Michigan
18-3-1
Notre Dame
13-8-1
Among the Elite: Wolverines Blank Irish in NCAA Third Round
11/24/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Stadium)
Event: NCAA Tournament (Third Round)
Score: #11 Michigan 1, #23 Notre Dame 0
Records: U-M (18-3-1), Notre Dame (13-8-1)
Attendance: 444
Next U-M Event: Friday, Nov. 29 -- at Virginia - NCAA Quartefinals (Charlottesville, Va.), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 11-ranked University of Michigan women's soccer team is headed back to the Elite Eight for the second time in the 20-year history of the program, as senior Meghan Toohey (Philadelphia, Pa./Phil-Mont Christian) converted a second-half penalty kick to send the Wolverines to a 1-0 victory over No. 23 Notre Dame in the third round on Sunday (Nov. 24) at U-M Soccer Stadium.
Freshman goalkeeper Taylor Bucklin (Greenwich, Conn./Brookfield) made four saves in net to guide the defense to its third consecutive shutout (all in the NCAA Tournament) while also setting the program record for most shutouts in a single season (12). The win is Michigan's 18th of the season, tying a program record for most wins in a season.
Each squad had two shots on goal during the opening frame, though U-M led in shots, 9-7. Notre Dame had the first quality chance, when Mandy Laddish hit the crossbar in the 15th minute. On the other side, Michigan had two chances back to back; the first shot by senior Nkem Ezurike (Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia/Sackville) was blocked. The rebound caromed to senior Meghan Toohey (Philadelphia, Pa./Phil-Mont Christian), but her follow-up shot was saved by Notre Dame goalkeeper Kaela Little, who made a nice recovery to make the stop. Five minutes later, Ezurike got in behind the defense again, but her shot was saved by Little again.
The Wolverines outshot the Fighting Irish by a 13-3 margin in the second half. In the 54th minute, Ezurike got in behind the defense, but her shot caromed off the crossbar. A minute later, a foul was called on Notre Dame leading to a Michigan free kick about 35 yards out. Sophomore Christina Murillo (Ojai, Calif./Nordhoff) sent the service into the box, but the ball bounced off the ground and hit a Notre Dame player in the hand inside the box, leading to Toohey's penalty kick.
Michigan kept pressing and nearly added another goal after freshman Madisson Lewis (Canton, Mich./Plymouth) was fouled inside the box by a Notre Dame defender. Ezurike stepped up to take the team's second penalty kick, but her shot was pushed wide left. A red card was issued 30 seconds later to defender Sammy Scofield, who impeded Ezurike on a breakaway towards the net. With Notre Dame down to 10 players, Michigan continued to attack, and Ezurike got in behind the defense in the 74th and 76th minute, but both attempts were turned away. Looking for an insurance goal, Ezurike had one final chance on a breakaway in the 89th minute, but her attempt was once again saved.
The Michigan defense limited Notre Dame to just four shots on goal the whole match (two in each half).
The Wolverines advance to the quarterfinals where they will take on No. 1 Virginia at 7 p.m. Friday (Nov. 29) in Charlottesville, Va.
GAME SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | F |
| Notre Dame | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- U-M, Meghan Toohey, 54:50 (penalty kick)
Shots: U-M 22, ND 10
Shots on Goal: U-M 8, ND 4
Saves: U-M 4, ND 7
Corner Kicks: U-M 5, ND 3
Cards: ND, Katie Naughton, 56:09 (yellow); ND, Sammy Scofield, 66:36 (red); U-M, Tori McCombs, 76:13 (yellow)
NOTES
• Michigan is making its second all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. It previously made the Elite Eight in 2002, the program's highest finish in the NCAA Tournament.
• The win over Notre Dame is also the team's 18th of the season, which ties a program record for most wins in a single season. Michigan also won 18 matches in 1997.
• U-M improves to 14-9-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including a 10-0 mark in such matches played in Ann Arbor.
• Michigan is now 3-12-1 all-time against Notre Dame. Sunday's victory is the first in the series for the Wolverines since Nov. 16, 2003, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in South Bend, Ind. It is also Michigan's first win over Notre Dame in Ann Arbor.
• Two of Michigan's three wins over Notre Dame have come in the NCAA Tournament.
• It was the two teams' first meeting since Aug. 22, 2008, which was Greg Ryan's first match as Michigan head coach.
• Michigan improves to 22-2-2 at U-M Soccer Stadium since the start of the 2012 season and 32-8-6 since 2010. Additionally, the victory extends the Wolverines' home unbeaten streak vs. non-conference opponents to 20 (19-0-1), a streak that dates back to Aug. 2011.
• U-M is now 5-0-1 against ranked opponents this season.
• The Wolverines are 7-3 in matches decided by one goal and 16-0 when scoring the match's first goal. U-M had not won a 1-0 match since Oct. 18 vs. Indiana.
• It is Michigan's 12th win at U-M Soccer Stadium this season, tying a program record for most home wins in a single season (2002).
• Taylor Bucklin recorded her 12th shutout of the season in goal, setting the program record for most shutouts in a season. She surpassed former goalkeepers Haley Kopmeyer (2012) and Suzie Grech (2001) with the clean sheet.
• Meghan Toohey has recorded two goals and one assist through three matches in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
• Though she was held scoreless on Sunday, Nkem Ezurike recorded nine shots (five shots on goal), giving her 102 shots for the season, a new program record.
• Greg Ryan has guided a team to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in his career and for the first time since 1993 with Wisconsin. As head coach, he took the Badgers to the College Cup in 1988 and 1991 (runner-up), also making the Elite Eight in 1990.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Greg Ryan
Opening statement ... "This is the best day I've had since I came to Michigan six years ago. I'm the luckiest guy in the world to coach this group of players, especially this senior class. I thought they played brilliantly today. We created enough chances to get several more goals, but we were happy to get the one. Meghan [Toohey] put away the penalty. It was a fabulous game from the whole team."
On Notre Dame goalkeeper Kaela Little and Nkem Ezurike's missed opportunities ... "I thought [Little] played great. She cut the angles really well. Nkem was in behind a few times and she was able to get a hand to it and deflect it wide. Not only was she getting to it, but she was putting it out of the scoring area. She's a very, very good goalkeeper. Nkem was just a little unlucky today. She hit the post. Normally that's in the net. I talked to her a little bit ago and told her that if she kept getting chances, keep firing because they're going to fall."
On the team's building confidence ... "They're playing so well and that's where they're gaining confidence. My first year, we played Notre Dame and lost 7-0 and they were being generous. At breakfast today, they said they were going to beat this team. This team exudes confidence right now. It's something we haven't ever had. You have to play at this level to believe in yourself. Once you see you're this good, the confidence comes."
On if reaching the quarterfinals was a team goal before the season ... "They wanted to set realistic goals. I'm not saying the quarterfinals was unrealistic, but they wanted to make it to the NCAA Tournament, take it one game at a time and go as far as we can. It wasn't a specific goal to get here, but it's an ongoing goal and one that we welcome."
On the gameplan at halftime ... "I felt strongly that we were going to have a good second half. We were getting good chances in the penalty area and they weren't getting too much. I think our subs really picked us up. Corinne Harris, when she came in, I thought did extremely well. Cassie Collins, Nicky Waldeck... I felt that we were going to be a little fresher. I thought we were a little quicker and put them under pressure more. We kept them on their heels most of the day."
U-M Senior Meghan Toohey
On advancing to the Elite Eight ... "Oh man, it feels great. Our team made goals before the season and we had confidence going into it. What matters is how you play in the game. Last year, we lost in PKs in the Sweet 16. Sometimes you get unlucky and that's what happened last year. We know how hard it is to win. This feels unbelievable."
On the playing conditions ... "The field was really hard. It felt like you were playing on top of it. Cleats really didn't sink in too much. We talked about it before. Both teams have to play on it. It's about having a positive attitude going in and controlling the things you can control. I think that we went in knowing the best thing you can do is give 100 percent effort, suck it up and go after it. I think we did that."
On the team's effort ... "It was a team win. Every time there was a first, second or third ball, we were all on it. It has to be a whole team collective to want to win the game. I think you can see in the play and determination of play that we wanted it more than they did."
U-M Senior Shelina Zadorsky
On advancing to the Elite Eight ... "It feels pretty surreal right now. Knowing this could have been our last game as seniors on this field -- depending on the result of the Virginia/Wake Forest game -- I couldn't have asked more for every single player on or off the field. This team is a family and I think we showed that today."
On how the team rebounded following the Big Ten Tournament loss to Iowa ... "I think even before that loss, we've just been committed. Every single player has been committed. We've set goals and we've stuck to them. Our motto has been one game at a time. After we lost that game, we picked our heads back up and took it one game at a time."
On Notre Dame's attack in the first half ... "I think the beginning was a little hectic. Granted, they are a great team. They had some chances in the beginning, but I'm glad how we stuck together, because the beginning of the game can be like that. Our communication together in the back was good and Taylor was making some great saves off crosses. That was important for us. Our attackers did the work and in the second half, I think we had the better chances."
Team Stats
TOOHEY, Meghan (5)
MICH TOOHEY, Meghan PENALTY KICK GOAL, goal number 5 for season.
54:50
