Michigan Takes Victory Over Boston University in Season Opener

Thursday, August 16

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:30 PM

Michigan

1-0-0

Boston University

0-1-0

Boston University

Michigan

Abby Kastroll (center)

Michigan Takes Victory Over Boston University in Season Opener

8/16/2018 10:53:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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By: Megan McIntosh

» Michigan defeated Boston 3-1 with the game-winning goal coming from senior Abby Kastroll.
» The Wolverines are 12-7-6 on opening day and 8-2-3 when they open the season at home.
» Head coach Jennifer Klein earned her first win at the helm of the Michigan program.
» Three freshmen (Janiece Joyner, Meredith Haakenson and Sammi Atterbury) saw their first action donning the Maize and Blue.
» Goalkeeper Izzy Nino earned her first career start in net and made two saves for Michigan.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Stadium)
Score: Michigan 3, Boston University 1
Records: U-M (1-0-0), BU (0-1-0)
Attendance: 436
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Aug. 19 -- vs. Western Michigan (U-M Soccer Stadium), 2 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team kicked off the 2018-19 regular season with a 3-1 victory over Boston University on Thursday night (Aug. 16) at U-M Soccer Stadium. The win was the first for first-year Michigan head coach Jennifer Klein.

With the win, the Wolverines are 12-7-6 in season openers and 8-2-3 when they open the season at U-M Soccer Stadium.

"It feel fantastic," said head coach Jennifer Klein. "It's been a long time coming since getting hired and to finally get that first game under our belt and for it to be a win is even better."

Senior Abby Kastroll paced the Wolverines with the game-winning goal and tallied an assist on the first U-M goal of the evening when Nicki Hernandez scored off a rebound from a Kastroll shot. Sophomore Izzy Nino saw her first minutes in net, making two saves in her Michigan debut.

Three freshmen also made their debuts in the Maize and Blue as Janiece Joyner earned a start on the backline and both Meredith Haakenson and Sammi Atterbury came in as subs for the Wolverines.

Boston's goal came from Anna Heilferty in the 86th minute, while Chelsea Churchill put two shots on net for the Terriers. Amanda Fay took the loss in net for BU, making four saves on the night.

Nino came up with a huge save for the Wolverines in the 16th minute when she got her hand on a ball sailing toward the upper right corner of the goal to keep the match scoreless.

Michigan got on the scoreboard for the first time in the 2018 season when Kastroll fired a shot from the left side of the net and Hernandez cleaned up the rebound as she slid in two yards in front of the goal to give the Wolverines a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute.

After a scrum on the baseline, Michigan earned a corner kick that saw Reilly Martin feed the ball to Alia Martin on the far left side of the net before she tipped the ball to Kastroll. The senior found the ball with the backside of her foot from eight yards out and increased Michigan's lead to 2-0 in the 30th minute.

The Wolverines maintained the 2-0 lead, outshooting the Terriers 11-4 after 45 minutes of play.

The Terriers looked to get on the scoreboard in the 73rd minute when a shot off the gloves of Nino left a wide-open net, but the second shot sailed wide as Michigan maintained its advantage over Boston.

Michigan put one final tally on the board when Alia Martin took a shot that deflected off the back of a Boston player and into the upper-left corner of the net to push the Wolverines' lead to a 3-0 in the 83rd minute.

Boston spoiled the shutout in the 87th minute when Heilferty worked her way past the defense and beat Nino to her right side from 18 yards out to make it 3-1 with just under five minutes to play.

U-M held off the Boston the rest of the way and went on to its first victory of the 2018 campaign.

The Wolverines will be back in action Sunday (Aug. 19) when Western Michigan travels to U-M Soccer Stadium for a 2 p.m. contest.