Michigan
9-8-1, 5-5-1,B1G
Michigan State
5-9-3, 0-8-2B1G
U-M Shuts Out MSU, Earns B1G Tourney Berth in Must-Win Rivalry Match
10/21/2018 6:01:00 PM | Women's Soccer
» Michigan earned a spot in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament with its 2-0 victory over Michigan State.
» The Wolverines notched their fifth shutout of the season and fourth multi-goal victory.
» Nicki Hernandez scored her fourth game-winner and now has 22 points on the season.
» Emma Cooper recorded her first collegiate goal with the security goal.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Stadium)
Score: Michigan 2, Michigan State 0
Records: U-M (8-8-1, 4-5-1 B1G), MSU (5-8-3, 0-7-2 B1G)
Attendance: 1,774
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Oct. 28 -- Big Ten Quarterfinal (Opponent and Site TBD)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In a must-win game to earn a spot in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament, the University of Michigan women's soccer team captured a 2-0 victory over rival and in-state foe Michigan State Sunday (Oct. 21) at U-M Soccer Stadium.
With the win, the Wolverines will be either the No. 7 or No. 8 seed in the tournament but will not know which -- or the site of their opening match -- until the conclusion of Wednesday's (Oct. 24) Michigan State-Nebraska contest.
The Wolverines notched their fifth shutout of the season and fourth multi-goal victory. The Michigan offense tallied 22 shots compared to MSU's eight, while Michigan tested Spartan goalkeeper Reilley Ott eight times, while Wolverine sophomore Hillary Beall had to make just one save in the victory.
Sophomores Nicki Hernandez and Sarah Stratigakis combined for the game-winning goal when Stratigakis played a ball to Hernandez, who took a one-timer into the back of the net in the first half. Sophomore Emma Cooper added the security goal in the second half, recording her first collegiate tally with assists from Katie Foug and Statigakis.
Gia Wahlberg led the Spartans with three shots, one of which touched goal, while Sadie Misiewicz and Samantha Sklarski had one shot each.
The Wolverines started their offensive push off the opening kick, taking the ball up the field toward the Michigan State defense. Stratigakis worked her way around a defender from 12 yards out and placed a perfect pass to Hernandez, who took the one-time shot into the bottom-right corner of the net to quickly give Michigan a 1-0 lead two minutes into the match.
Michigan maintained the one-goal advantage to close out the first half, outshooting MSU, 8-5, in the opening 45 minutes.
U-M saw an open opportunity off a corner in the 67th minute when Foug had an open shot from eight yards out, but Ott was there to corral the ball on the dive to deny the goal attempt.
The Wolverines continued to find scoring plays in the second half when Foug found another open shot and Reilly Martin placed a ball to Stratigakis inside the box, but both chances were picked up by Ott to keep the match within one with under 20 minutes to play.
The attempts paid off for the Wolverines when Cooper found herself in front of the net with the ball after a corner kick that Stratigakis worked to Foug, who got the one touch pass off to Cooper. She finished the shot from eight yards out to extend the U-M lead to 2-0.
Michigan did not give up another shot to the Spartans in the final minutes of play to earn the two-goal victory.
Team Stats
Hernandez, Nicki (8)
Assisted By: Stratigakis, Sarah
pass from 12-yards out, one-timer into
0:41
Cooper, Emma (1)
Assisted By: Foug, Katie , Stratigakis, Sarah
wide open from 8 yards out into bottom o
72:53
