Weekly Release #13
11/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Fri-Sun., Nov. 10-12 -- NCAA First/Second Rounds (South Bend, Ind.)
Nov. 10 -- Michigan vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 5 p.m.
Nov. 10 -- No. 1 Notre Dame vs. Oakland, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 12 -- U-M/Wisconsin-Milwaukee winner vs. Notre Dame/Detroit winner,1 p.m.
Fri-Sun., Nov. 17-19 -- NCAA Third Round (campus sites)
Fri-Sun., Nov. 24-26 -- NCAA Quarterfinals (campus sites)
Friday, Dec. 1 -- NCAA Semifinals (Cary, N.C.)
Sunday, Dec. 3 -- NCAA Championship (Cary, N.C.)
This Week
Michigan (9-7-5, 4-3-3) heads to South Bend, Ind., for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Championship Tournament this weekend. U-M earned a bid in the region hosted at Notre Dame's Alumni Field, and will face Wisconsin-Milwaukee in a first-round matchup on Friday evening (Nov. 10, 5 p.m.). A win would move the Wolverines to a second-round, Sunday afternoon (Nov. 12, 1 p.m.) contest against the winner of Friday night's Notre Dame versus Oakland game.
Tickets can be purchased at Notre Dame's website at www.und.com as well as the gate at Notre Dame's Alumni Field.
Scouting the Opponents
Notre Dame -- The No. 1-ranked Big East Champion and undefeated Fighting Irish (20-0-1) outscored their opponents 67-7 this season, registering 16 shutouts as a team. The UND offense is led by the nation's second-leading scorer Kerri Hanks, who netted 18 goals and earned 14 assists in 2006, and Michele Weissenhofer, who tallied 13 scores and 17 helpers. The nation's runner-up in team GAA is backstopped by goalkeeper Lauren Karas, who made 31 saves and compiled a 0.33 GAA. In addition, she posted an 18-0-1 record, recording 10 shutouts while allowing just six goals.
Head coach Randy Waldrum is in his eighth season as head coach of the Notre Dame women's soccer program. Michigan is 2-11 all-time against the Fighting Irish, with the Maize and Blue last defeating UND 1-0 in the second round of the 2003 NCAA Championship tournament. Notre Dame has won the last three meetings, including a 2-0 victory earlier this season at the U-M Soccer Field. Michigan's only other victory over UND came in that same 2003 season, when the Wolverines upset the second-ranked Irish, on the road, in the final game of the regular season.
Notre Dame on the Internet: www.und.com.
Oakland -- The Mid-Con Champion Oakland Grizzlies went 8-10-1 this season, including a 5-1-1 mark to finish the 2006 campaign. The Grizzlies earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after winning their conference tournament with a 4-3 shootout win over Western Illinois in the conference championship final. Kristi Tomczyk led OU with 12 goals, also earning two assists. Kim Herbst backstopped the Grizzlies, posting a 1.97 goals-against average, 86 saves and two shutouts.
The Grizzlies are coached by Nick O'Shea, who is in his 13th season at the helm of the program. Michigan leads the all-time series with a 6-3-1 mark. U-M went 5-0-1 in its first six meetings with Oakland, but in the 2006 contest, lost a 1-0 lead in a 2-1 defeat on September 21.
Oakland on the Internet: www.ougrizzlies.com.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee -- The Panthers (16-3-1), who have nine different players with multiple goals, carried a school-record 11 game winning streak before falling this past weekend to Detroit in the Horizon League semifinals, 1-0. Louise Vraney scored a team-high six goals, complementing her team-best 14 points. Sarah Teegarden finished second on the team in goals (5) and points (12), while Erin Kane guarded the net for a UWM defense that posted 15 shutouts in 2006. Kane made 44 saves and allowed nine goals for a goals-against average of 0.49.
The Panthers are coached by Michael Moynihan, who is in his 10th season at UWM. The Wolverines won the only meeting in history between the two schools in a 3-2 victory in 2000.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee on the Internet: www.uwmpanthers.com.
Numerous Awards Handed out to Maize and Blue
The trio of Lindsey Cottrell (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central), Judy Coffman (San Jose, Calif./Santa Theresa) and Megan Tuura (Tucker, Ga./St. Pius X Catholic) were announced to the All-Big Ten second team last Thursday (Nov. 2) prior to play in the Big Ten Tournament. On Friday (Nov. 3), Cottrell garnered CoSIDA Academic All-District IV first team honors, and junior Katie Bohard (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) received a spot on the All-District IV second team. The trio of junior Jamie Artsis (Chatsworth, Calif./Harvard-Westlake) and seniors Coffman and Tuura earned All-District IV third team laurels.
Following 15 saves in two conference tournament games, Tuura was awarded a spot on the 2006 All-Big Ten Tournament team, the first honor of the like in her career.
Wolverines Defeat IU, Fall to Penn State in 2006 Big Ten Tournament
At the Big Ten Tournament this past weekend, hosted at Penn State's Jeffrey Field in State, College, Pa., the Wolverines advanced to the second round with a 2-1 first-round win over the No. 4-seed Hoosiers. U-M then dropped a 2-0 decision to top-seed and No. 12-ranked Penn State.
Lindsey MacDonald's (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) first career goal in the 29th minute broke a 1-1 tie, giving the fifth-seeded Wolverines a 2-1 win over Indiana. In the second round, despite Big Ten All-Tournament selection Megan Tuura's season-high 11 saves, Michigan fell 2-0 to the Nittany Lions.
Michigan Set to Face Nation's Sixth-Best Defense
The Wolverines, who have allowed just 20 goals this season and boast the Big Ten conference leader in GAA in Megan Tuura (0.64), are set to take on Wisconsin-Milwaukee, who posted a team GAA of 0.44 that ranks sixth in the nation.
The Wolverines All-Time at the NCAA Championship Tournament
Michigan will participate in the program's ninth NCAA Tournament appearance against Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Friday evening (Nov. 10, 5 p.m.). U-M holds a 9-8 mark all-time in NCAA Tournament games, including advancing to at least the second round of the tournament in every season from 1998-2003. The Wolverines' last trip to the national tournament ended in a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the University of Detroit. In that contest, Michigan fell down 3-0 in the first half and nearly battled back to tie the match before running out of time.
Michigan Against the State of Wisconsin
The Maize and Blue hold an 11-10-3 mark in games against programs from the state of Wisconsin, including a 1-0-0 record against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
U-M's record by opponent: Marquette (1-0-0), Wisconsin (7-10-2), Wisconsin-Green Bay (1-0-1) and Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1-0-0).
Spencer Nears Top of Games Started List
Senior captain Katelin Spencer (Brighton, Mich./Brighton) will make her 88th career start this weekend, moving her into a tie with Kacy Beitel (1997-2000) for second on Michigan' career starts list. If the Wolverines win against Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Spencer would have a chance for her 89th career start, which would tie her with Shannon Poole (1996-99) and Amy Sullivant (1999-2002) for the program's top spot in career games started. In addition, she will play in her 88th career game versus UWM, moving Spencer into a tie for eighth on U-M's career games played list.
Coffman Continuing Exceptional Career
Judy Coffman finished the regular season with the team lead in goals (5) and runner-up in points (13). Coffman is currently one goal from equaling her single-season career best from 2005. She is also tied with fellow senior captain Katelin Spencer for the active lead in career games played (87), and will move into a tie for eighth on Michigan's career games played list following Friday's contest against UWM.
Tuura 10 Stops Away from Program Lead in Career Saves
Megan Tuura, who needs one more win to tie for second on Michigan's career wins list with Suzie Grech (2000-03), is 10 saves shy of U-M's program leader in career saves, Carissa Stewart (1997-2000). Tuura's 35 career victories trail Grech's 36 and her 318 career saves trail Stewart's 328. The Tucker, Ga., native also currently ranks second in program history in career goals-against average (1.16).
Tuura became the program leader in career minutes played in a 0-0 tie at Northwestern on October 8, and she is close to breaking her own program record for the lowest GAA in a season with her 0.62 goals-against mark entering this weekend's competition. The senior goalkeeper set the current mark (0.74) as a freshman in 2003.
Dobbyn Two Points From Sixth on Career Points List
Team-leading point scorer Melissa Dobbyn (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson), who also led the Big Ten in shots with 92, is within two points of sixth on the program's all-time points list entering the 2006 NCAA Tournament. Her four goals and six helpers so far this season push her career totals to 25 goals and 17 assists. The junior's 67 career points trails Ruth Poulin (1994-97), who collected 69 points in her career.
The Livonia, Mich., native also needs just two more assists to crack the top five in career helpers at Michigan. Debbie Flaherty (1994-97) and Emily Schmitt (1996-99) currently hold the fifth spot with 19 apiece.
Dobbyn currently owns the number two spot in career shots (268) and after firing 92 this season to rank second, she holds the second through fourth spots on the program's list for most shots in a season. Kacy Beitel holds the top spot with 94 attempts on goal in 2000.
Clutch Performers: Dobbyn and Miler Tie for Lead in Game-Winners
Melissa Dobbyn and Katie Miler (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) have each scored three game-winning goals this season. All three of Miler's scores on the season are of the game-winning variety, and all but one of Dobbyn's four scores has clinched a Michigan win.
Dobbyn has been clutch her entire career, having tallied seven game-winning goals and five postseason scores in her career. Two of her game-clinchers have been scored in overtime.
Maize and Blue Getting Contributions From Many Sources
Injuries in the midfield have created opportunities for other players to step up for U-M, with Lindsey MacDonald being the latest to take advantage, scoring her first career goal in a 2-1 win over Indiana Thursday (Nov. 2) in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. MacDonald's first career goal -- the game-winner -- came on her 12th career shot in her 26th career game. MacDonald also becomes the sixth Wolverine to record her first career points this season, joining Katie Miler, Katie Bohard, Megan Tuura, Kristin Thomas (Centennial Colo./Cherry Creek) and Emily Kalmbach (Coto De Caza, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic).
First-Half Defense Perfect at Home, Nearly as Tough on the Road
The Wolverines did not allow a goal in the first half in any home game this season, and will start the 2007 campaign with this streak at 11 regular-season games, dating back to 2005. Michigan has allowed three first-half goals all season, which came at Penn State, at Ohio State and against Indiana in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
Two Scores Equal Win
The Wolverines hold a 6-0 record when scoring more than one goal in a game. The Maize and Blue defeated Oklahoma and Purdue by a 2-0 margin in September, and dropped Iowa and No. 24 Illinois by a score of 2-1 in consecutive games in the final home weekend. Michigan then improved that record with a 2-1 overtime win at Ohio State, and a 2-1 victory over Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament.
Last Weekend's Notables
The Wolverines ended a two-game skid against the Hoosiers with their 2-1 win last Thursday (Nov. 2) and improved to 10-3-1 all-time against Indiana. The Maize and Blue also improved its all-time record in the Big Ten Tournament to 18-10 with the win.
Senior Judy Coffman made her 50th career start on Friday (Nov. 3) against Penn State in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.
Senior Megan Tuura earned her ninth win of the season in U-M's victory over Indiana, which is her second-highest win total in her four seasons at Michigan. She posted a career-high 11 wins in 2004.
Maize and Blue Moves up to No. 8 in NSCAA/adidas Regional Poll
The NSCAA/adidas Great Lakes Region Poll, released Tuesday (Nov. 7), moved Michigan to eighth after advancing past Indiana in the first round of the conference tournament last week. Notre Dame is atop the national poll for the 10th straight week, sitting in a tie for first with North Carolina. In the regional poll, this weekend's host Notre Dame holds the top spot while U-M's Friday opponent Wisconsin-Milwaukee ranks sixth.
Michigan Jumps to Eighth in Soccer Buzz Great Lakes Region Rankings
After advancing past Indiana in round one of the Big Ten Tournament last Thursday (Nov. 2), Michigan jumped up two places to No. 8 in the latest Soccer Buzz Great Lakes Region Rankings released Tuesday (Nov. 7).
On the Horizon ...
Should Michigan come out of this weekend's competition with two wins, it would face the winner of the region that includes Colorado, Colorado College, Denver and Kentucky next weekend (Nov. 17, 18 or 19).
Contact: Matt Baumer (734) 763-4423
