Second-Half Goals Doom Wolverines in Loss at Penn State

Sunday, September 27

State College, Pa.

2:00 PM

Michigan

7-2-0, 0-1-0

Penn State

5-3-1, 1-0-0

Michigan

Penn State

Second-Half Goals Doom Wolverines in Loss at Penn State

9/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Site: University Park, Pa. (Jeffrey Field)
Score: Penn State 2, #24 Michigan 0
Records: U-M (7-2-0, Big Ten 0-1-0), Penn State (5-3-1, Big Ten 1-0-0)
Attendance: 346
Next U-M Game: Wednesday, Sept. 30 - at Oakland (Pontiac, Mich.), 7 p.m.

• Boxscore

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Two second-half Penn State goals were all the Nittany Lions needed for a 2-0 victory over the No. 24-ranked University of Michigan men's soccer team on Sunday (Sept. 27) afternoon at Penn State's Jeffrey Field. The loss ended a seven-game win streak for the Wolverines and marked only the second U-M loss this season.

Senior forward Mauro Fuzetti (Houston, Texas/Stratford) led the U-M offense with two shots on goal, while junior forward Justin Meram (Shelby Township, Mich./Yavapai College) and freshman midfielder Latif Alashe (Northville, Mich./Northville) also recorded shots on goal. Junior/sophomore goalkeeper Chris Blais (Seattle, Wash./Kennedy Memorial) made four saves in goal for the Wolverines.

The teams started the second half tied at 0-0 as Penn State ended the stalemate with a goal in the 53rd minute. Corey Hertzog took a cross from teammate Matheus Braga and one-timed it into the right side of the goal, just past an outstretched Blais to take the early second-half lead. U-M continued to pressure the ball and had several chances to equalize the game but could not convert.

Meram, who caused problems for the Penn State defense all game, received a well-played ball in the midfield and moved through the defense to the goal but sent what would have been the equalizer just wide of the net. Minutes later, freshman forward Alex Martinez (Vancouver, B.C./Vancouver Distance Education) set up a great opportunity by shielding a Penn State defender to create a shot for Fuzetti that sailed wide. Penn State tallied an insurance goal in the 80th minute with a header on a corner kick.

The teams battled to a rain-soaked scoreless first half, but it was not for lack of opportunity. In a contest of two evenly-matched squads, the Wolverines had a chance early on with a shot from Fuzetti. Junior defender Chase Tennant (Rochester, Mich./Rochester) played a ball into the midfield and Fuzetti hit it in stride, but PSU goalkeeper Warren Gross made the save.

Penn State also had several early chances. A Penn State forward played a ball through the defense, but freshman Brian Klemczak (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) headed it out of danger. Just before the half, the Nittany Lions had a header off a crossing pass from Frank Costigliola, but it went just wide as the half ended.

Michigan returns to non-conference action on Wednesday (Sept. 30) when it takes on in-state foe Oakland. The Wolverines and Grizzlies kick off at 7 p.m. at the Ultimate Sports Arena in Pontiac, Mich.

GAME SUMMARY

By Periods	1	2	F
Michigan	0	0	0
Penn State	0	2	2

Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- PSU, Corey Hertzog, 52:50 (Matheus Braga, Jason Yeisley)
2nd -- PSU, Yeisley, 79:19 (Frank Costigliola)

Shots: U-M 9, PSU 16
Shots on Goal: U-M 4, PSU 6
Saves: U-M 4 (Chris Blais), PSU 4 (Warren Gross)
Corner Kicks: U-M 5, PSU 4
Fouls: U-M 13, PSU 13
Cards: U-M, Mauro Fuzetti, 60:18 (Yellow); PSU, Frank Costigliola, 86:33 (Yellow).

N O T E S

• U-M falls to 2-6-2 in Big Ten season openers and 0-4-1 in league road openers with today's loss.

• U-M's loss snapped a seven-game winning streak and marked only the second loss of the season for the Wolverines. U-M last loss came in the season opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 1.

• Michigan wore its yellow jerseys for the first time this season and moves to 0-1 in the yellow uniforms.

• U-M has allowed only eight goals in the second half, with four of those goals coming against Notre Dame (Sept. 1) in the season opener.

• For only the second time this season, U-M was held without a second-half goal. The last time U-M was held scoreless in the second half was against Notre Dame on Sept. 1. Today also marked U-M's second shutout loss this season.

• This is only the second time this season that senior forward Mauro Fuzetti (Houston, Texas/Stratford) has played in a game that he has not scored a goal. Fuzetti leads the team with seven goals.

Q U O T E S

Michigan Head Coach Steve Burns
On the team's performance ... "We carried the run of the play and had several good chances to get on the board. It was a game that we felt like we were going to win. Penn State was dangerous in the counterattack and (Jason) Yeisley's impact on the game was top shelf. Considering that eight of our 15 guys that played today were playing in their first Big Ten contest, I'm confident that they are quick learners and our team will respond appropriately."

Contact: Jessica Poole (734) 763-4423