Michigan
Santa Clara
First Touch #3: U-M to Play Two Matches at Notre Dame Invitational
8/29/2017 4:27:00 PM | Women's Soccer
» Michigan will compete in the Notre Dame Invitational, facing Santa Clara on Friday (Sept. 1) at 4 p.m. and No. 11 South Carolina on Sunday (Sept. 3) at 2:30 p.m.
» Santa Clara and South Carolina both advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2016.
» Michigan is tied for first in the Big Ten in total assists with 12, led by Brooke Cilley's five assists.
» With U-M's win over Toledo, head coach Greg Ryan recorded his 100th career win at Michigan.
THIS WEEK
Notre Dame Invitational (South Bend, Ind.)
Tournament Central
Friday, Sept. 1 -- vs. Santa Clara, 4 p.m.
Live Stats
Sunday, Sept. 3 -- vs. No. 11Â South Carolina, 2:30 p.m.
Live Stats
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The unbeaten and 23rd-ranked University of Michigan women's soccer team (3-0-1) will travel to South Bend, Indiana, this weekend to compete in the Notre Dame Invitational. The Wolverines are set to face Santa Clara (2-2-0) on Friday (Sept. 1) at 4 p.m. and No. 11Â South Carolina (3-1-0) on Sunday (Sept. 3) at 2:30 p.m. Both matches will take place at UND's Alumni Stadium.
WOLVERINE BITES
• The Notre Dame Invitational is a four-match event. In addition to Michigan's two games, Notre Dame will face South Carolina on Friday (Sept. 1) at 7 p.m. and Santa Clara on Sunday (Sept 3) at noon.
• Michigan remained at No. 23 in the United Soccer Coaches (formerly the NSCAA) Division I rankings for the second straight week.
• U-M head coach Greg Ryan, who is in his 10th season at the helm of the program, recorded his 100th career win at Michigan when the Wolverines defeated Toledo, 1-0, on Sunday (Aug. 27). He now has a 100-58-31 (.611) record at U-M and a 285-139-49 (.654) mark in his 25 seasons as a Division I head coach. Following losing seasons in his first two years in Ann Arbor, Ryan has led Michigan to seven straight winning seasons, including five consecutive 10-plus win seasons. Under his direction, the Wolverines have finished fifth or better in the Big Ten in six seasons and have made four NCAA Tournament appearances.
• Michigan remained unbeaten through four games, as it recorded a 1-1 tie at Ole Miss and a 1-0 win against Toledo last weekend. Abby Kastroll scored U-M's lone goal at Ole Miss on assists from Taylor Timko and Brooke Cilley, while Kastroll and Reilly Martin assisted on Ani Sarkisian's game-winning header against Toledo in the 83rd minute.
• Michigan is tied for first in the Big Ten in total assists with 12, led by Cilley's five assists, which rank first in the conference. Timko is tied for third with three goals. Cilley has assisted on five of Michigan's eight goals this season, and Timko has scored or assisted on five goals (3g, 2a). Cilley needs four more assists to break into the all-time top 10 for assists in a single season at Michigan. Sarkisian is currently fifth on that list after recording 12 assists in 2014, and Martin's 10 assists from last season are tied for seventh.
• Michigan's strong goalkeeping unit continues to split time in net and has recorded three shutouts while allowing just one goal this season. Senior Sarah Jackson played all 110 minutes in the double-overtime tie at Ole Miss and matched her season best with seven saves. Senior Megan Hinz (starter) and freshman Hillary Beall each played 45 minutes vs. Toledo, making one and two saves, respectively, in the shutout.
• U-M's core of six defenders and defensive midfielders -- Cilley (5 games started), Jada Dayne (23 GS), Rubina Veerakone (16 GS), Sura Yekka (13 GS), Alia Martin (4 GS) and Timko (44 GS) -- have limited starting experience between them in their careers but have quickly meshed as a unit this season. Despite their youth, that group has allowed just one goal and helped Michigan record three shutouts through four games.
• U-M is one of six unbeaten Big Ten schools after two weekends of competition: Nebraska (4-0-0), Penn State (3-0-0), Rutgers (3-0-0), Maryland (3-0-1), Michigan (3-0-1) and Ohio State (2-0-1).
OPPONENT PREVIEWS
Scouting Santa Clara
Under head coach Jerry Smith, who is in his 30th season at the helm of the program, Santa Clara is 2-2-0 on the season with wins over San Jose State (2-1) and Washington State (2-1) and losses to Pac-12 opponents California (2-1) and No. 7 UCLA (4-2). Santa Clara, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament a year ago, was picked to win the West Coast Conference (WCC) this season. Freshman forward Julie Doyle and sophomore forward Maddy Gonzalez lead the Broncos with two goals each, while Maria Sanchez has a team-best three assists. Junior goalkeeper Melissa Lowder has started three of four games, making 13 saves, and owns a goals against average of 2.33.
Series vs. Santa Clara: Michigan and Santa Clara have gone head to head just once in program history, and the Broncos emerged with a 3-1 victory in Santa Clara, California.
Scouting South Carolina
Under 17th-year head coach Shelley Smith, South Carolina is 3-1-0, with its only loss coming at Wake Forest, 3-2. After making a run to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2016, USC was picked to finish third in the 2017 SEC preseason poll. Savannah McCaskill leads the Gamecocks with three goals and three assists this season, while Elexa Bahr also has three goals. Goalkeeper Mika Krzeczowski has played all but 20 minutes in goal, making six saves, and has a goals against average of 1.06 through four matches.
Series vs. South Carolina: Sunday's match will mark the first meeting between Michigan and South Carolina.
UP NEXT
Sunday, Sept. 10 -- vs. Wake Forest (U-M Soccer Stadium), 2 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 14 -- vs. Purdue (U-M Soccer Stadium), 7:30 p.m.
