Michigan Drops Double-Overtime Heartbreaker at WMU

Wednesday, October 12

Kalamazoo, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

6-5-1

Western Michigan

6-5-1

OT 3

OT 4

Michigan

Western Michigan

10/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team faced defeat for the third straight game, losing to Western Michigan on Wednesday (Oct. 12) in an emotional double overtime game, 2-1.

The opening 45 minutes of action began with Michigan pressuring the Western Michigan defense. The first shot taken by the Wolverines was by senior Trai Blanks (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) after he shredded the defense on the right wing and forced a shot high and to the left. Just 2:20 later, freshman Jake Stacy (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills) took a shot of his own, only to force the ball wide and to the right after U-M rebounded the ball to set up the shot.

Despite their efforts, the Wolverines were down at the intermission, 1-0. The Broncos scored the first goal of the game after the U-M defense broke down at the 40:44 mark, allowing WMU's Nashir Caraballi to beat senior Peter Dzubay (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview) to the right top-90 from the right side of the net. The Wolverine defense found the opportunity to redeem themselves, forcing a critical stop after the Broncos offense had a clean look at the net on the left side, which was set up from a free kick, only to be deflected out by junior Kevin Savitskie (Plymouth, Mich./Salem).

The second half began with more Michigan control and pressure. The first look at the net for the Wolverines came 1:40 into the half. The scoring opportunity was set up off the first corner kick of the game for U-M, giving Savitskie the chance to take a beautiful header to keeper Brent Miller's right side, only to end up scoreless.

The game-tying goal for Michigan came 77:55 into the game. Savitskie scored the goal off senior Ryan Sterba's (Westlake, Ohio/St. Ignatius, Cleveland) second corner kick. The play was set up when Sterba served the ball into play, allowing Savitskie to take a shot from the opposite side of the field to beat the goalie to the top, forcing the game into overtime.

The first overtime was very intense for both teams, as the Wolverines and the Broncos both could not convert goal-scoring chances. The first open look for U-M came 7:02 into overtime, with the Michigan defense setting up a three-on-two breakaway with Sterba setting up the chance from the right wing. Sterba passing the ball to senior Chris Glinski (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes) to the middle of the field, allowing him to force a shot wide right, just inches from winning the game.

Dzubay finished the game with five saves and two goals against, with two saves in the first overtime and one goal against in the second overtime. His two saves in the first overtime were by far the biggest saves of the game. The first of two saves came eight minutes into overtime when a WMU player was closing in on the net to take a shot and Dzubay ran to the top of the goal area to kick the ball clear of the net. His second save in the first overtime was just 1:30 after the first save, when he was forced to deflect an 18-yard rocketed Bronco shot high above the crossbar.

At the 106:41 mark Western Michigan was able to convert one of its scoring opportunities to close the game. Caraballi assisted Tom Oatley on a breakaway, and he beat Dzubay low and to the left from 12 yards out.

The Wolverines try to snap their three-game losing streak when they face the Michigan State Spartans at 1 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 15) in Lansing, Mich., with a full Pontiac Challenge Cup point at stake.

GAME SUMMARY

Team	1	2	OT	OT	F
Michigan	0	1	0	0	1
Western Michigan	1	0	0	1	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- WMU, Nashir Caraballi, 40:44 (Edgar Rivera, Tom Oatley)
2nd -- U-M, Kevin Savitskie, 77:55 (Ryan Sterba)
OT2 -- WMU, Tom Oatley, 106:41 (Nashir Caraballi)

Shots: U-M 29, WMU 30
Saves: U-M 5, WMU 9
Corner Kicks: U-M 7, WMU 8
Fouls: U-M 13, WMU 21
Cards: WMU, Tom Oatley, 22:14 (yellow); U-M, Santos Perez, 42:18 (yellow); WMU, Dustin Snydere, 48:25 (yellow); U-M, Adam Bruh, 52:38 (yellow); U-M, Santos Perez, 76:32 (red); U-M, Chris Glinski, 79:40 (yellow); WMU, Bench, 88:38 (yellow)

Q U O T E S

Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
On what it takes to return into Big Ten action after an emotional road game ... "Obviously we're very disappointed with the loss. However, we look at what's still available for us with the Big Ten season, knowing that every Big Ten game is a fight. Right now we want to regroup and make sure we bring the fight."

On what the focal point is for Sunday's game ... "I think what you take out of the learning lessons that come from defeat you want to always apply and evolve as a team and get better and better. Regardless of who you are, what this team is evolving to understand is that the intangibles alone can win victories when you're not putting the ball in the net, the intangibles of heart, tenacity, desire, grit and intensity."

On what two close, emotional games can add to a team's character ... "It's true and clich to say that sports build character, at the same time, sports also reveal character. I think our players understand or better understand what it's going to take to win and now we look for them to respond in that manner."

Contact: Joseph Conrad (734) 763-4423