Weekly Release #8
10/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Upcoming Schedule
Friday, Oct. 7 -- vs. Northwestern (U-M Soccer Field), 7 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 9 -- vs. Wisconsin (U-M Soccer Field), Noon
Friday, Oct. 14 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.) 7 p.m. CDT
Sunday, Oct. 16 -- at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), 1 p.m. CDT
This Week
The University of Michigan women's soccer team (5-4-2) returns home this week for two Big Ten Conference games. On Friday (Oct. 7), the Wolverines face Northwestern at 7 p.m. at the U-M Soccer Field in Ann Arbor, Mich. On Sunday (Oct. 9), Michigan takes on Wisconsin at Noon at the U-M Soccer Field in Ann Arbor, Mich.
This Week's Promotions
On Friday (Oct. 7), free pizza from Domino's Pizza will be available at halftime. On Sunday (Oct. 9), girl scouts are invited for Girl's Scout Day.
Scouting the Opponents
Northwestern -- Northwestern (7-4-1, 0-3-1 Big Ten) is coming off two one-goal losses this past weekend. The Wildcats fell 2-1 to second-ranked Penn State on Friday (Sept. 30) and lost 1-0 to Minnesota on Sunday (Oct. 2). Three Wildcats' players are tied for the team lead in goals this season. Kelsey Hans, Tabitha Lowey, and Jenny Dunn have each notched five goals, with Hans leading the team in points with a 5-3-13 line. Goalkeeper Whitney Jones has played all but seven minutes and 19 seconds in net for the Wildcats. Jones (7-4-1) has posted a 1.14 goals-against-average and made 53 saves. Northwestern returns 12 letterwinners and eight starters from a team that finished in a tie for fifth place with Wisconsin last season with a 10-8-2 (5-4-1 Big Ten) record. Head coach Jenny Haigh is in her fifth season at the helm for the Wildcats. During that span she has accumulated a 29-37-9 record. She has coached at Northwestern her entire coaching career. The Wolverines lead the all-time series against Northwestern, holding a record of 9-3-1. Michigan won four of the first five meetings between the two teams from 1994-1997, including a 1-0 overtime win in the 1997 Big Ten Conference tournament championship game in Minneapolis, Minn., on November 9. In 1998, the Wolverines got revenge for a regular season defeat with a 1-0 win in the second round of the Big Ten Conference tournament on November 6 in College Station, Pa. Michigan went 4-1-1 from 1999-2004, with all of the games coming in the regular season. The Wolverines won last season's match against the Wildcats 3-2 in Ann Arbor on September 17. Northwestern on the internet: www.nusports.com.
Wisconsin -- Wisconsin (5-5-2, 0-3-1 Big Ten) is coming off two Big Ten Conference losses this past weekend. On Friday (Sept. 30), Minnesota shut the Badgers out 1-0 in Wisconsin. Penn State defeated the Badgers 2-1 in Madison on Sunday (Oct. 2). Amy Vermeulen and Allison Preiss are tied for the team lead in points with ten for the Badgers. Vermeulen has a team-leading five goals, while Preiss has netted three goals and earned four assists. Lynn Murray has backstopped the Badgers in 10 of 12 games this season. Murray has allowed 14 goals, while making 45 saves. Wisconsin returns 18 letterwinners and 10 starters from last year's squad that finished in a tie for fifth place in the Big Ten with a 16-6-1 (5-4-1 Big Ten) record. Head coach Dean Duerst is entering his 12th year as head coach of the Badgers' women's soccer program. He has posted an impressive 131-87-26 record over that time. Michigan holds a 7-8-1 all-time record against the Badgers. The Wolverines went 0-4-1 in the first five games against Wisconsin from 1994-1996, including two losses in the Big Ten Conference tournament. The Wolverines earned their first ever win over Wisconsin in 1997, trouncing the Badgers 6-0 in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines dropped the next three games from 1998-2000, but broke that streak with a 4-2 win on November 3 in the second round of the 2000 Big Ten Tournament. The Maize and Blue have won five out of the last six games from 2001-2004, including two Big Ten Conference tournament wins. On November 7, 2003, the Wolverines shut the Badgers out 1-0 in the first round of the Big Ten Conference tournament. Last season, the Badgers won the regular season meeting, but Michigan exacted revenge with another 1-0 shut out on November 4 in the Big Ten Conference tournament in Columbus, Ohio. Wisconsin on the internet: www.uwbadgers.com.
Michigan Falls at Indiana in First Game of Road Swing
The No. 22-ranked University of Michigan women's soccer dropped a 2-1 decision to Indiana Friday afternoon (Sept. 30) at Armstrong Stadium. The Wolverines outshot the Hoosiers 20-14 and held the advantage in corner kicks 9-4. Sophomore Jamie Artsis (Chatsworth, Calif./Harvard-Westlake School) tallied her first goal of the season, and junior Judy Coffman (San Jose, Calif./Santa Theresa) added her second assist of the season.
Wolverines Shut Out by Purdue in Big Ten Road Action
The University of Michigan women's soccer team fell to Purdue 1-0 Sunday (Oct. 2) at the Varsity Soccer Complex in West Lafayette, Ind. The Wolverines could only muster nine shots and were outshot for only the fourth time in 11 games this season. Junior goalkeeper Megan Tuura (Tucker, Ga./St. Pius X Catholic) had five saves in the loss.
Artsis on the Board
Jamie Artsis scored her first goal of the season at Indiana (Sept. 30). Artsis' first half goal tied the game for Michigan. Artsis 20 shots were the most on the team without scoring a goal before she scored against the Hoosiers. She has a 1-2-4 line in 11 games this season.
Consistent Coffman
Judy Coffman earned an assist on Jamie Artsis' goal at Indiana (Sept. 30). Her five shots at Indiana led the Wolverines for the third straight game. Melissa Dobbyn and Therese Heaton also had five shots apiece. She is fourth on the Wolverines in scoring this season, tallying two goals and two assists for six points. She is second on the team with 33 shots.
Leading Dobbyn
Melissa Dobbyn (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) leads the Wolverines in goals (7), points (17) and shots (50) this season. Her three assists put her in a tie with Therese Heaton for the team lead. Her seven goals and 17 points are both second in the Big Ten behind Tiffany Weimer who has 15 goals and 31 points for Penn State. Dobbyn also had a team-leading six of the Wolverines nine shots at Purdue (Oct. 2).
Heaton Moving Up in the Michigan Record Books
Therese Heaton (Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville South) needs just four more points to tie Ruth Poulin (1994-97) for fifth place in all-time points with 69. She is four assists shy of Debbie Flaherty (1994-97) for fifth place in all-time assists. Heaton's 15 career assists trail Flaherty's 19 career helpers. She also needs just five more goals to tie Poulin for fifth place in all-time goals with 30. Heaton has 25 goals and 65 points this season.
Tuura Reaches Milestone, Nearing Another
Megan Tuura played in her 50th career game at Purdue (Oct. 2), making four saves and allowing one goal in a 1-0 loss. Tuura also needs just one more save to reach the 200-save mark for her career. Her 199 career saves rank fourth all-time in Michigan history. She trails Jessica Jones (1995-1998) for third place in all-time saves with 218.
Did You Know
The Wolverines tied Wisconsin-Green Bay 1-1 in their first ever game on Sept. 3, 1994 at Mitchell Field in Ann Arbor. Debbie Flaherty (1994-1997) scored the first ever Michigan goal in the 109th minute of overtime, before UWGB tied the game in the 199th minute. Two days later on Sept. 5, 1994, the Wolverines won their first ever game in a 3-1 rout of Northern Illinois at Elbel Field. The Maize and Blue women's soccer team played its first season at Elbel Field in Ann Arbor.
U-M Listed No. 4 in Big Ten
The Wolverines earned a No. 4 ranking in the Big Ten Conference preseason coaches poll released Thursday, Aug. 18. U-M is listed below 2004 Big Ten regular-season champion Penn State, Big Ten Tournament champion Ohio State and Illinois.
2005 Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll (8/18/05)
1. Penn State 2. Ohio State 3. Illinois 4. MICHIGAN 5. Wisconsin 6. Indiana 7. Purdue 8. Northwestern 9. Michigan State 10. Minnesota 11. Iowa
Let's Take a Look at the Poll
The Wolverines dropped out of the NCSAA/adidas National Rankings after two Big Ten Conference losses to Indiana (Sept. 30) and Purdue (Oct. 2). The Wolverines made their season debut in the national rankings the week of September 6 with a No. 17 listing. U-M is listed at No. 5 in the association's Great Lakes Regional rankings.
NSCAA/adidas National Rankings (10/4/05)
Rank, School W-L-T Prev 1. North Carolina 12-0-0 1 2. Penn State 12-0-0 2 3. Portland 11-0-0 3 4. UCLA 10-1-0 4 5. Virginia 9-1-2 7 6. Brigham Young 11-0-1 12 7. Santa Clara 9-2-1 5 8. Wake Forest 7-3-1 11 9. Marquette 11-1-1 18 10. Boston College 8-1-1 8 11. Notre Dame 10-2-0 6 12. Duke 8-2-1 9 13. California 7-2-1 15 14. Tennessee 6-4-1 20 15. Pepperdine 9-1-1 10 16. Connecticut 9-2-1 16 17. Florida State 9-2-0 14 18. Texas A&M 8-2-1 13 19. Stanford 6-3-1 NR 20. Florida 7-3-1 17 20. Yale 9-2-0 NR 22. West Virginia 6-3-3 21 23. Nebraska 7-3-1 25 24. Cal Poly 8-1-3 23 25. Purdue 7-5-0 NR
U-M Falls Out of Soccer Buzz National Rankings
The Wolverines fell out of the most recent Soccer Buzz national rankings, released yesterday (Monday, Oct. 3). The Maize and Blue did receive votes in the poll. Michigan is listed at No. 5 in the publication's Great Lakes regional rankings. Three of Michigan's remaining 2005 opponents appear in the magazine's national rankings: Penn State (No. 3), Illinois (No. 17), and Purdue (No. 28).
Wolverines Earn Eighth Straight NCAA Bid in 2004
After starting out the 2004 campaign at 0-2, Michigan found its groove and went unbeaten during the next eight games (6-0-2). During the stretch, the Wolverines claimed a pair of home victories over nationally-ranked opponents Boston University (No. 22) and Illinois (No. 11). Michigan got off to a great start in Big Ten Conference play, earning four straight wins to climb to the top of the league standings. Fifth-ranked Penn State put a halt to the winning streak with a 1-0 victory in double-overtime at the U-M Soccer Field (Oct. 1), and the Wolverines would win just three of their final nine games of the regular season. Michigan got back on track with a 1-0 victory over No. 25 Wisconsin in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, but would fall to host and 13th-ranked Ohio State 5-2 in the semifinals. Detroit spoiled the Maize and Blue's eighth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, earning a 3-2 upset in the first round to end Michigan's season.
Michigan finished at 11-9-2 overall and took third place in the Big Ten at 6-3-1. Three Wolverines earned All-Big Ten second team honors -- Jamie Artsis, Brenna Mulholland (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) and Megan Tuura, while Melissa Dobbyn was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team. Dobbyn and Therese Heaton finished in a tie for the team lead in points with 21, while Tuura allowed 32 goals in over 2,050 minutes of action (.744 GAA) and earned seven shutouts.
Introducing the Captains ...
Seniors Stephanie Boyles (Arvada, Colo./Pomona) and Therese Heaton, and junior Katelin Spencer (Brighton, Mich./Brighton) have been selected to lead the Wolverines as tri-captains in 2005. It marks the first nomination for both Heaton and Spencer, while Boyles is carrying the honor for the second straight season.
The Leader of the Wolverines
Head coach Debbie Rademacher is in her 12th season at the helm of the U-M women's soccer program having compiled a career record of 144-87-23 heading into the week. Over that stretch, the Wolverines' program has exhibited steady growth; from an impressive Big Ten Conference Tournament semifinal finish in the inaugural 1994 season, to a pair of conference tournament titles in 1997 and 1999, the Maize and Blue has begun to expect success on the national level, with eight consecutive NCAA Tournament trips, including a trip to the Elite Eight in 2002 and the Sweet 16 in 2003. Rademacher has coached four National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Americans, 19 NSCAA all-region honorees, 35 All-Big Ten first- or second-team picks and 81 Academic All-Big Ten recipients.
Guiney Remains on Staff as Women's Soccer Assistant
Head coach Debbie Rademacher announced at the beginning of the year that interim assistant coach Aileen Guiney would be joining the U-M coaching staff on a permanent basis. A varsity letterwinner for the Wildcats from 2000-03, Guiney finished her collegiate career with 20 assists, which is second on NU's all-time list, and eight goals for 36 points. A three-time captain, Guiney earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America and Soccer Buzz All-Great Lakes Region second team honors in 2003 after leading the team in scoring with four goals and four assists for 12 points. She joins Rademacher and Dan Dalzochio, who is in his fourth season as an assistant, on the U-M coaching staff.
Michigan Set to Host Big Ten Tournament
In addition to Michigan's nine regular season home contests in 2005, the Wolverines will host the Big Ten Tournament for the first time on Nov. 3-6 at the U-M Soccer Field. The top eight teams in the league standings are invited to the annual postseason championship, and Michigan has qualified every year since the inaugural tournament in 1994. Michigan has won two Big Ten Tournament titles (1997, '99).
Flip the Switch
The Wolverine soccer programs will be able to host night games for the first time in 2005, as new lighting was installed at the U-M Soccer Field in early August. The Musco Light Structure Green features a four-pole system that is lit to an average of 70 foot-candles. The men's soccer team will suit up for the first-ever night game on September 1 against Detroit, while the women's team will host its first night game on September 2 against Texas. Both matches are scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
On the Horizon ...
Michigan goes on the road next Friday (Oct. 14) to face Illinois in Champaign, Ill., at 7 p.m. CDT at Illinois Soccer Stadium. Next Sunday (Oct. 16), the Wolverines travel to Iowa City, Iowa, to take on Iowa at 1 p.m. CDT at the Iowa Soccer Complex.
Contact: Matt Baumer (734) 763-4423
