Michigan
Central Michigan
Captains, First-Time Scorers Spark Wolverines to a Victory Over CMU
9/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Complex)
Score: Michigan 4, Central Michigan 3
Records: U-M (2-3), CMU (2-2)
Attendance: 585
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Sept. 6 -- vs. Eastern Michigan (U-M Soccer Complex), 2 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Freshman Eunnie Kim (Hubley, Nova Scotia/Sir John A MacDonald) and sophomore Courtney Mercier (Erie, Pa./McDowell) each scored the first goal of her career to carry the University of Michigan women's soccer team to a 4-3 victory over Central Michigan on Thursday evening (Sept. 3) at the U-M Soccer Complex.
Courtney Mercier
Junior Jackie Carron (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester), who led the Wolverines with a goal and an assist, and senior Amy Klippert (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor) each answered CMU tallies in the first half. Kim and Mercier then scored back-to-back markers in a second half that started 2-2, putting the Wolverines up for good. Sophomore/freshman Haley Kopmeyer (Troy, Mich./Lahser) made six saves -- including a diving stop in each half -- to hold off the Chippewas for the one-goal win and earn her first career victory.
After falling behind in the first two minutes of the game, the Wolverines tied the contest at 1-1 in the 13th minute when Carron sniped a shot on a return pass off a corner kick. The tie score lasted just 37 secondsas the Chippewas reclaimed the lead. Klippert then leveled the score in the 33rd minute, hustling into a skirmish at the top of the box, jarring the ball free and depositing a shot into the yawning cage.
Tied at 2-2 early in the second half, Kim put the Wolverines up for good off another set play as Carron slammed a free kick off a trio of defenders that went right to Kim's feet, where the rookie forward sent a low shot into the goal. Mercier gave the Wolverines a pad in the 66th minute, one the Wolverines utilized in the 81st minute when CMU scored its third and final marker of the game, and U-M held on for the final nine minutes for the victory.
Michigan welcomes another intrastate rival, Eastern Michigan, to the U-M Soccer Complex on Sunday (Sept. 6) for a 2 p.m. matinee.
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | F |
| Central Michigan | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Michigan | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st -- CMU, U-M Own Goal, 1:28
1st -- U-M, Jackie Carron, 12:04 (Sarah Stanczyk)
1st -- CMU, Laura Twidle, 12:41 (unassisted)
1st -- U-M, Amy Klippert, 32:30 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Eunnie Kim, 54:49 (Jackie Carron)
2nd -- U-M, Courtney Mercier, 65:50 (unassisted)
2nd -- CMU, Valerie Prause, 80:11 (unassisted)
Shots: U-M 11, CMU 16
Shots on Goal: U-M 8, CMU 9
Saves: U-M 6 (Haley Kopmeyer), CMU 0 (Shay Mannino 0, Stefanie Turner 0)
Corner Kicks: U-M 2, CMU 3
Fouls: U-M 16, CMU 11
Cards: U-M, Amy Klippert, 0:08 (Yellow)
NOTES
• The Wolverines improve to 2-0 against Central Michigan.
• Michigan started five rookies for today's game, the most so far this season.
• Sophomore/freshman Haley Kopmeyer made her first start in goal at home. Tonight's game also marked her third collegiate start.
• Kopmeyer earned her first career victory, improving to 1-2 in her career.
• Each of senior Amy Klippert's three career goals has come against a team from the state of Michigan. She scored twice against Eastern Michigan last season to go with her tally tonight.
• Junior Sarah Stanczyk registered her first collegiate point, an assist, in the first half.
• Freshman Eunnie Kim scored her first career goal in the second half.
• Junior Jackie Carron set a career high with three points, scoring once and assisting on another.
• Sophomore Courtney Mercier scored her first career goal in the second half.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Greg Ryan
On the importance of set plays played in the win ... "We have worked on those set plays non-stop since preseason and the biggest difference today was having Amanda Bowery up front instead of at the back. When we have her in the back and she has to come up, when they get the ball she has to run all the way back again. We don't want to make her do that all day or she is going to be dead. She didn't get a goal tonight, but she is the kind of player that teams can't deal with. They can't deal with the ball to her, so the next ball comes to someone else. We got a lot of second-chance goals today and I think Amanda's presence on free kicks is tremendous. The other thing is Jackie (Carron's) serves -- they were just on the money. Then it is organizing the runs, not only on the first ball but the second ball. The finishing was fabulous tonight."
On the goals ... "Courtney Mercier's shot was a bomb. Eunnie (Kim's) goal was very calm and composed with the finish on a ball that dropped down to her. Then Jackie (Carron's) was just the sweetest goal ever into the back corner."
On winning with five rookie starters ... "It is just great. It just shows that if we play as a team, we can do well. We can bring on the young players who are learning as quickly as they can and now they walk away with the confidence that they can step on the field on Sunday and do it again. We have a make-shift lineup, it is not the one I planned on this year, but they are making it work and I think that will give the team tremendous confidence."
U-M Junior Defender Jackie Carron
On her goal ... "I was planning on doing our short corner. I passed it to Sarah Stanczyk and when I got it back I was looking for (Amanda) Bowery on the far post, but I saw the goalie was off her line so I sent a shot over her."
On how much the team needed this victory ... "It is really big. Last weekend was so hard on us and we really needed the win to boost our spirits. I think we will do well on Sunday and come out hard."
U-M Sophomore Midfielder Courtney Mercier
On her goal ... "It was cluttered in the box. When the ball was being cleared out, the defender received it facing her own goal and that is the best time to pressure a player. I anticipated a bad touch and sure enough she took a touch away from her. We had so many players on the frame of the net, so I knew if I could just put the ball on frame that we would hopefully get a rebound or another chance. I guess I got lucky and hit the side netting for a goal. We had players in position to get there if the ball would have been kicked back out."
On her reaction to the goal ... "I kind of surprised myself. I really did not expect to score, I just wanted to put it on frame get the ball back in the (18-yard box). I think I shocked myself more than anything. I turned around and Eunnie (Kim) said it was the funniest face she had ever seen after somebody scored."
