Weekly Release #11
10/31/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, Nov. 4 -- vs. Ohio State (Elbel Field), 1 p.m.
Thu-Sun., Nov. 9-12 -- at Big Ten Tournament (Columbus, Ohio)
This Week
The University of Michigan men's soccer team (6-8, 1-4 Big Ten) has its last regular-season home match on Saturday (Nov. 4) against No. 20 Ohio State on Elbel Field at 1 p.m. There will pre-game festivities as the Michigan seniors and their parents will be honored before they take the field for the last time in the Maize and Blue before their home crowd.
Scouting the Opponents
Ohio State -- No. 20-ranked Ohio State is 8-4-4 overall and 1-2-2 in Big Ten play. Brian Feldhaus leads the team with 20 points on eight goals and four assists. Right behind him is Justin Cook with seven goals and three assists, good for 17 points. The Buckeyes have given up just 14 goals this season, thanks in part by goalkeeper Kerry Thompson who leads the Big Ten with seven shutouts and a 0.82 goals-against average. Ohio State on the Internet: www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
Last Week
Michigan went 1-1 for the week, with a 3-1 loss at Dayton (Oct. 27) and a 2-1, historic, double-overtime win at Northwestern (Oct. 29) for the Maize and Blue's first Big Ten Conference win in school history. Michigan allowed three second-half goals before it got on the board at Dayton. Senior Ryan Yoder (Whitehouse, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit HS) prevented a shutout with only 45 second remaining in the contest when he took the rebound from Kevin Robinson's (Caro, Mich./Faith Baptist HS) shot off the post and scored.
U-M's final road contest of the regular season came at Northwestern. Yoder gave U-M the memorable victory with a header off of a corner kick at the 118:00 mark. Northwestern struck first in the game when Dan Doman took a loose ball 10 yards out and slipped it past Brad King (Portage, Mich./Northern HS) for the early 1-0 lead. Senior Will Purdy (Kalamazoo, Mich./Hackett Catholic HS) tied the game off a rebound from a direct kick with 74:12 on the clock.
Marathon Men
Michigan has played in five overtime games this season and is 3-2 when it heads into extended play. Three of those contests were not settled until double overtime. The Wolverines are 2-1 in games decided by two extra periods. The 118:00-minute contest against Northwestern (Oct. 29) was the longest match in Michigan's first-year history.
Stepping It Up
Ryan Yoder has scored a goal in his last two matches (Dayton and Northwestern). Against Northwestern (Oct. 29) his game-winning goal was his third this season, and first game-winner. Will Purdy's game-tying goal against the Wildcats was the first of his career.
Yellow Cards
The Wolverines have racked up 30 yellow cards and one red card this season. Their opponents have received 17 yellow cards and zero red cards. Against Dayton (Oct. 27) both teams combined for seven yellow cards, the most awarded in a Michigan game this season.
Points Leaders
With his assist against Dayton (Oct. 27), Kevin Robinson tied teammate Tom Gritter (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) for the team lead in points with nine. The assist also tied Robinson for the team lead in that category with Ian Hirschfield (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Pine Crest HS) with three. Ryan Yoder picked up four points last week on two goals to add to his total. Yoder is currently tied with Kevin Taylor (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) in third with eight points.
Big Ten Conference Standings (Through Oct. 30)
Big Ten Pct. Pts. Overall Pct. 1. Indiana 6-0-0 1.000 18 13-3-0 .813 2. Michigan State 4-1-1 .750 13 10-5-1 .656 3. Penn State 3-2-1 .583 10 11-4-2 .706 4. Wisconsin 2-3-0 .400 6 9-7-1 .559 Ohio State 1-2-2 .400 5 8-4-4 .625 6. MICHIGAN 1-4-0 .200 3 6-8-0 .429 7. Northwestern 0-5-0 .000 0 0-15-1 .031
Championship Experience
The Maize and Blue roster includes 13 players from last year's U-M club team: Andrew Balazer, Albert Geldres, Dave George, Steve Huber, JJ Kern, Matt Murch, Pat Murphy, Brian Peters, Will Purdy, Jack Stead, Mahesh Subramanian, Steve Walton and Ryan Yoder. Michigan won back-to-back club national titles in 1997 and 1998, led by coach Steve Burns.
Been a While
Michigan men's soccer is in its first season after being granted varsity status in March 1999. The last Michigan men's sport to be added as a varsity program was men's gymnastics in 1948.
Contact: Steve Grialou (734) 763-4423
