2B - November 12, 2012
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
The Big House magic
Stachel, Ezurike cap
dramatic OT victory
T here's something to that
Big House magic.
Brady Hoke must
believe it by now. The Michigan
football team scraped together an
impossible 38-31 overtime victory
over Northwestern on Saturday
in the hallowed confines of Mich-
igan Stadium.
It pushed
Hoke's home --
record to a
perfect 13-0
since he took
over as the
Wolverines'
head coach
prior to the
2011 season. STEPHEN J.-
Those wins NESBITT
include some
last-second r
thrillers like Denard Robinson-
to-Roy Roundtree to beat Notre
Dame and Brendan Gibbons from
38 to topple Michigan State. And
now it includes Roundtree and
the desperation tip against the
Wildacts to snatch victory from
the sure clutches of defeat.
But let's go back further, back
to Hoke's earlier stint at Michi-
gan. With Hoke on the Michigan
sideline, the Wolverines are 58-6
at the Big House. And that track
record is littered with classics.
But it all goes back to one'
game, Hoke's first loss at Michi-
gan and the bitter taste of defeat.
That first one added a personal
touch to Saturday's game.
The last time Brady Hoke and
Northwestern coach Pat Fitzger-
ald were at Michigan Stadium
together was Oct. 7, 1995.
Hoke was a first-year defensive
line coach on the home sideline.
Fitzgerald was Northwestern's
burly junior middle linebacker,
wearing a white No. 51 jersey and
terrorizing Michigan quarter-
back Brian Griese.
With the Wildcats leading
19-13 and just 1:40 remaining
yard line, the Big House magic
was alive. Fitzgerald, vwho was
jumping up and down just a few
minutes earlier, bolted down the
visitor sideline. He would have
strapped on pads and finished
the game if he could. The script
mostly played out the same way '
as it did in 1995 defeat, but sud-
denlythe roles were reversed.
"Big players make big plays in
big situations," Griese crowed.
after Roundtree's catch. He knew
all about that formula. But Griese
forgot to add another "big" into
the equation: the Big House.
There was an electricity in
the air as the clock wound down
and overtime loomed. There's
something about the 12th man
at Michigan Stadium that makes
opponents, even smart ones, do
some stupid things.
Like Charlie Weis throwing
instead of running out the clock
in 2009. Tommy Rees fumbling
and bumbling the ball back to
Michigan last fall. And Fitzgerald
calling a rugby punt to Jeremy
Gallon instead of putting the
punt out of bounds, setting up the
pass to Roundtree on Saturday.
And Griese forgot the big man
on the Michigan sideline - Hoke.
Fitzgerald and the Wildcats
taught Hoke that sting of defeat
once, and he wouldn't let it hap-
pen again, even 17 years later. As
Hoke made his way through a sea
of players toward the Michigan
tunnel, he wore a wry smile.
"Did you know you were going
to win?" his wife, Laura, asked.
"Yes," he said, without a trace
of doubt.
With 112,000 strong at his
back, he's seen the pitfalls, he's
seen the most improbable tri-
umphs. He's got a .906 lifetime
record at Michigan Stadium -
.770 away from home. That man
doesn't lose at Michigan Stadium.
Perhaps he's learned of that
Big House magic.
- Nesbitt can be reached
at stnesbit@umich.edu.
ByALEJANDRO ZU~fNIGA
Daily Sports Writer
Facing NCAA Tournament
elimination and the end of her
collegiate career, senior mid-
fielder Clare Stachel took matters
into her own hands on Saturday
night. Her spectacular header
with less than a minute remaining
in regula-.
tion helped C. MICHIGAN 1
propel the MICHIGAN 2
Michigan
women's soccer team to a 2-1 vic-
tory over Central Michigan at the
U-M Soccer Complex.
The Wolverines (8-3-2 Big Ten,
15-5-2 overall) tested the Chip-
pewas early in the match, earning
two corner kicks in the first two
minutes. But it was Central Michi-
gan (9-2 Mid-American Confer-
ence, 15-7-1) which drew first
blood on its first offensive oppor-
tunity just three minutes into the
contest. Central Michigan defend-
er Bailey Brandon took a long
throw-in into Michigan's 18-yard
box, and forward Laura Gosse
managed to one-touch a shot past
Michigan senior goalkeeper Haley
Kopmeyer. Gosse's fifth goal of
the season gave the Chippewas an
early advantage.
Gosse's tally almost proved to
be the game-winner for Central
Michigan, as the Wolverines time
and again couldn't find the back of
the net. In the 24th minute, junior
forward Nkem Ezurike passed
a ball between a defender's legs
to midfielder Cassie Collins. The
freshman had an open look at goal
from the penalty spot, but fired
a shot off the post. Five minutes
later, junior midfielder Meghan
Toohey's header rattled the cross-
bar. And midway through the
second half, Ezurike had an oppor-
tunity alone against the goalkeep-
er but also hit the post.
In the 89th minute, Stachel
shook the woodwork once more.
But unlike so many prior oppor-
tunities, the ball deflected in.
Sprinting towards the net and
being defended closely by a Chip-
pewa, Stachel headed a long pass
just enough to beat goalkeeper
Stefanie Turner. The shot rang off
the top corner of the goal frame
and bounced beyond the end line,
pulling the Wolverines even with
40 seconds remaining. It was Sta-
chel's first goal of the season and a
perfect finish for the senior play-
ing her last game at the U-M Soc-
cer Complex.
"Coming into my senior year
I wanted to contribute the most I
could for this team," Stachel said.
"I wanted to leave my mark."
Riding the momentum from
Stachel's dramatic tally, Michigan
won the game handily in overtime.
The Wolverines took four shots
in the extra period and found the
back of the net in less than five
minutes. Senior midfielder Emily
Jaffe - who had been rejected on a
beautiful save by Turner moments
earlier - fired a low shot towards
goal. The ball deflected off a
defender to Ezurike, who tapped
it past Turner for her 14th goal of
the season.
"It was (Jaffe's) hard work that
got the goal," Ezurike said. "It was
an easy tap in, butshe did the hard
work."
After Ezurike's tally, the Wol-
verines poured onto the field,
dancing and hugging. Near the
visitor's bench, several Chippewa
players silently fought back tears.
Though the Wolverines strug-
gled to capitalize on their early
opportunities, Ryan did not mod-
ify his attacking strategy, hoping
the tying goal would come.
"That was awfully late to put
it away," he said. "Some days you
wonder, 'Is this just not your day?'
Usually you don't win on days like
today."
But Michigan scored just in
time and advanced to the second
round of the NCAA Tournament
where it will face fourth-seeded
Portland in State College, Pa. on
Friday.
Freshman tackle Ondre Pipkins celebrates yet another victory at home
on the clock, Griese and the
Michigan offense were 41 yards
from the end zone facing a third-
and-15. Fitzgerald had ended the
previous drive by tipping a pass
out of harm's way.
Fitzgerald, crouched four
yards off the line of scrimmage,
started slowly off the snap. He
waited for a crease, then burst
through it. He had a clean shot at
Griese as soon as the quarterback
finished his seven-step drop. The
pass fell more than a few yards
short of its intended target in the
flat.
"Brian Griese is trying to
shake the cobwebs right now,"
said play-by-play announcer Brad
Nessler. "It's fourth down."
Last chance. Northwestern
didn't change a thing. Fitzgerald
and Hudhaifa Ismaeli shot the
same gap on a delayed blitz and
Fitzgerald was free again. Seven
steps. Boom.
Griese got rid of the ball again,
but it was a lame duck. Defensive
back William Bennett dove to
make the interception, though he
could have just let it fall.
"Griese still down. Fitzgerald
hit him again," Nessler said.
Fitzgerald reached down and
swung the quarterback back
onto his feet. The day belonged
to Fitzgerald, the hero, walking
to the sideline with his fist raised'
high.
They were all back on Satur-
day. The roles were just different.
Hoke was on one sideline,
Fitzgerald on the other. Griese,
now a color analyst for ESPN,
was in the booth.
When Roundtree hauled in
his miraculous catch at the nine-
Spartans stun'M'in
OT of Big Ten final
6
JAMES M. GALLOWAY, MD, FACP, FACC, FAHA
Acting Regional Director and Regional Health Administrator,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
THE MILLION HEARTSTM INITIATIVE
Wednesday, November 14, 2012, 12-1 p.m.
Horace Rackham Amphitheater
Students, Faculty, and Staff Welcome
H eart disease and stroke are the first and fourth leading
causes of death in the U.S., with heart disease being
responsible for one of every three U.S. deaths. Launched in 2011,
Million Hearts is a public- and private-sector partnership intent
upon preventing one million heart attacks and strokes by 2017.
Dr. Galloway will discuss this initiative and the critical role
pharmacists are playing to scale up proven clinical and community
strategies to prevent heart disease and stroke across America.
For more information, call the Office of the Dean, College
of Pharmacy, (734) 764-7144. Or visit the College Web site at
http.//pharmacyumich.edu/pharmacy/dean'slecture.
v a
By JEREMY SUMMITT With five minutes to play and
Daily Sports Writer the ball in Michigan's defensive
third of the field, the Michigan
EVANSTON - "It wasn't much State fans were as loud as ever as
of a soccer game," said Michigan they began to count down to a Big
coach Chaka Daley. Ten title.
From kickoff to the second that But junior forward T.J. Roehn,
Michigan State freshman mid- an All-Big Ten tournament selec-
fielder Sean Conerty struck the tion, silenced the fans as he tied
game-win- the game with three minutes left,
ning goal MICHIGAN 1 igniting the Michiggn sideline.
to give the MICH. STATE 2 After the late goal, a few Spartans
Spartans laid on the field stunned as they
a 2-1 overtime victory on Sun- watched their rivals celebrate.
day in the Big Ten Tournament The NCAA tournament bid was
Final, the wind coming from Lake back on the table for either team
Michigan at Lakeside Field was to grasp after Roehn's deflection
relentless. trickled past freshman goalkeep-
Michigan State and Mother er Zach Bennett.
Nature beat up on the Michigan But in overtime, the Spartans 0
men's soccer team for much of won the coin toss to give them
the 97-minute Big Ten Tourna- a crucial advantage with the
ment final. The Spartans' scoring wind at their backs. The evident
chances were determination,
sometimes , and quite pos-
sporadic, but sibly the coin
the 30-40 mile "You couldn't get toss,'eventually
per hour winds earned Michi-
consistently into a rhythm." gan State a Big
affeted each Ten Champi-
team's game onship and an
plan. NCAA Tourna-
"Itwas just as hard to play with ment berth.
the wind as it was to play against "The boys are disappointed
it," Daley said. "You couldn't get and it's very difficult for me,"
into a rhythm." Daley said. "They got the goals
The Wolverines (3-2-1 Big Ten, and we didn't."
10-9-1 overall) came into the It was a heartbreaking defeat
match riding a five-game win- - Michigan's seniors tried to
ning streak and were looking to fight back tears next to their
put a cap on their remarkable run families and Daley remained in
in the Big Ten Tournament. But the same spot next to the bench
Michigan State (3-3, 11-9-1) had for nearly 20 minutes following
aspirations of its own to snag an the match.
automatic NCAA Tournament But the Wolverines may have
bid from Michigan's grasp, as it done enough to get another shot
prevailed through a heated rival- at the NCAA Tournament, and
.ry game and the forceful winds that's all Michigan can hope for
to finally crack the Wolverines' now.
defense. "If the national committee
In the 38th minute the Spar- blesses us with another chance
tans' leading scorer, sophomore and we can get in the NCAA
forward Adam Montague, hit a Tournament, that'd be great,"
laser past redshirt sophomore Daley said. "We want to end the
goalkeeper Adam Grinwis. The season where we can say we've
tally marked the first goal Grin- done enough. We've gotten to a
wis and the Michigan defense point where we want to end on a
have allowed in 260 minutes of successful note so we'll wait and
play, dating back to Oct. 30. see if we can do that."