Zadorsky Helps Lead Canada to Olympic Bronze
8/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer, Olympics
• Michigan Olympic Updates: Women's Soccer | U-M Olympics Coverage
SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Former University of Michigan women's soccer player Shelina Zadorsky (2010-13) helped the Canadian Women's National Team secure bronze today (Friday, Aug. 19) with a 2-1 win over host country Brazil in the Olympic bronze-medal match at Corinthians Arena.
Heading into her first Olympic Games, Zadorsky told MGoBlue.com that her goal was to get Canada back on the podium for the second straight Olympics (Canada took bronze in the 2012 London Games). With a 2-1 win over Brazil, her Olympic dream came true, as Canada capped its exciting run in the Rio Olympics on the podium. Canada, finished with a 5-1 mark in Olympic play after going a perfect 3-0 in Group F play and winning its quarterfinal and bronze-medal matches. Canada's only loss came against Germany in the semifinals (2-0).
Zadorsky started and played all 90-plus minutes at center back for Canada for the fourth straight game. Canada got on the board first in the 25th minute on the counter attacker. Ashley Lawrence got the ball out of the back from Zadorsky and carried it the length of the field on the left wing into the box and played a low driven ball across the face of the goal where Deanne Rose popped it in from the top of the six-yard box.
Rose helped Canada increase its lead to 2-0 in the 52nd minute as she played a low ball from the touch line back to captain Christine Sinclair, who tucked it in the right corner from five yards out. Brazil made it a close game, scoring in the 79th minute, but could not manage the tying goal.
Overall, Zadorsky saw time in five games in her Olympic debut in Rio after leaving the opening game with a red card in the 19th minute and missing the second match of group play as a result. Zadorsky is the first Michigan women's soccer player to compete in the Olympic Games. She first made her debut with the senior team in 2013 but has solidified her role as a full-time member of Canada's roster over the past year.
A four-year letterwinner and 2013 team captain, Zadorsky helped Michigan to a 53-22-10 overall record, as well as three trips to the NCAA Tournament, including the 2012 Sweet 16 and 2013 Elite Eight. Individually, she was a two-time All-Great Lakes Region and All-Big Ten defender for the Wolverines.
