Wolverines Drop Regular-Season Finale at Ohio State

Wednesday, November 4

Columbus, Ohio

7:00 PM

Michigan

Ohio State

James Murphy

11/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Scott Kemps

» The initial OSU goal ended a streak of nearly 270 minutes without conceding a goal.
» U-M trailed 3-0 in the 85th minute of the match before James Murphy scored to cut the lead to 3-1.
» The 3,448 fans were the second most in the history of Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium and witnessed the Buckeyes capture the Big Ten regular-season crown with the win.

Site: Columbus, Ohio (Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium)
Score: #18 Ohio State 3, Michigan 1
Records: U-M (8-5-4, 3-3-2 B1G), OSU (11-5-2, 5-2-1 B1G)
Attendance: 3,448
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Nov. 8 -- at Maryland (College Park, Md.), 1 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The University of Michigan men's soccer team fell behind early and was unable to string together a comeback, falling, 3-1, to the No. 18-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday (Nov. 4) at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Senior James Murphy had the Wolverine goal in the 85th minute, on an assist from freshman Peter Brown.

The Wolverines had the first chance of the match, as freshman Ivo Cerda fed senior William Mellors-Blair at the right top side of the box. The winger then took a touch and fired across the mouth of goal wide left to open up the action.

The Buckeyes got on the board first in the 25th minute, as a low cross was sent inside the area from the right flank. The service deflected off a Michigan defender, right to OSU's Kyle Culbertson, who finished from 12 yards out left side for the early advantage. The score ended a streak of nearly 270 minutes since U-M conceded a goal, dating back to the Indiana match on Oct. 24.

OSU added to the lead eight minutes later off a corner, as the service was punched by goalkeeper Evan Louro. The parry unluckily bounced off the back of an opportunistic Zach Mason, who finished laying on his back inside the six lower right.

Coming out of the half trailing 2-0, the Wolverines earned a free kick in the 49th minute. Junior Rylee Woods took the attempt from 30 yards out left side, but the lefty bender went just wide of the left post.

The Buckeyes put the match out of reach in the 55th, as Culbertson netted his second of the match as a result of a link-up play between Yaw Amankwa and Danny Jensen, and Culbertson finished lower left for the 3-0 lead.

Freshman Francis Atuahene had a pair of chances in the 58th and 60th minutes. In the 68-70th minute range, sophomore Michael Kapitula had two shots that were unable to come to fruition.

U-M finally got on the board late in the 85th minute, as Brown sent in a pristine right footed cross inside the box to Murphy with space. The Englishman took a touch with his left foot and then volleyed a rocket near side that brought the tally to the final resting place of 3-1. The assist is the first point of Brown's career.

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