Michigan
8-4-4, 3-2-2
Michigan State
8-7-2, 2-3-2
U-M Treats Itself to Big Bear Trophy Win for Second Straight Season
10/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
» James Murphy scored his second goal of 2015 and first since Sept. 6 for the lone goal of the match in the 24th minute.
» Evan Louro made two saves in goal for his seventh shutout of the season.
» U-M retains the Big Bear Trophy for the first time in school history after winning the prize last season in East Lansing.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Stadium)
Score: Michigan 1, Michigan State 0
Records: U-M (8-4-4, 3-2-2 B1G), MSU (8-7-2, 2-3-2 B1G)
Attendance: 1,705
Next U-M Match: Wednesday, Nov. 4 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan's men's soccer team outlasted the Michigan State Spartans, 1-0, in the Battle for Big Bear on Saturday (Oct. 31) in front of a season-high 1,704 fans at U-M Soccer Stadium. Senior captain James Murphy scored the game's lone goal to give Michigan its second consecutive win over the Spartans.
The Wolverines started the match looking confident in possession and were rewarded with the game's first chances. In the seventh minute, senior winger William Mellors-Blair carved his way into the Michigan State box with a dangerous run, but his path to goal was blocked before he could get off a shot.
Michigan kept up the pressure, winning a succession of three corners in a span of five minutes. The Spartan back line held strong but could not get the ball out of their end, and the Wolverines' pressure finally paid off. In the 24th minute, junior defender Rylee Woods hit a one-touch cross into the Michigan State box, and Murphy climbed high over an opposing defender to head the ball into the back of the net, giving Michigan a 1-0 lead.
The Wolverines kept up the strong pressure and nearly doubled their lead seven minutes later. Mellors-Blair broke into the box again and saw his shot turned away by the keeper. A trio of Michigan attackers attempted to slam the ball home, but all three rebounds were cleared off the line.
Neither side saw a goal-scoring opportunity for the rest of the half, and the Wolverines entered the break without allowing a single shot, holding on to the 1-0 lead.
The Spartans picked up the pressure in the second half, winning six corners, but they could not find an equalizer. They finished the match with seven shots and forced two saves from sophomore goalkeeper Evan Louro, but the Michigan back line proved too tough to crack.
The Wolverines had multiple chances to extend their lead in the second half, with the best coming in the 68th minute. Mellors-Blair picked up a loose ball in the attacking third and found himself all alone with only the goalkeeper to beat, but Michigan State's Zach Bennett stood tall and made a huge save to deny the goal-scoring opportunity.
The Spartans had one last opportunity in the 81st minute. Ken Krolicki fired a hard shot toward goal, but Louro caught it comfortably.
U-M wraps up the 2015 regular season slate with a trip to Columbus, Ohio, to take on Ohio State on Wednesday (Nov. 4) at 7 p.m. from Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Postgame Notes
• U-M improves to 25-14-5 all-time at home under Chaka Daley.
• The crowd of 1,704 is a season high.
• U-M has conceded only one goal in the last five matches, outscoring teams 5-1.
• Rylee Woods' six assists are the most by a Wolverine in a season since 2012.
Team Stats
Murphy, James
Assisted By: Woods, Rylee , McAtee, Colin
header off long cross from left side
23:09
