Michigan
Boston University
First Touch #1: Michigan Opens Season with Boston University, Western Michigan
8/15/2018 12:03:00 PM | Women's Soccer
» Head coach Jennifer Klein was named the third coach in women's soccer program history on Feb. 28.
» Klein's staff is made up of Tiffany Hansen, Katie Hultin, Bilal Hussein and Holly Hein.
» The Wolverines return 21 letter winners to the 2018 roster, which includes eight starters from the 2017 campaign.
» Michigan signed nine newcomers to make up the No. 4 recruiting class in the national according to TopDrawerSoccer.com.
THIS WEEK
Thursday, Aug. 16 -- vs. Boston University (U-M Soccer Stadium), 7:30 p.m.
Live Stats
Sunday, Aug. 19 -- vs. Western Michigan (U-M Soccer Stadium), 2 p.m.
Live Stats
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
• Complete Game Notes (PDF)
MICHIGAN OPENS 2018 WITH BOSTON UNIVERSITY
The University of Michigan women's soccer team opens up the 2018-19 season on Thursday (Aug. 16) when it welcomes Boston University to U-M Soccer Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. match.
WOLVERINES IN SEASON OPENERS
Since its inaugural 1994 season, the Michigan women's soccer program holds an 11-7-6 all-time record on opening day. In its 24 seasons, Michigan has opened half of them at home, sporting a 7-2-3 overall record when opening its season in the friendly confines of U-M Soccer Stadium. The Wolverines are 13-6-5 in the first home contest of a season and have opened the last nine seasons in Ann Arbor.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST BOSTON UNIVERSITY
The Wolverines and Terriers meet on the pitch for just the second time, with the first meeting coming during the 2004 season. Michigan earned a 3-0 victory at U-M Soccer Field.
SCOUTING THE TERRIERS
Boston comes into 2018 following a 10-8-3 overall record in its 2017 campaign and returns top scorer Anna Heilfery, who had 13 points (five goals, three assists). The Terriers also return their starting goalkeeper, Amanda Fay, who enters her sophomore season between the pipes. Fay appeared in 15 matches (14 starts), tallying eight shutouts. As a freshman, Fay played 1285:09 minutes and saved 40 shots and gave up eight goals for a 0.56 goals-against average.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST WESTERN MICHIGAN
Michigan has met up with its cross-state opponent just seven times all-time, with the Wolverines holding a 6-0-1 advantage over the Broncos. The Wolverines have played six of the seven meetings at U-M Soccer Stadium. Sunday's meeting will be the first since the 2011 campaign when Michigan took a 1-0 victory on Sept. 9.
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
Western Michigan went 10-8-1 in 2017 with a 5-5-1 record in Mid-American Conference action. The Broncos tallied a .384 shots-on-goal percentage, while scoring 19 goals on 289 shot attempts. WMU returns its top offensive producer in Jane Labadie, who had 12 points with a team-high five goals and two assists. Western Michigan will look to new goalkeepers as Stephanie Heber graduated after starting all 19 matches in 2017. This season, the Broncos will look to junior Savannah Rembold and sophomore Maggie Rogers to make an impact between the pipes.
COACH KLEIN ERA
Jennifer Klein was named the third head coach of the Michigan women's soccer program history on Feb. 28, coming  to Ann Arbor after spending the last four seasons at the University of Southern California -- the last three as USC's associate head coach. Prior to her time at USC, Klein spent two seasons as an assistant at Washington State, where the program twice advanced to the NCAA Tournament and produced the 2014 Pac-12 Player of the Year in Michaela Castain. In 2013, the Cougars tied the program records for victories with 14, as the team and players set or tied 27 school records, including allowing just 11 goals.
KEY RETURNERS
Michigan returns 21 letter winners, including eight starters from the 2017 campaign. Redshirt-senior Taylor Timko highlights the returners after earning second team All-Big Ten honors, starting all 18 matches with 10 points (four goals, two assists). Also returning to the offensive strike are senior Reilly Martin, who led the Wolverine offense in 2017 with six goals and five assists and sophomore Sarah Stratigakis, who was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after netting five goals and tying a team-high five assists.
Defensively, Jada Dayne returns to the backline after starting all 18 matches in the 2017 season while Sura Yekka makes her return from injury for her redshirt-junior season. She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2015 and took the 2016 season to play for the Canadian U-20 Women's National Team. Finally, both Hillary Beall and Izzy Nino are back for their second seasons donning the Maize and Blue between the pipes. Beall will miss the first part of the season as she is playing for the U20 U.S. Women's National Team, but returns to Michigan after starting six matches in her freshman season.
THREE WOLVERINES EARN BIG TEN PRESEASON HONORS
Sophomore Hillary Beall appeared in seven matches (six starts), including three against ranked opponents in her first season. Beall made 31 saves and allowed just six goals in 560 minutes of action for a 0.96 goals-against average. This summer, the Laguna Beach, California, native was named to the U.S. U-20 World Cup Roster. Senior Reilly Martin was named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors List for the third consecutive season. She led Michigan in points the past two seasons with 17 in 2017 and 24 in 2016. Martin finished her junior season with a team-high six goals and five assists, starting in 17 matches. The Carmel, Indiana, native scored two game-winners for the Wolverines in 2017 and was named All-Big Ten third team. Sophomore Sarah Stratigakis was one of three players to start all 18 matches for U-M last season. She ranked second on the team with 11 points (three goals, five assists). She was named Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week after scoring one goal in each of U-M's first two games of the season, then earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors when she tallied two assists and scored the game-tying goal against Minnesota.
PRESEASON RECAP
The Wolverines took on No. 14 Notre Dame and Air Force in preseason play, coming away with a tie and a victory. Michigan earned a 2-2 draw against the Fighting Irish with Nicki Hernandez and Reilly Martin finding the back of the net in the contest. U-M went on to take a dominating 6-1 victory over the Falcons at U-M Soccer Stadium, with Katie Foug tallying two goals and Taylor Timko adding one goal and an assist for the Wolverines.
TICKET INFORMATION
Individual and group tickets on are sale for all 2018 home matched. For group experiences such as high five tunnel, halftime mini games and more, please call (734) 647-1268 or email gobluegroupsales@umich.edu. For more information on purchasing tickets, please visit the women's soccer tickets page.
NEXT TIME OUT
Michigan will be back in action for a pair of home contests. The Wolverines will take on Marquette on Thursday, Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m. before concluding the weekend with a match on Sunday, Aug. 26 against Louisville at 2 p.m.
