Weekly Release #10: Michigan to Host OSU
10/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
TAKING TO THE PITCH
Saturday, Nov. 1,3:30p.m.--vs. Ohio State(U-M Soccer Complex, West Practice Field)
Live Stats ohiostatebuckeyes.com
The No. 18-ranked University of Michigan men's soccer team (10-3-2, 2-1-1 Big Ten) is coming off of one of the biggest wins in program history this past weekend against then-No. 2 Northwestern (Oct. 25). The Wolverines have two remaining home conference games spread across two weekends, beginning with Ohio State on Saturday (Nov. 1) at3:30 p.m. The Buckeyes and Wolverines will play on the U-M Soccer Complex'west practicefield. With a win this weekend, Michigan would match the second-highest win output for a Wolverine squad, joining the 2002 and 2004 teams with 11 victories.
PROMOTIONS
Intramural Soccer Night -- All Michigan Intramural Soccer teams are invited to come out and support the U-M players. Some teams will have the opportunity to scrimmage on the field at halftime. If your intramural team is interested, please fax (734-615-1567) or email (keanem@umich.edu) the team roster no later than two days prior the event.
MICHIGAN BY THE NUMBERS
Complete Stats: Through 10/26/08
2008 Leaders
| Name | GP | G | A | P |
| Mauro Fuzetti | 15 | 9 | 4 | 22 |
| Peri Marosevic | 14 | 9 | 3 | 21 |
| Jake Stacy | 16 | 7 | 5 | 19 |
| Name | GP | W-L-T | GAA | SV% | SO |
| Patrick Sperry | 15 | 9-4-2 | 1.27 | .698 | 3 |
WOLVERINE TO WATCH
| Senior/JuniorGoalkeeper Patrick Sperry Senior/junior Patrick Sperry(Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) is one shutout away from setting the U-M careermark against conference opponentsat five. He is currently tied with Peter Dzubay (2002-05),who blanked four Big Ten opponents during his career. Despite a 0-3-1 record against OSU, Sperry has never allowed more than one goal to the Buckeyes,has made at least five saves in all but one game and recorded the first of his Big Ten shutouts against Ohio State in 2006. |
WOLVERINE BITES
Rank and File -- The Wolverinesjumpedthree spots inNSCAA/adidas National Rankings, ending the weekNo.18 in the latest NSCAA/adidas ranking, released Tuesday (Oct. 28). The NSCAA/adidas Great Lakes Region poll also moved U-M up, slotting the Wolverines in second place. Michigan's scoring offense, which averages 2.19 goals per game, is ranked 10th in the nation. The Maize and Blue also sit at No. 13in the College Soccer News poll this week (Oct. 27).In the latest NCAA RPI ranking released onMonday (Oct. 13), the Maize and Blueis 13th.
NSCAA/adidas ranking (Oct. 28)
Rank School Points Prev. W-L-T 1. Wake Forest (23) 575 1 15-0-1 2. Akron 535 5 13-1-2 3. Creighton 510 3 10-1-2 4. St. John's 497 4 12-1-3 5. Maryland 495 6 13-3-0 6. Northwestern 455 2 11-1-2 7. Loyola (Md.) 451 7 14-0-1 8. California 399 9 7-2-4 9. Tulsa 383 11 11-3-1 10. UC Davis 359 10 12-2-3 11. South Florida 341 12 10-3-2 12. North Carolina 317 8 11-3-1 13. Illinois-Chicago 274 16 10-2-4 14. UC Santa Barbara 265 17 9-4-2 15. Connecticut 247 15 8-3-5 16. Saint Louis 223 18 7-2-5 17. Indiana 184 22 9-4-2 18. Michigan 183 21 10-4-2 19. Notre Dame 152 13 9-5-2 20. UC Irvine 133 20 8-1-6 21. Louisville 95 14 9-5-2 22. Dayton 76 RV 11-2-2 23. Pennsylvania 65 25 9-2-3 24. Drake 50 RV 11-3-0 25. Michigan State 44 24 9-5-1
Opening a Hardware Store - Senior Michael Holody(Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) and junior Mauro Fuzetti(Houston, Texas/Stratford) this week added to the ever-growing list of awards taken home by Wolverine players in 2008. Holody was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, becoming just the second U-M defender in program history to pick up the laurel. Fuzetti was tabbed to the College Soccer News and TopDrawerSoccer.com National Teams of the Week thanks to a pair of goals against then-No. 2 Northwestern (Oct. 26).
Best Win, Ever! -- The Wolverines win over Northwestern proved one of the biggest regular season victories in program history. The three-goal outburst by U-M matched the total number of goals scored on Northwestern during the previous 13 contests that comprised the entire NU regular season to that point. The victory also marked the first time U-M beat a top-three team. Both wins against teams in the top 10 have come this season as U-M defeated then-No. 8 Notre Dame on Oct. 1 and thethen-No. 2 Wildcats.
A Piece of the Offensive Pie -- Senior/junior Patrick Sperry(Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) became the first U-M goalkeeper to be credited with an assist in program history, earning a helper on the third Michigan goal against NU (Oct. 26). Michigan earned an indirect free kick after the Wildcats were called offside. He blasted a strike over the crowd assembled beyond the midfield, starting a foot race to the ball. Senior Steve Bonnell(St. Clair Shores, Mich./Detroit Country Day) got to the ball before it ran out of play, striking it to the opposite corner from just off the endline.
A Season to Remember --Fuzetti matched his teammate,junior Peri Marosevic(Rockford, Ill./Edison Academy), with nine goals on the season thanks to a pair of markers vs. then-No. 2 Northwestern (Oct. 25). The pair is third in the Big Ten in scoring and is sittingfifth all-time in single-season goals for the Wolverines alongwith Mike White (2000-03), who registered nine on two separate occasions (2002 & 2003). Mychal Turpin (2001-04) holds the single-season school record with 14 goals in 2003.
Scoring Touch --Marosevic leads active U-M players with 20 career markers and is fourth on the U-M career list. He needs two goals to catch Mike White (22, 2000-03) in the hallowed top three. Fuzetti's 15 goals rank fifthon the career listandsenior Jake Stacy(Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) is fifth on the all-time list with 14 goals. Senior Michael Holody(Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) also ranks in the top 10 in career scoring, sitting eighth with nine career goals.
What A Playmaker -- Stacy registered his 20th and 21st career assists against Western Michigan (Oct. 12), moving past Mychal Turpin (19, 2001-04) into sole possession of second place on Michigan's all-time career assist list. Bonnell sits tied with Kevin Robinson (11, 2000-03) for seventh all-time.
That's The Point -- Stacy leads all active U-M players with 49 career points and holds fourth place on Michigan's career scoring list. Marosevic passedAdam Bruh (46, 2002-05)to move intofifth on U-M's career point list with 47 points with a helper against then-No. 2 NU (Oct. 26). Fuzetti has now recorded40 career points, ranking him seventh all-time. Bonnell's goal against NU on Saturday moved him out of a tie with Kevin Robinson (25, 2000-03) and into sole possession ofninth place with 27 points.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Ohio State--Ohio State (9-5-2, 2-3-0 Big Ten) is coming off of a tough loss in Columbus, Ohio,on Sunday (Oct. 26), overcoming a two-goal deficit against No. 22 Indiana only to fall in overtime. Danny Irizarry leads the Buckeyes with six goals followed closely by Andrew Magill's 11 points. The Buckeyes have struggled on the road this season, going 0-4-1 away from friendly confines. OSU leads the all-time series 4-6-1 but in Ann Arbor, the series is even at 2-2-1.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
Michigan opened the week with a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to No. 5-ranked Akron on Wednesday (Oct. 22). Senior/junior Patrick Sperry(Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) posted five saves against the nation's third-ranked offense. The Maize and Blue bounced back to shock No. 2-ranked and previously unbeaten Northwestern, 3-1, on Saturday (Oct. 25). Junior Mauro Fuzetti(Houston, Texas/Stratford) scored a pair of goals in the historic victory.
GETTING SOME NEW DIGS
On Oct. 12, the Wolverines played their first game at the new U-M Soccer Complex, downing Western Michigan by a 5-1 margin. The new home of Michigan soccer features a regulation, lighted competition field and separate practice fields for both the men's and women's programs. The fields are located west of the tennis complex on South State Street.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Saturday, Nov. 8,2 p.m.-- vs. Penn State (U-M Soccer Complex)
Thu-Sun., Nov. 13-16--Big Ten Tournament(Madison, Wis.)
Contact: Ryan Sosin, Jeremy Reid (734) 763-4423
