Michigan
1-0-2
Texas A&M
2-0-1
Heaton Scores Equalizer as Michigan Ties No. 6 Texas A&M
9/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Field)
Score: Michigan 1, #6 Texas A&M 1 (2OT)
Records: U-M (1-0-2), Texas A&M (2-1-1)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Sept. 9 -- at Ohio (Athens, Ohio), 4 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer played to a 1-1 tie against the No. 6-ranked Texas A&M Aggies Sunday (Sept. 4) at U-M Soccer Field. In an absolute thriller, Michigan forward Therese Heaton (Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville South) scored the tying goal at 61:06, her second goal in as many games. The two teams traded chances in overtime, but neither could slip one into the back of the net and the Wolverines (1-0-2) walked away with a tie.
The Aggies came out strong, getting two scoring chances within the first three minutes of the game, but both shot attempts sailed wide of the net. A wild scramble on the Aggies' third chance led to the first goal of the game at 3:34. Michigan goalkeeper Madison Gates (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) came out to play a free ball at the top of the goal box, but the ball squirted to Aggies midfielder Amy Berend, whose shot banged against the crossbar. The rebound came back out to Melissa Garey, who ripped a shot that Gates sprawled out and saved. Another rebound came out to Laura Probst, who fired a shot that Gates once again denied. The fourth attempt, however, snuck past Gates off the crossbar and in to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead.
The Wolverines' best chance of the first half came six minutes in off a Judy Coffman (San Jose, Calif./Santa Theresa) corner kick, but the Aggies defense cleared the ball before a Wolverine player could get a foot on it. The Wolverines found themselves down 1-0 heading into the second half.
Michigan nearly tied it at 49:34 as Jamie Artsis (Chatsworth, Calif./Harvard-Westlake School) fed Melissa Dobbyn (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson), but Dobbyn's shot deflected wide off a Texas A&M defender. The Wolverines finally tied the game at 61:06 off another Coffman corner. The corner kick sailed to Artsis, who then headed the ball into an Aggies defender. The rebound bounced out to Heaton and she buried the ball into the middle of the goal to put the score at 1-1.
The Aggies had numerous chances to take the lead, but the Michigan defense held strong and forced shots wide. The Aggies' best chance came at 82:46 off a corner kick that forced a scramble in front. Gates dove for the bouncing ball but could not snare it. The Michigan defense blocked two header attempts and the score remained tied going into sudden-death overtime.
Texas A&M nearly ended the game just two minutes into overtime as Katelin Spencer (Brighton, Mich./Brighton) kicked out a shot that was tabbed for the empty net. Just over three minutes later, a free kick led to a wild scramble in front of the goal line, but Michigan players were unable to whack the ball into the net before the Texas A&M goalkeeper fell on it.
In the second overtime, the Aggies once again created a chance just minutes in. Gates denied a point-blank shot and as the rebound attempt headed for the wide-open net Lindsey Cottrell (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central) headed it away. The Wolverines' best chance in the second overtime period came four minutes in as Coffman volleyed a Heaton cross just wide of the net. Near the 106th minute, another Michigan defender played goalkeeper. Gates could not corral a Texas A&M corner, but Stephanie Boyles (Arvada, Colo./Pomona) came up huge as she blocked the ball from entering the gaping net, and Michigan held on for the tie.
The Wolverines return to action next weekend when they travel to the state of Ohio for a pair of non-conference matches. Michigan will face Ohio at 7 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 9) at Chessa Field in Athens, Ohio, and finish the trip against Miami (Ohio) at 1 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 11) at the Miami Soccer Field in Oxford, Ohio.
GAME SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | OT | OT | F |
| Texas A&M | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Michigan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- A&M, Ashlee Pistorius, 3:34 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Therese Heaton, 61:06 (unassisted)
Shots: U-M 14, A&M 23
Saves: U-M 7 (Madison Gates 5, Team 2), A&M (Kati Jo Spisak 4, Team 1)
Corner Kicks: U-M 6, A&M 5
Fouls: U-M 13, A&M 23
Cards: A&M, Amy Berend, 27:40 (yellow); A&M, Allison Martino, 35:26 (yellow); A&M, Kati Jo Spisak, 37:59 (yellow); A&M, Linda Pierson, 62:01 (yellow); A&M, Carrie Berend, 91:34 (yellow); A&M, Melissa Garey, 95:04 (yellow); A&M, Carrie Berend, 99:56 (red); U-M, Jamie Artsis, 106:07 (yellow).
NOTES
• Therese Heaton has scored goals in two consecutive games for the Wolverines. Heaton moved into a tie with Mari Hoff (1996-1999) for ninth place all-time in points with 56 after notching the tying goal at 61:06. Heaton has 22 goals and 12 assists in her career, with two of her goals coming this season.
• Heaton equaled her shot total for the season with four, the team high in the game. She has eight shots on the season.
• Freshman defenseman Erica Gordy saw her first action of the season as a substitute for Skylar Andrews, who left the game with an injury.
• Freshman goalkeeper Madison Gates played her first collegiate game. She made five saves while allowing one goal in 110:00 minutes for the tie.
• Michigan moved to 6-5-3 all-time against the Big 12 Conference with the tie against Texas A&M.
• The Wolverine defense has two team saves in each of the last two games. All four blocks were on shots heading into a vacant net.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Debbie Rademacher
On the comeback to tie ... "I look at it as a game that we got ourselves out of a deficit against one of the top-ranked teams. It was exciting. It was end to end. The girls fought really hard. It was a tie, but it was a positive result. We came back, so it's a positive."
On the physicality of the game ... "Our girls held tough and kept their composure because it was very physical and [Texas A&M] has some big girls. I don't characterize us as a physically big team, but we definitely fight and are scrappy. We did well to hold our composure because the game was incredibly physical."
On the defense clearing the wide-open net ... "As far as them clearing balls off of the line and really staying focused, we don't exactly train it but they know what they need to do. When the goalkeeper comes out, they fall in behind."
On the play freshman goalkeeper Madison Gates ... "She really held strong. To get scored on early, as a freshman it is easy to get shaken and have your confidence get waned, but she held tough. The girls around her really played well for her and she had some experience around her. She did a great job."
U-M Sophomore Midfielder Jamie Artsis
On the physical style of Texas A&M ... "They are very physical and we don't play like that. We are more of a connect and possession type of team. We just tried to stay calm, stay composured, and play our game and play around their physicality."
On the mindset entering Sunday's game ... "We came off of Friday with energy and excitement. We came into this game knowing they are very hard and very physical. We we're expecting a battle."
Team Stats
Pistorius, Ashlee
GOAL by A&M Pistorius, Ashlee (FIRST GOAL).
3:34
Heaton, Therese
GOAL by MICH Heaton, Therese.
61:06
