Michigan
7-2-2
Oakland
4-3-2
Wolverines, Grizzlies Battle to Stalemate in Pontiac
9/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Site: Pontiac, Mich. (Ultimate Soccer Arena)
Score: Michigan 0, Oakland 0 (2OT)
Records: U-M (7-2-1), Oakland (4-3-2)
Attendance: 2,117
Next U-M Game: Sunday, Oct. 4 -- vs. Wisconsin (U-M Soccer Complex), 1 p.m.
• Boxscore
PONTIAC, Mich. - The University of Michigan men's soccer team could not find the back of the net and held Oakland off the scoreboard to preserve a 0-0 double overtime tie in midweek non-conference action on Wednesday night (Sept. 30) at the Ultimate Sports Arena.
Freshman midfielder Hamoody Saad (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn) and classmate Brian Klemczak (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) led the U-M offense with three shots on goal each. The Wolverines, who held a staggering 14-4 advantage in shots on goal, outshot the Grizzlies, 31-13, in the double-overtime contest. Junior/sophomore goalkeeper Chris Blais (Seattle, Wash./Kennedy Memorial) made four saves in goal in U-M's first overtime contest of the season.
The teams entered the second half deadlocked at 0-0 and played pretty evenly throughout the half. As time winded down in regulation, Michigan picked up its offense as junior defender Chase Tennant (Rochester, Mich./Rochester) and Saad had quality scoring opportunities. Both shots were blocked by Oakland defenders in the final seconds to send the game into overtime. The first overtime period did not yield many shots for either team, although Saad had a quality chance in the 95th minute but was stymied by Oakland goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt. The Wolverines forced Hildebrandt to make two saves in the second overtime as neither team could break the tie.
For the second straight game, the Wolverines battled their opponent to a 0-0 halftime stalemate. Senior/junior Cam Cameron (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) led the U-M offense in the first half with two shots on goal, but it was senior forward Mauro Fuzetti (Houston, Texas/Stratford) who had two prime scoring chances. Fuzetti brought the ball out of the air at midfield and hit a shot just wide left; he also had another chance with less than two minutes remaining in the half that also sailed just wide. U-M's offense outshot the Grizzlies, 4-2, in the second half but the Wolverines could not find a way to get pass the Oakland backline.
Oakland had several chances in the first half to take an early lead. Stefan St. Louis caught the ball just inside the U-M defense and hit a shot that looked like it was going to trickle in just under the crossbar, but Blais leapt into the air and made the save to preserve the shutout.
The Wolverines jump back into conference action on Sunday (Oct. 4) when the Wisconsin Badgers travel to Ann Arbor. The Wolverines and Badgers are set to kick off at 1 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader with the U-M women's team at the U-M Soccer Complex. The U-M women take on Northwestern at 3:30 p.m.
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | OT | 2OT | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oakland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scoring
None.
Shots: U-M 31, OAK 13
Shots on Goal: U-M 14, OAK 4
Saves: U-M4 (Chris Blais), OAK14 (Mitch Hildebrandt)
Corner Kicks: U-M 10, OAK 1
Fouls: U-M 16, OAK 9
Cards: None
N O T E S
• U-M owns a 5-1-3 all-time record against the Grizzlies. Tonight's tie is the first since the 2004 season -- also a 0-0 double overtime tie. The Wolverines and Grizzlies have played each other in each season that the U-M men's program has been at varsity status.
• Tonight's game was played at the Ultimate Soccer Arena in Pontiac, Mich., home of the Mid Michigan Bucks of the Premier Development League. U-M associate head coach Paul Snape played for the Bucks for seven years before joining the U-M coaching staff.
• The game also pitted U-M associate head coach Paul Snape against his alma mater. Snape was a four-year letterwinner and two-year captain for the Grizzlies. He was a three-time Mid-Continent Conference first-team selection and all-region performer from 1999-2000.
• With tonight's tie, the U-M men's soccer program still needs two more victories to post the 100th win in program history. U-M has an all-time record of 98-74-18.
• The announced crowd of 2,117 was the largest men's soccer crowd in Summit League history.
• Tonight's overtime game marked the first overtime contest for the Wolverines this season. U-M has a 12-8-18 record in overtime games and was 1-0-2 in overtime games last season.
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Steve Burns
On how a team can dominate a game in all statistical categories but not win ... "Soccer has a formula that can be magical and maddening. It was maddening for us today as we played at our best and created more than enough moments to win but didn't."
On players who played well in tonight's game ... "Our midfield really got the ball moving for us and helped open up Oakland. Adam Shaw was at the top of his game on both sides of the ball. Mauro [Fuzetti] and Justin [Meram] continue to be dangerous up front together, and they are getting better bringing their teammates into the play. Once the game settled in, Alex Wood was excellent up front holding the ball up for the team and finding his moments to turn and face up."
On the crowd at Ultimate Soccer in Pontiac ... "The record crowd of over 2,100 was brilliant. The venue is magnificent, and there was an electric atmosphere that supercharged both teams. College soccer in the state of Michigan was the winner today."
Contact: Jessica Poole (734) 763-4423
