The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 9A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 9A
! VOLLEYBALL
From Page 5A
that in that set."
In the middle frame, Michi-
gan seemed to have a comfort-
able lead at 18-14 before Ohio
State went on a quick run to cut
the lead to 23-22.
In the end, Michigan proved
too much for the inexperienced
Buckeyes, winning the set
25-23.
The Wolverines came out of
the locker room for the third
set, poised and ready to win
their first Big Ten match of the
year.
"Coach (Rosen) just told us
we had to play Michigan vol-.
leyball," Zimmerman said. "We
just needed to get into a rhythm
and not let down."
In the final set, senior mid-
dle back Beth Karpiak started
things off with a monster kill
from the left side of the court.
She led the offensive attack
with 12 kills in the match.
"We weren't running the
offense as smoothly as I would
have liked tonight," Rosen said.
"We told Lexi to get the ball to
Beth and that seemed to settle
things down a little bit."
Karpiak helped the Wolver-
ines jump out to a quick 9-5 lead
and they cruised to a 25-20 vic-
tory to cap the sweep.
But it wasn't as easy as the
Wolverines would have liked.
The Wolverines let the Buck-
eyes linger in the last two sets,
something they will need to
correct as they head deeper into
the Big Ten season.
- But for now, the Wolver-
ines can celebrate their first
road win and their still-perfect
record.
Blue blanks
Oakland on
Fuzetti goal
Defense key to
Michigan win in
final game before Big
Ten schedule opener
By ROGER SAUERHAFT
For theDaily
SALINE - Two minutes and 41
seconds was all it took for the Mich-
igan men's soccer team to look like
it would roll to another easy win.
Once the Wolverines scored,
they never looked back - but they
also never scored again.
In a tough, defensive-minded
battle, the Wolverines shut out
Oakland 1-0 last night in their final
tuneup before kicking off the Big
Ten season Saturday at Wisconsin.
The lone goal was scored by
junior midfielder Mauro Fuzetti,
who sent home a header in traffic
that eluded the outstretched arms
of Oakland goalie Steve Clark.
Assisting him was senior forward
Jake Stacy, who fed Fuzetti a beau-
tiful sideline inbounds pass into a
sea of maize and black uniforms to
set up the score.
The goal was Fuzetti's sixth of
the season and propelled him into
sole possession of the team lead.
Little transpired on offense
after Fuzetti's goal. Both Clark
and Michigan redshirt junior goal-
keeper Patrick Sperry prevented
opponents from scoring to keep
the game at 1-0, but they received
plenty of help from their defenses.
Clark had to make just one save,
and Sperry three.
"The pillow I talk to at night isn't
so much about the offense as it's
aboutthe defense," Michigan coach
Steve Burns said. "I think we put a
great effort out there today."
Michigan's only scare came late
in the second half on what appeared
to be a sure goal bythe Golden Griz-
zlies' leading scorer,junior forward
Sebastian Harris. Though he didn't
have to save many shots during the
game, Sperry rose to the occasion.
"That was great," Sperry said.
"I was on my toes and I was even
thinking before the play had started
that I'm about ready to make a big
save here. So throughout the game,
you just wait to be called upon, and
you have to be ready."
Burns was satisfied with his
team's performance, especially on
the defensive side of the ball, saying
the Wolverines' play is what they
need during the Big Ten season.
"That's the second shutout of the
season for us," Burns said. "That's
good to see against a talented Oak-
land team that came in here 6-1 and
ranked in several polls."
Junior Mauro Fuzetti celebrates after scoring Michigan's only goal in a 1-0 win over Oakland last night.