Michigan
5-5-7, 2-1-5
Northwestern
10-4-3, 4-3-1
Michigan Blanks Northwestern, Advances to Big Ten Tournament Semifinal
11/3/2023 10:35:00 PM | Men's Soccer
» The Wolverines shutout Northwestern to earn its place in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal.
» Freshman Alex Waggoner has scored in three-straight contests for the Wolverines.
» Isaiah Goldson made five saves in the win.
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The No. 5 seeded University of Michigan men's soccer team defeated No. 4-seed Northwestern for the second time in a week with a 1-0 victory on Friday night (Nov. 3) at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium, clinching a spot in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinal.
Freshman Alex Waggoner scored for the third time in as many games with his second game-winner to send the Wolverines (5-5-7) to the semifinal round, while Matthew Fisher recorded the assist on the goal. Freshman keeper Isaiah Goldson made five saves in the victory and earned his fifth shutout of the season.
Neither team was able to generate much offense in the first half of action and much of the game was played in the midfield. Jason Bucknor put one shot on goal for the Wolverines in the opening frame.
Michigan looked to strike early in the second half as a pass to the middle on the first possession went out on the endline and gave U-M a corner that was cleared by the Wildcats. Northwestern (10-4-3) hoped to take the advantage but a stop on the goal line and a grab in the air from Goldson in the 52nd minute kept the match scoreless.
U-M came out as the stronger team in the second half and capitalized on a big opportunity when Fisher sent the ball into the box and it bounced off a Wildcat to the feet of Waggoner, who buried the shot into the bottom right corner of the net and allowed the Wolverines to take a 1-0 lead in the 72nd minute of action.
Goldson was able to keep the U-M lead intact as he made a massive save in the 81st minute The Wolverines packed it in on the defensive end of the field in the remaining eight minutes of action and sealed the 1-0 victory to move on in the Big Ten Tournament.
Michigan will face off against No. 1-seeded Indiana on Wednesday (Nov. 8) in Bloomington. Match time is still to be announced, and the contest will be aired live on the Big Ten Network.
Team Stats
Alex Waggoner (6)
Assisted By: Matthew Fisher
GOAL by U-M Waggoner, Alex Assist by Fisher, Matthew.
71:39
