Nov. 6, 2010
Box Score
Site: Evanston, Ill (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Score: Michigan 4, Northwestern 2
Records: Northwestern (8-7-2, 2-3-1 Big Ten), Michigan (11-4-3, 4-2-0)
Next NU Event: Thursday, Nov. 11 -- at Big Ten Tournament (University Park, Pa.); Opponent and time TBD
EVANSTON, Ill. - Junior forward Oliver Kupe scored a pair of goals to bring his season total to 10, but it wasn't enough as the Northwestern men's soccer team dropped its regular-season finale 4-2 to Michigan Saturday evening at Lakeside Field.
The Wildcats await the completion of Sunday's Big Ten contests to find out their opponent and start time for Thursday's opening round of the Big Ten tournament in University Park, Pa.
Northwestern was forced to play the contest short-handed as it didn't have the services of starting goalkeeper Drew Kotler, starting defenders Jarrett Baughman and Scott Lakin and key reserves Connor Holloway and Lucas Swertloff due to injury or illness.
However, NU jumped on the board first in the ninth minute of play as Matt Eliason played a cross from the right flank to a streaking Kupe who beat Michigan keeper Chris Blais for the tally.
The score remained in the Wildcats favor until the 35th minute. Following a Northwestern foul, Michigan took a free kick from approximately 35 yards out and Hamoody Saad's service found the back of the net, though the Wildcat bench strongly argued that the ball was deflected in off a hand ball by the Wolverines.
Nonetheless, the teams would take a 1-1 tie into the intermission.
Michigan got the go-ahead goal at 52:42 as Alex Wood scored from the top of the box off a feed from Soony Saad. Just over two minutes later, Soony Saad added an insurance goal to stretch the visitors' lead to 3-1.
The Wolverines would get one more score from Justin Meram in the 65th minute to extend their advantage.
Kupe drew the Wildcats two within two goals on a score very similar to his first of the night, though from the opposite flank, with six and a half minutes still remaining. Nick Gendron and Peter O'Neill were credited with assists on the play.
NU was unable to draw any closer, though, in a chippy match that included 37 fouls, seven yellow cards and one red card. Michigan held advantages of 18-11 in shots and 2-1 in corner kicks.
Visit NUsports.com on Sunday for the Wildcats' Big Ten tournament schedule.
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