Wolverines Cap Perfect Opening Weekend with Shutout of ISU

Sunday, August 20

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

2-0-0

Idaho State

1-1-0

Idaho State

Michigan

Wolverines Cap Perfect Opening Weekend with Shutout of ISU

8/20/2017 5:38:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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By: Whitney Vojtkofsky

» Michigan outshot Idaho State 22-4, allowing just one shot on goal, which freshman goalkeeper Hillary Beall saved in her first career start.
» Taylor Timko scored Michigan's first two goals and assisted on the third to finish the weekend with seven points (3g, 1a).
» Center back Brooke Cilley took all of U-M's set pieces today, which led to three of its goals, and she became the fourth player in program history to tally three assists in a single game.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Stadium)
Score: Michigan 4, Idaho State 0
Records: U-M (2-0-0), ISU (1-1-0)
Attendance: 456
Next U-M Event: Friday, Aug. 25 -- at Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss.), 7 p.m. CDT

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Behind senior/junior Taylor Timko's two goals and one assist, the University of Michigan women's soccer team (2-0-0) earned a 4-0 victory against Idaho State (1-1-0) to wrap up its 2017 opening weekend with two shutout wins on Sunday (Aug. 20) at U-M Soccer Stadium.

Timko notched Michigan's first two goals and assisted on the third to finish the weekend with seven points (3g, 1a). Sophomore Brooke Cilley, who took the majority of U-M's set pieces today, produced three of its goals to finish with three assists, including both of the assists on Timko's scores. Cilley became the fourth player in program history to tally three assists in a game and the first since Christina Murillo on Aug. 26, 2011, against Duquesne.

The Maize and Blue defense allowed just four shots, including just one on goal. Freshman goalkeeper Hillary Beall, who earned her first career start, was not forced to make a save until the final seconds of the game when Idaho State put its first shot on goal.

Michigan dominated the shot count by a 22-4 margin, including 12-1 in the first half, and earned 11 corner kicks, while not giving up a single corner on the other end.

U-M's core of six defenders and defensive midfielders have a combined five years of starting experience between them and have had just two official games together playing as a unit this season. Despite their youth, that group has found a positive chemistry early on that has led to back-to-back shutouts.

"Greg (Ryan) has prepared us a ton over the course of this preseason, and Jada and I have a little bit of experience playing together from last spring, but I think there's a little bit of natural chemistry back there," said Cilley. "We are just working every day to get better and improve our team shape. We have a great group of players, a lot of talent, and we're going to keep getting better game after game."

For the second straight game, the Wolverines scored in the first eight minutes of the match. Six minutes into today's game, U-M was awarded a corner and Cilley stepped to the corner flag and served a ball to the back post, where Timko was there to volley it in from close range.

In the 22nd minute, Cilley took a free kick for Michigan from 35 yards out on the left side of the field. Cilley's serve was bobbled by ISU goalkeeper Shawna Hennings and Timko was there to knock it away and hit the open net to give U-M a 2-0 lead.

Cilley and Timko have connected three times through two games, as Cilley earned the assist on Timko's game against Washington (Aug. 18).

"I personally love having Taylor (Timko) back there and she has made such a strong comeback from an ACL, which in itself is amazing," Cilley added about her teammate. "Taylor has such good ball skills, vision and speed, and she's really just confident. I know every time I have the ball and look towards her I feel comfortable playing it to her and I know she's always going to do something special when she gets it."

The Wolverines held a 2-0 advantage at the halftime break and took little time to get back into the groove in the second half. In the 57th minute, junior Abby Kastroll found freshman Alia Martin on a throw-in on the right side. Martin served a long ball from 25 yards out and Timko got a touch on it before freshman Sarah Stratigakis knocked it in near the goal line.

Ten minutes later, U-M drew one of its 11 corners, and Cilley served a lofty ball toward the back post and sophomore Jada Dayne headed it down to a defender's feet and stayed with it, punching it in just outside the six-yard box to give the Wolverines a 4-0 lead. It marked Dayne's second goal of her career, as she notched her first goal in Michigan's 2016 NCAA Tournament game versus Illinois State.

Freshmen Emma Cooper and Beall earned their first career starts in today's match, while fellow newcomer Hailey Neumann also made her career debut in today's match.

Next up, Michigan will hit the road for the first time in 2017, traveling to Oxford, Mississippi, to take on Ole Miss on Friday, Aug. 25, at 7 p.m. CDT. The Wolverines defeated Ole Miss 2-0 in Ann Arbor a year ago with Ani Sarkisian and Reilly Martin tallying goals for U-M.

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