Ann Arbor on U-M-TV. The Wolverines return home for a Friday (Oct. 8) game against in-state rival Michigan State in Michigan's final home match of the Big Ten season. On Sunday (Oct. 10), Michigan travels to Northwestern.
Looking Ahead
Notre Dame -- Notre Dame leads the all-time series 3-0-0, defeating Michigan twice last season ... the Irish won the regular-season meeting in Ann Arbor 1-0 in double overtime ... Notre Dame ended Michigan's 1998 season 3-0 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament ... The Irish advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals last season ... Notre Dame is 6-2-0 this season and ranked No. 6 in the NSCAA poll ... Notre Dame Website: www.und.com.
Michigan State -- The Wolverines lead the all-time series 3-1-1, winning 4-0 in Ann Arbor last season ... Michigan has won the last three series meetings ... the Spartans are 4-5-3 on the season, 3-2-1 in the Big Ten ... Laurie Peterson (Del Mar, Calif./Torrey Pines HS), Emily Schmitt (Troy, Mich./Athens HS) and Marie Spaccarotella (Livonia, Mich./Churchill HS) all tallied goals in last season's contest ... current Wolverines vs. MSU ... Emily Schmitt 2-0-4, Marie Spaccarotella 2-0-4, Amber Berendowsky 1-2-4, Kacy Beitel 1-0-2, Laurie Peterson 1-0-2, Jen Stahl 0-2-2, Mari Hoff 0-1-1, Steph McArdle 0-1-1 ... Michigan State Website: www.msuspartans.com.
Northwestern -- The Wolverines lead the all-time series 5-2-0 ... Michigan and Northwestern split last season, with the Wildcats winning 4-2 in Evanston, Ill., and the Wolverines winning 1-0 at the Big Ten Tournament ... the Wildcats are 2-8-1 on the season, 0-5-1 in the Big Ten ... Kacy Beitel (Midland, Mich./H.H. Dow HS) and Amber Berendowsky (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS) scored in the regular-season match ... Berendowsky tallied the game's lone goal in the Big Ten Tournment contest ... current Wolverines vs. Northwestern ... Amber Berendowsky 4-2-10, Kacy Beitel 2-1-5, Mari Hoff 1-0-2, Nancy Mather 0-1-1, Shannon Poole 0-1-1 ... Northwestern Website: www.nusports.com.
Stewart Shutout Leads Michigan Over Indiana 3-0
Junior goalkeeper Carissa Stewart (Topsham, Maine/Mt. Ararat HS) made three saves, including an acrobatic one-handed bat late in the game, to record her second consecutive shutout as the Michigan women's soccer team defeated Indiana 3-0 in front of 477 fans Friday (Oct. 1) at the Michigan Soccer Field. Stewart, who extended her scoreless streak to 237:37 minutes, recorded her fourth shutout of the season and the 15th of her career, lowering her goals-against average to a miserly 0.37 in Big Ten action. The Wolverines got first half goals from Mari Hoff (Canton, Mich./Salem HS) and Amber Berendowsky before Laurie Peterson closed the scoring with 49 seconds remaining in the game.
Beitel Leads Michigan Soccer Team Over Purdue, 4-1
Junior All-Big Ten candidate Kacy Beitel netted a goal and an assist and created numerous other scoring chances on Sunday (Oct. 3) as the Michigan women's soccer team defeated Purdue 4-1 in front of 440 fans at a chilly Michigan Soccer Field. The Wolverines led from start to finish, outshooting Purdue (6-5-0, 1-4-0 Big Ten) by a 25-10 margin. Beitel and Marie Spaccarotella provided Michigan with a 2-0 lead, but Purdue scored with five seconds remaining in the first half to cut the advantage to one. Big Ten Freshman of the Year candidate Abby Crumpton (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) netted her team-leading sixth goal of the season early in the second half to restore the two-goal edge and Amber Berendowsky finished things off with her second goal in as many games for the 4-1 final.
Vs. Ranked Opponents
Michigan has posted a 2-0-1 mark against ranked opponents in 1999, defeating No. 19 Vanderbilt 3-0 on Sept. 3 and No. 15 Illinois 2-1 in overtime on Sept. 24, while tying No. 4 Penn State 0-0 in double overtime (Sept. 19). All-Big Ten candidate Carissa Stewart has been at her best against ranked foes, allowing just one goal on 16 shots for a .938 save percentage and a miniscule 0.29 goals against average. Big Ten Freshman of the Year candidate Abby Crumpton has taken care of the offense, netting 2-1-5 in the three games, including the game-winner against Illinois in overtime.
Big Ten Recap
Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State and Penn State all recorded perfect 2-0 weekends to move into the top four slots in the Big Ten Conference standings. Penn State and Michigan are the only teams remaining without a loss in conference action, while the Buckeyes are the only team with one defeat in conference play.
Big Ten Conference Standings (through 10/3/99)
Big Ten Overall 1. MICHIGAN 5-0-1 8-2-1 2. Penn State 4-0-1 7-2-1 3. Ohio State 3-1-1 7-2-2 4. Iowa 3-2-0 7-4-0 5. Michigan State 3-2-1 4-5-3 6. Illinois 2-2-1 8-3-1 Minnesota 3-3-0 5-5-0 8. Indiana 1-2-2 2-5-3 9. Purdue 1-4-0 6-5-0 10. Wisconsin 1-5-0 5-5-2 11. Northwestern 0-5-1 2-8-1
Streaky Wolverines
Michigan's 1999 season has been one of streaks. The Wolverines, 8-2-1 on the season, opened the year with two wins before suffering two defeats, only to respond with a seven-game unbeaten streak (6-0-1), tying Michigan's longest unbeaten streak done twice in 1997 and once in 1996. Further, Michigan's 5-0-1 start in Big Ten play has extended the Wolverines' conference unbeaten streak to a program-record nine games (8-0-1), including a 3-0-0 conclusion to the 1998 Big Ten season.
Almost There
Through 11 games this season the Wolverines have fired off 246 shots, just 34 shy of team's total in 22 games last season (280 shots). Michigan's average of 22.4 shots per game is the highest in the school's history and on pace to break the Big Ten record of 20.3 set by the 1996 Wolverine squad.
Season Games Shots Shots/G 1999 11 246 22.4 1996 20 406 20.3 1997 23 445 19.3 1994 19 364 19.2 1995 20 308 15.4 1998 22 280 12.7
And The Key Is ...
Michigan is a perfect 7-0-0 when senior midfielder Emily Schmitt records a point and 1-2-1 when she is held scoreless. Schmitt, 2-7-11 on the season, added assists in both Michigan games last weekend (Oct. 1-3), setting up Michigan's first goal against Indiana (Oct. 1) and fourth against Purdue (Oct. 3).
Second Half Success
Michigan has had a great deal of success after the halftime break this season. The Wolverines have outscored opponents 13-5 after the intermission, with a 123-58 advantage in shots. By comparison, Michigan holds a 12-8 edge in first half scoring, with a 123-67 lead in shots. In Big Ten play Michigan has outscored foes 7-0 with a 62-33 shot differential after halftime, compared to 6-3 in goals and a 66-35 edge in shots during the first half.
Sensational Stewart
All-Big Ten candidate Carissa Stewart has been near-perfect during the Big Ten season, allowing a mere three goals in six contests, two of which went into overtime. She sports a 0.48 goals against average and a save percentage of .889 against the Big Ten. Most important, Stewart is 5-0-1 in those six contests, leading Michigan into first place in the conference standings.
One More
With wins over Indiana (Oct. 1) and Purdue (Oct. 3), goalkeeper Carissa Stewart moved to within one win of Jessica Jones' (1995-98) school-record 26 career victories. Stewart, 8-2-1 on the season, raised her career winning percentage to .716 (25-9-3), the fifth best in Big Ten history.
Approaching 50
Senior All-America candidate Emily Schmitt needs just three more points to become the sixth Wolverine to top the 50-point mark. She has recorded 11 points on the season (2-7-11) to give her 47 career points. Teammate Kacy Beitel, 5-2-12 on the year, recorded her 50th point earlier in the season and stands at 59 career points.
Schmitt Assisting Her Way to the Top
Senior All-America candidate Emily Schmitt collected a pair of assists last weekend (Oct. 1-3), her sixth and seventh of the season, tying her for with Iowa's Julie Atkocaitis for the Big Ten Conference lead. The seven assists are the second highest single-season assist mark in Michigan history, tying Schmitt with Jessica Limauro (1998) and Debbie Flaherty (1994 and 1997). Schmitt has 13 assists for her career, three behind Limauro for third on the all-time list. Amber Berendowsky holds the school records with 29 career assists and 17 assists in 1997.
Most Career Assists
PLAYER (YEARS) ASSISTS AMBER BERENDOWSKY (1996- ) 29 Debbie Flaherty (1994-97) 20 Jessica Limauro (1995-98) 17 EMILY SCHMITT (1996-) 13 KACY BEITEL (1997- ) 11 MARI HOFF (1996- ) 11
Most Single Season Assists
PLAYER POINTS (YEAR) Amber Berendowsky 17 (1997) EMILY SCHMITT 7 (1999) Jessica Limauro 7 (1998) Debbie Flaherty 7 (1997) Debbie Flaherty 7 (1994) Amber Berendowsky 6 (1998) Mari Hoff 6 (1997)
Berendowsky in the Big Ten
Senior forward Amber Berendowsky tallied goals in back-to-back games against Indiana (Oct. 1) and Purdue (Oct. 3). The two scores were her first goals of the season and give her 38 for her career, tied with Jennifer Walek of Minnesota (1994-96) for the fifth-highest total in Big Ten Conference history. The goals pushed Berendowsky's career point total to 105, just three shy of Penn State's Carole Dutchka (1995-98) for the third most points in conference history. Berendowsky, who recorded an assist in Michigan's season opener at Oakland (Aug. 29), needs just two more helpers to tie the Big Ten mark of 31 held by Rachel Hoffman of Penn State (1994-97).
Beitel Turns It On
Junior All-Big Ten candidate Kacy Beitel netted a goal and two assists on the weekend to extend her scoring streak to a career-long four games. Beitel has tallied 3-2-8 in her last four games and has estabished herself as Michigan's second leading scorer this season, with five goals and 12 points. The co-Big Ten Player of the Week for her performances Sept. 24-26, Beitel has netted game-winnings goals against Purdue (Oct. 3) and in overtime against Utah (Sept. 12) while scoring the game-tying goal in Michigan's 2-1 overtime win against then-No. 15 Illinois (Sept. 24). The 12 points push Beitel's career total to 59 points, three behind Debbie Flaherty (1994-97) for fourth in school history.
Crumpton in Rare Company
Big Ten Freshman of the Year candidate Abby Crumpton extended her team lead in goals (six) and points (15) with a goal and assist against Purdue (Oct. 3). Midway through the season, Crumpton is looking to become only the second freshman to lead the Wolverines in scoring. Amber Berendowsky led Michigan with 19 points as a freshman in 1996 while Mari Hoff paced the Wolverines with eight goals as a freshman, also in 1996. Kacy Beitel holds the school record for both goals and points by a freshman, with 14 goals and 33 points in 1997.
Most Goals (Freshman Season)
PLAYER GOALS (YEAR) Kacy Beitel 14 (1997) Mari Hoff 8 (1996) Amber Berendowsky 7 (1996) Ruth Poulin 7 (1994) ABBY CRUMPTON 6 (1999) Marie Spaccarotella 6 (1996)
Most Points (Freshman Season)
PLAYER POINTS (YEAR) Kacy Beitel 33 (1997) Amber Berendowsky 19 (1996) Mari Hoff 17 (1996) ABBY CRUMPTON 15 (1999) Ruth Poulin 15 (1994) Debbie Flaherty 15 (1994)
Firsts (and Seconds) ...
Freshman defender Amy Sullivant collected her first career point with an assist against Indiana (Oct. 1). She added another assist in Michigan's next game to move her career total to two points ... Freshman midfielder Michele Pesiri (New Hyde Park, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) tallied her first collegiate point with an assist in the Purdue game (Oct. 3) ... Junior Kacy Beitel recorded her first assist of the season, and 10th of her career, in the Indiana game (Oct. 1). She wasted no time getting number two as she added a helper in the Purdue contest (Oct. 3) ... Senior Amber Berendowsky netted her first goal of the season in the Indiana match (Oct. 1) and then turned around and made it two with a score against Purdue (Oct. 3) ... Senior goalie Lauren Clister (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon HS) made her season debut with three saves in 11:50 against Purdue (Oct. 3) ... Freshman Tammy Mitchell (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Seaholm HS) made her career debut in the second half of the Purdue contest (Oct. 3). She is the seventh freshman to see action this season.
Happy Birthday!
Two of Michigan's goalkeepers celebrate their birthdays this week. Lauren Clister turns 21 on Wednesday (Oct. 6), while Carissa Stewart turns 20 on Thursday (Oct. 7).
Beitel Named Co-Big Ten Player of the Week
Junior forward Kacy Beitel, an All-Big Ten candidate this season, earned co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors for her performance over the Sept. 24-26 weekend. In two games, Beitel recorded two goals including the game-tying tally in Friday's (Sept. 24) 2-1 overtime victory against then-No. 15 Illinois. This is Beitel's first Player of the Week honor as she became just the fifth Wolverine to garner the award and the first since Jessica Limauro was honored the week of Sept. 28, 1998.
National Honors
Junior goalkeeper Carissa Stewart, an All-Big Ten candidate this season, received national attention by Soccer America. For her performances the week of Sept. 13-19, which included a win at Ohio State and a scoreless double-overtime tie at Penn State, Stewart was named to Soccer America's "Team of the Week."
National Rankings
Despite going 2-0 over the Oct. 1-3 weekend, the Michigan soccer team fell one slot, from a tie for 15th to 16th, in the Oct. 4 NSCAA poll. The Wolverines opened the season ranked No. 15 before falling out of the rankings for two weeks, only to reappear in the Sept. 20 poll at No. 22. Michigan is ranked second in the Great Lakes Region, behind only No. 6 Notre Dame, Michigan's opponent on Tuesday (Oct. 5). The Wolverines are No. 20 in the Sept. 28 Soccer Times Coaches Poll and No. 22 in the Sept. 28 Soccer Buzz rankings.
NSCAA/adidas Division I National Ranking (10/4/99)
School Record Pts LW 1. Santa Clara 11-0-0 300 1 2. Florida 11-0-0 286 2 3. North Carolina 9-2-0 274 3 4. Nebraska 10-1-1 267 4 5. Penn State 8-2-1 249 5 6. Notre Dame 8-2-0 236 6 7. Texas A&M 10-2-0 227 8 8. UCLA 8-2-0 217 9 9. BYU 11-1-0 201 12 10. Clemson 7-3-1 188 T15 11. Hartford 7-1-2 177 13 12. Virginia 7-3-0 172 10 13. Wake Forest 7-2-0 156 11 14. Southern Cal 7-3-0 132 7 15. SMU 8-3-0 126 25 16. MICHIGAN 8-2-1 118 T15 17. Connecticut 7-4-0 98 19 18. San Diego 9-2-0 91 24 19. William & Mary 8-2-0 82 23 20. Stanford 7-3-0 65 17 21. Duke 7-5-0 55 NR 22. Missouri 8-3-0 47 20 23. Harvard 4-1-1 39 NR 24. Kentucky 8-2-1 35 21 25. Richmond 8-3-1 29 18
Contact: Jay Levin (734) 763-4423
