Oct. 15, 2006
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Northwestern men's soccer team finally busted out of a two-game scoring slump with a 2-0 shutout victory this afternoon over the Michigan Wolverines in Big Ten action. Brad North scored the difference maker in the 23rd minute while senior Kyle Moore added an insurance goal -- the first of his career -- 10 seconds before halftime to secure the win.
The win moves NU to 10-5 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten while the Wolverines slip to 5-8-3 and 0-2-2 in league play. Northwestern has now won three of the last four against the maize and blue.
The win also keeps the Wildcats in solid position for an NCAA at-large bid with two games remaining before the Big Ten Championships in Columbus, Ohio Nov. 2-5.
After being shut out in the last two games against ranked teams on the road, the Wildcats came out today and took control early in the first period. Northwestern out-shot Michigan 11-2 in the first period and owned a 6-0 advantage on corner kicks.
But the second half was almost a complete reversal as UM had a 12-4 shot advantage. Northwestern's backline caused fits all afternoon for Michigan's attack, allowing hardly any clean looks at the goal.
"The wind is definitely a factor out here," head coach Tim Lenahan said after the game. "But we were also sitting on a two-goal lead. We we're going to come back out after halftime, play the first 20 minutes and see if we could get a third goal. Then if we didn't, we were going to switch tactics a little bit to try and protect our lead. But Michigan did a great job in the second half. They have a good team with really good players. They came at us and we were a little fortunate on some chances. But by the same token they were fortunate not to give up the third goal down on their end. So we knew the next goal after halftime would be the important one. Neither of us got it so we came away with the 2-0 win."
After chipping away at Michigan's backline, Northwestern finally got on the board in the 23rd minute when Carl Pett served up one of his beautiful assists to North who got a clean look at the goal and knocked it in for the 1-0 lead.
The goal was North's fifth of the season, one behind leader David Roth who has six on the year.
Pett then added to his Big Ten-leading eighth assist of the season when he teamed up with Geoff Fallon who found Moore on a crossing pass from the left wing. Moore, who was charging from the right side of the box, knocked it win on the fly to break Michigan's back right before the half.
"One of the great things about today was Kyle Moore," Lenahan said. "Kyle really hasn't played much, but he works his butt off in practice everyday, has never scored a goal in his career and comes in and gets an absolute great goal. For me, that's part of what makes coaching so special because he will remember that moment for the rest of his life."
Eamon O'Neill had an opportunity to add a goal in the first half when he broke free in front of the goal, only to be turned away by UM keeper Patrick Sherry. O'Neill had a similar opportunity in the second period, but his shot sailed just wide of the left post.
Will Briley improved to 8-5 in goal with three saves. Sperry took the loss for Michigan who gave up the two goals and made four saves.
The Wildcats have the week off and will prepare for their final Big Ten game of the regular-season when they travel to East Lansing, Mich. next Sunday, Oct. 22 for a match with Michigan State. Game time is 1 p.m. CT.