U-M Falls at Penn State for Second Straight OT Defeat

Sunday, October 30

State College, Pa.

1:00 PM

Michigan

8-8-1

Penn State

9-6-2

OT 2

Michigan

Penn State

U-M Falls at Penn State for Second Straight OT Defeat

10/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Joseph Conrad

Site: State College, Pa. (Jeffrey Field)
Score: Penn State 3, Michigan 2 (OT)
Records: U-M (8-8-1, 2-3-0 Big Ten), PSU (9-6-2, 6-0-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Nov. 4 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 7:30 p.m.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team fell to Penn State in a 3-2 overtime scuffle on Sunday (Oct. 30) on Jeffrey Field. This is the first time in program history that the Wolverines have lost in back-to-back overtime games.

Penn State's Jason Yeisley scored the golden goal 32 seconds into the overtime, assisted by Simon Omekanda and Stephen Reihner. The goal was scored from the left side of the field, after Omekanda set up a header shot for Yeisley to beat senior Peter Dzubay (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview) for his eighth goal of the season.

Even though the Wolverines gave the shot advantage to Penn State, 12-5, they were still able to produce an offensive attack that beat goalie Conrad Taylor for two goals out of four shots on goal. Michigan scored its first goal of the game 16 seconds after PSU scored the opening goal of the game at the 31:26 mark.

The first goal of the game was scored by Geordie MacNeill assisted by Barkley Miller. Exactly 16 seconds later, the Wolverines responded with a goal of their own, when two seniors, Ryan Sterba (Westlake, Ohio/Cleveland St. Ignatius) and Ryan Alexander (Southfield, Mich./University of Detroit), teamed up to beat Taylor. Sterba set up the play from the left midfield position, where he slipped the ball to Alexander at the top of the 18-yard box. Alexander then turned and faced up to the goalie, beating him to the near side.

After going to intermission tied at 1-1, the Wolverines broke the tie at the 52:34 mark, with the goal scored by freshman Jake Stacy (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) and assisted by Alexander. The goal was scored on a two-on-two breakaway off a defensive counterattack. While in stride, Alexander played the ball to Stacy, and Stacy smashed the ball from the left side of the 18-yard box, beating the PSU keeper in the top 90.

Penn State, unranked in the NSCAA poll but No. 29 in the College Soccer News rankings, then tied the game at the 76:20 mark, when Jeff Chambers assisted Stephen Reihner to beat Dzubay from the right side of the net.

The Wolverines take a trip to Columbus, Ohio, to conclude the regular season against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday (Nov. 4) at 7 p.m.

GAME SUMMARY

By Periods	1	2	OT	F
Michigan	1	1	0	2
Penn State	1	1	1	3

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- PSU, Geordie MacNeill, 31:26 (Barkley Miller)
1st -- U-M, Ryan Alexander, 31:42 (Ryan Sterba)
2nd -- U-M, Jake Stacy, 52:34 (Ryan Alexander)
2nd -- PSU, Stephen Reihner, 76:20 (Jeff Chambers)
OT -- PSU, Jason Yeisley, 90:32 (Simon Omekanda, Stephen Reihner)

Shots: U-M 5, PSU 12
Saves: U-M 1(Peter Dzubay), PSU 2 (Conrad Taylor)
Corner Kicks: U-M 3, PSU 6
Fouls: U-M 6, PSU 9
Cards: U-M, Trai Blanks, 24:19 (yellow); PSU, Simon Omekanda, 57:41 (yellow); U-M, Adam Bruh, 80:58 (yellow)

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
On the game ... "We scored two of the best goals we've scored all season long. In two games, back-to-back, we've played the best and most disciplined we've ever played. We came up against two good teams and we didn't get the results. In terms of where we are as a team, it's really just making our players understand that they played fully up to their potential, and exceeded it, and with that, I'm extremely satisfied. Now it's a matter of maintaining that level of play against our next opponent."

On what would he like to see against Ohio State ... "I think Ohio State is a great rival of ours in soccer, we've had great games with them. If we can continue to maintain and sustain the way we're playing right now, then I think we're in for another great game."

On the big difference with the goal scoring this game from last game "I think the big difference that we had was that our forwards were really connecting with each other well, they were holding the ball for the team, they were working off each other very well, they were making great runs into dangerous spaces and balls were being delivered and scored two great goals. It's tough to lose when you play well and score a couple of good goals."