Dobbyn, Banco Lead Wolverines to Win Over Ohio State

Friday, September 23

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

4-2-2,1-0-0

Ohio State

3-3-2,0-1-0

Ohio State

Michigan

9/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Matt Baumer

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Field)
Score: Michigan 4, Ohio State 2
Records: U-M (4-2-2, 1-0 Big Ten), OSU (3-3-2, 0-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Sept. 25 -- at Oakland (Rochester, Mich.), 2:30 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team defeated Ohio State 4-2 on Friday (Sept. 23) at U-M Soccer Field in the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams. Sophomore Melissa Dobbyn (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) netted a career-high two goals and added one assist for a career-high five points, and sophomore Sarah Banco (Medfield, Mass./Noble and Greenough School) tallied the first goal of her career. Ohio State's own-goal at 54:41 proved to be the game-winner. Junior Megan Tuura (Tucker, Ga./St. Pius X Catholic) backstopped the Wolverines to earn her fourth victory of the season.

Despite the Wolverines' dominant play to begin the game, the Buckeyes struck first at 9:57. Following a Michigan foul, Ohio State junior defender Melissa Miller served a free kick long to sophomore forward Lara Dickenmann, who headed the ball into the low right corner of the net. The Wolverines answered at 24:07 as Dobbyn took a cross from senior Therese Heaton (Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville South) and flicked a shot past junior goalkeeper Staci Sinkway to tie the score at 1-1.

Banco gave the Wolverines the lead with her first career goal at 40:18. Dobbyn streaked down the right sideline and put a cross toward the left post to Banco, who put a header into the left side of the net. Less than 15 minutes later, Michigan took a 3-1 lead off a corner kick that resulted in an Ohio State own goal at 54:41. Junior Judy Coffman (San Jose, Calif./Santa Theresa) served the corner kick to the far post and the ball bounced off a Buckeye defender into the net.

The Buckeyes nearly cut the lead to one just over 13 minutes into the half. Freshman Lisa Collison took a shot that looked to be headed for the upper left corner of the net, but Tuura sprawled out and tipped the shot just wide of the post to preserve the two-goal lead. Dobbyn added her second goal of the game at 74:40 with a great individual performance to move the score to 4-1. Dobbyn dribbled through the Buckeye defense to create space and fired a perfect shot into the upper left corner of the net.

Ohio State cut the lead to 4-2 at 80:17. Collison took a shot off a direct free kick that deflected off the Wolverine wall and trickled just over the goal line past Tuura. Michigan played the final minutes of the game in the Ohio State end to clinch the victory.

The Wolverines head on the road Sunday (Sept. 25) to Rochester, Mich., to face Oakland at 2:30 p.m. at OU Soccer Field.

GAME SUMMARY

Team	1	2	F
Ohio State	1	1	2
Michigan	2	2	4

Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- OSU, Lara Dickenmann, 9:57 (Melissa Miller)
1st -- U-M, Melissa Dobbyn, 24:07 (Therese Heaton)
1st -- U-M, Sarah Banco, 40:18 (Dobbyn)
2nd -- U-M, OSU Own Goal, 54:41
2nd -- U-M, Dobbyn, 74:40 (unassisted)
2nd -- OSU, Lisa Collison, 80:17 (unassisted)

Shots: U-M 22, OSU 14
Saves: U-M 5 (Megan Tuura), OSU 6 (Staci Sinkway)
Corner Kicks: U-M 17, OSU 5
Fouls: U-M 12, OSU 12
Cards: None

NOTES

• Senior Therese Heaton inched closer to Ruth Poulin (1994-97) for fifth place in all-time points with her first-half assist. Heaton needs just four more points to tie Poulin's 69 career points. 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.

• Heaton and Melissa Dobbyn have identical scoring lines this season (5-3-13) and are tied for the team lead in points.

• Junior Judy Coffman equaled a career high in shots with six against Ohio State.

• Junior Megan Tuura earned her 23rd career victory against Ohio State. She is three wins shy of tying Jessica Jones (1995-98) for third place in all-time wins with 26.

• Dobbyn recorded her first career two-goal game with her two goals against Ohio State. Dobbyn also added an assist on Sarah Banco's goal at 40:18.

• Dobbyn registered her third-highest shot total of the season with six shots against Ohio State. She is the team leader in shots with 36 this season.

• Sophomore Lindsey MacDonald registered her first career shot against Ohio State. The shot was headed for the vacated net before the Ohio State defense blocked it.

• Sophomore Sarah Banco netted her first career goal to give the Wolverines the lead at 40:18. Banco notched her first career point last Friday (Sept. 16) with an assist against Western Michigan.

• The Wolverines earned a season-high 17 corner kicks against Ohio State. Michigan's previous high of 13 came on Sept. 9 against Ohio.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Debbie Rademacher
On Ohio State ... "Last year in the Big Ten Tournament [Ohio State] really handed it to us. We were motivated and excited to have a chance to redeem ourselves. [The team] was definitely up for it. It was the Big Ten opener and there was a lot of excitement. Everybody is remembering how they felt after a big loss last year in the tournament and they all contributed to a great performance."

On tonight's game ... "I felt like we did a really good job attacking and building from the back. I thought we stayed strong defensively. They are a very dangerous team on their set pieces. Five corner kicks to 17 corner kicks is a tribute to our attacking mentality today putting on the pressure in their end."

On sophomore Sarah Banco ... "She is a very smart kid, so when we decided to train her -- it's her first time ever playing forward -- she really absorbs things and really puts it into practice. She is getting more comfortable up there and she really sparks us."

On sophomore Melissa Dobbyn ... "She loves to shoot, and her range is the best on the team. For her, every time she gets the ball she is dangerous and other teams know that. She has been just tremendous."

U-M Sophomore Forward Melissa Dobbyn
On playing Ohio State ... "We just came in really fired up just knowing it's our first Big Ten game and they're our biggest rivals. I think everyone played awesome all over the field. It was really intense and we held up to it. After they beat us 5-2 last year, we came pretty close this year, 4-2. It just felt really good to score that many goals on them."

U-M Sophomore Forward Sarah Banco
On scoring her first career goal ... "It was unbelievable and I was so happy to be out there playing with all of my teammates. I'm just happy to help my team out whether it's against Ohio State or someone in the Big Ten that is not as good. They are a great team to beat and it's a great win for us in our first Big Ten game."

On providing a spark off of the bench ... "I don't expect anything when I go in there. I just expect to play as hard as I can. I was in the right spot at the right time. (Melissa) Dobbyn had a great cross and I was just happy to come in and be a spark at that minute."