Weekly Release #12: Wolverines Seek First Big Ten Crown
11/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
TAKING TO THE PITCH
Thursday, Nov. 13,3:30 p.m. -- at Wisconsin - Big Ten Championship First Round(Madison, Wis.)
Live Stats uwbadgers.com Championship Central
The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan men's soccer team (12-4-2, 4-1-1 Big Ten) will seek its first Big Ten title on Thursday (Nov. 13) when it begins the Big Ten Championship with a first-round matchup against Wisconsin at 3:30 p.m. CST at the McClimon Track/Soccer Complex in Madison, Wis. If the Wolverines prove victorious, they will face the winner of No. 3-seeded Indiana and No. 6-seeded Ohio State on Friday (Nov. 14) at 1:30 p.m. CST live on the Big Ten Network. The BTN will carry both semifinal matches and the championship game with Kenn Tomasch, Chris Doran and Dean Linke making up the broadcast crew. In addition to the conference crown, the winning team will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
2008 BIG TEN TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 13-16
McClimon Track/Soccer Complex Madison, Wis.
Thursday, Nov.13 First Round
Game 1 -- #4 seedNorthwestern vs. #5 seed Penn State, 10:30 a.m. CST
Game 2 -- #3 seedIndiana vs. #6 seed Ohio State, 1 p.m. CST
Game 3 -- #2 seed Michiganat #7 seed Wisconsin, 3:30 p.m. CST
Friday, Nov.14 Semifinals
Game 4 -- #1 seedMichigan State vs. Game1 winner, 11 a.m. CST(Live on Big Ten Network)
Game 5 -- Game2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 1:30 p.m. CST(Live on Big Ten Network)
Sunday, Nov.16 Championship Game
Game 6 -- Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, Noon (Live on Big Ten Network)
MICHIGAN BY THE NUMBERS
Complete Stats: Through 11/8/08
2008 Leaders
| Name | GP | G | A | P |
| Peri Marosevic | 16 | 12 | 3 | 27 |
| Mauro Fuzetti | 17 | 9 | 4 | 22 |
| Jake Stacy | 18 | 7 | 5 | 19 |
| Name | GP | W-L-T | GAA | SV% | SO |
| Patrick Sperry | 17 | 11-4-2 | 1.12 | .747 | 5 |
RANK AND FILE
The Wolverines hopped up two spots in NSCAA/adidas National Rankings, ending the week 10 in the latest NSCAA/adidas ranking, released Tuesday (Nov. 11). The NSCAA/adidas Great Lakes Region poll remained unchanged as far as the second-place Wolverines were concerned. In the latest NCAA RPI ranking released on Monday (Oct. 27), the Maize and Blue is sixth. Michigan's scoring offense, which averages 2.11 goals per game, is ranked 14th in the nation. The Maize and Blue also sit at No. 8, unchanged from last week, in the College Soccer News poll this week (Nov. 10).
WOLVERINE BITES
Wolverines in the Big Ten Championship -- Michigan garnered the No. 2-seed at the Big Ten Championship for the third time in program history. The Wolverines earned the second seed in 2002, en route to a runner-up finish, and in 2003 whenit fell in the first round. In 2001, U-M claimed a 1-0 victory over host Wisconsin in its first-ever Big Ten Championship game. Michigan is 5-6-1 all-time in the conference tournament.
Ballot Initiatives -- On Thursday (Nov. 13), the Big Ten will announce the all-conference awards. If Michigan's crowded award case is any clue, several Wolverines could hear their name called. Wolverine players have picked up the NSCAA National Player of the Week twice, Big Ten Player of the Week on five ocassions, National Team of the Week laurelsnine times and eight all-tournament selections, including a tournament offensive MVP, junior Peri Marosevic(Rockford, Ill./Edison Academy).
Everyone isa Winner -- The 2008 Michigan squad boasts two of the most clutch scorers Ann Arbor has ever seen. Two of the top four players on the all-time game-winning goal list are on the current roster. Peri Marosevic tallied his eighth career game-winning goal against Penn State (Nov. 8), breaking a tie with junior Mauro Fuzetti(Houston, Texas/Stratford) (7) and Mychal Turpin (7, 2001-04). Marosevic is second on the all-time list, followed by Fuzetti and Turpin in a tie for third. Marosevic trails only Knox Cameron (12, 2001-04) for the program record.
Still Trying To Help -- Junior/sophomore Matt Schmitt(Muskegon, Mich./Reeths-Puffer) earned his conference-leading seventh assist of the season on the gamewinner against Penn State (Nov. 8). His seven helpers ties him for fifth on the U-M single-season record list with Mike White (2002) and Ryan Sterba (2004).
Firing Blanks -- Senior/junior Patrick Sperry(Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) pulled closer to the U-M shutout record with the 18th blank slate of his career on Saturday (Nov. 8) againstPenn State. Sperry needsone moreperfect gameto match the U-M career record of 19 shutouts posted by Peter Dzubay (2002-05).
A Season to Remember -- Peri Marosevic expanded histeam lead in scoring with his 11th and 12thgoals of the season against Penn State (Nov. 8). Marosevic issecond in the Big Ten in goals (12)andpoints (27) and is followed closely by Mauro Fuzetti, who sitsfifth with nine markers. Marosevic's 12 goalsplace him secondon the U-M single-season goal scoring list, putting him within two scores of Mychal Turpin's (2001-04) single-season school recordof 14 goals setin 2003. Fuzetti is sitting sixth all-time along with Mike White, who registered nine markers on two separate occasions (2002 & 2003).
Scoring Touch -- Marosevic leads active U-M players with 23 career markers and isthird on the U-M career list. He needs five goals to catchKnox Cameron(28, 2001-04)and10 scores tobest Mychal Turpin (33, 2001-04) to complete his ascensionon the list.Fuzetti's 15 goals rank fifth on the career list and senior Jake Stacy(Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) is sixth on the all-time list with 14 goals. Senior Michael Holody(Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) also ranks in the top 10 in career scoring, sitting tied for eighth with nine career goals.
ACTIVE STREAKS
Peri Marosevic-- Points --3 Games (3g, 1a)
Patrick Sperry--Shutouts -- 2 Games (2:17:58)
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Wisconsin-- The Badgers come into the postseason with wins in three of their last four. Seventh-seeded Wisconsin, which owns a 4-3-2 record at home, will play host to the Big Ten Championship. Junior Scott Lorenz is the main target for the UW offense, scoring 10 times this season. Junior Alex Horwath has been steady in net for the Badgers; he has a 1.08 goals-against average and five shutouts. Michigan scored in the waning moments of regulation to earn a 1-1 tie when the two clubs met in Madison, Wis., earlier this season (Sept. 27). U-M leads the all-time series, 7-2-2.
Indiana
2008 Meeting: Oct. 4 at No. 20 Indiana, 1-0 (W)
All-Time Series: 1-9-1 (.136)
Michigan State
2008 Meeting: Oct. 18 vs. Michigan State, 0-1 (L)
All-Time Series: 2-8-1 (.227)
Northwestern
2008 Meeting: Oct. 25 at No. 2 Northwestern, 3-1 (W)
All-Time Series: 7-4-1 (.625)
Ohio State
2008 Meeting: Nov. 1 vs. Ohio State, 1-0 (W)
All-Time Series: 5-6-1 (.458)
Penn State
2008 Meeting: Nov. 8 vs. Penn State, 2-0 (W)
All-Time Series: 3-7-1 (.318)
THE WEEK THAT WAS
Junior Peri Marosevic(Rockford, Ill./Edison Academy) scored twice to seal a program-record eighth home victory for the then-No. 12-ranked University of Michigan men's soccer team, delivering a 2-0 win over Penn State on Saturday (Nov. 8). Senior/junior Patrick Sperry (Hinsdale, Ill/Hinsdale Central) picked uphis fifth shutout of the campaign with a six-save performance. Junior/sophomore Matt Schmitt(Muskegon, Mich./Reeths-Puffer) and senior Alex Morisset(Shelby Township, Mich./De La Salle) each tallied assists in the contest.
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
Fri-Sat., Nov. 21-22 -- NCAA Championship First Round (Campus Sites)
Wed., Nov. 26 -- NCAA ChampionshipSecond Round (Campus Sites)
Contact: Ryan Sosin, Jeremy Reid(734) 763-4423
