The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SportsWednesday
October 19, 2016 — 3C
Michigan earns scoreless draw
Sarah Jackson already had
tied her career high in saves
against Minnesota. But with
the Golden Gophers threatening
in the last minute of double
overtime,
Michigan
needed her
to make one more.
As the crowd began counting
down the seconds until the
final whistle blew, the redshirt
sophomore
goalkeeper
rose
over a Gopher player, cleanly
catching a header for her 11th
save of the day.
Jackson’s career performance
preserved a scoreless tie for the
Michigan women’s soccer team
(5-2-2 Big Ten, 9-3-3 overall), as
well as her sixth shutout of the
season.
“I didn’t even know (about the
career high),” Jackson said. “I’ve
just been enjoying what I’ve
been doing this whole season.”
It
wasn’t
just
Jackson,
though. Senior defender Anna
Soccorsi returned from injury
to anchor the defense, making
key
clearances
and
timely
interceptions all game. Senior
defender
Madisson
Lewis
and sophomore forward Abby
Kastroll
put
in
tough
and
energetic performances as well.
While the defense would
solidify as the game went on,
No. 15 Minnesota (6-1-2, 12-3-
2) could have easily broken the
game open in the beginning.
Utilizing a fluid sequence of
short passes around the edge
of the box, the Golden Gophers
recorded five shots in the first
15 minutes, forcing Jackson to
make three saves.
“They’re a fast-starting team,
they’re a high-pressure team
— that’s what they do,” said
Michigan coach Greg Ryan.
“But part of it is they can only
maintain it for so long.”
After weathering the early
storm from the Golden Gophers,
the
Wolverines
began
to
look for opportunities on the
counterattack, trying to get
behind the defense with long
balls aimed at senior forward
Nicky
Waldeck.
Sophomore
forward Reilly Martin also made
an impact, providing several
dangerous crosses into the box
and sharp delivery on corner
kicks.
“Abby and Reilly pinched into
the midfield a little bit more, so we
were able to keep the ball instead
of being way out wide,” Ryan said.
“As soon as we started keeping
the ball, we started creating some
good chances and having more
opportunities to attack.”
Despite
an
opening
45
minutes that could have seen
either team break the deadlock,
the match began to take a
more smashmouth tone after
intermission.
Chances
for
both teams were met on either
end with quality, hard-nosed
defending.
“Just coming into it, we knew
it was going to be a gritty match
for both teams, and that we
would both have to fight hard to
find goals,” Soccorsi said.
While
the
intensity
level
held up, neither team seriously
threatened
until
the
85th
minute. Waldeck finally was
able to control a long ball off of
a swift breakaway, but her chip
shot flew over the bar.
The two overtime periods saw
more of the same defensive play,
with both teams seemingly just
trying to claw their way to the
finish, resulting in the scoreless
final. While the tie extended the
Wolverines’ winless stretch to
four games, a draw against the
15th-ranked team in the nation
was still an encouraging result.
After surviving the Golden
Gophers’
final
flurry,
the
Wolverines will now shift their
focus to their next game against
Ohio State on Saturday, their
final home game of the season.
“We definitely want to win at
home for the seniors, so we’re
just going to keep the focus of
team defending and go from
there,” Jackson said.
While Michigan knows that it
has to take every game at a time,
it has bigger goals in mind. The
Wolverines have barely missed
qualifying
from
the
NCAA
Tournament in each of the last
two years and are looking to
avoid a similar result this time
around. In this regard, Sunday’s
performance likely keeps them
on track do so.
Jackson, Soccorsi
team up on defense
Facing No. 15 Minnesota
and the Big Ten’s leader in
points and goals per game,
Simone Kolander, the Michigan
women’s soccer team needed a
strong performance out of its
defense and starting goaltender
Sarah Jackson.
Fortunately
for
the
Wolverines,
that’s
exactly
what they received, drawing
the
Golden
Gophers
in
a
scoreless tie. Up against the
aggressiveness of the opposition
and a slippery ball on a rain-
soaked pitch, Jackson tied her
career high in saves with 11.
“Sarah
continues
to
just
be rock-solid in goal,” said
Michigan coach Greg Ryan.
“She did everything right today;
she dealt with some hard shots,
crosses — she took care of
everything. She’s had a great,
great year.”
The
sophomore
goalie
recorded her sixth clean sheet
of the season, as her half-maize,
half-mud-colored
uniform
spoke to her effort in diving
saves on shots blasted to both
corners of net by the Minnesota
offense.
“At the beginning of the
game when the field was so
wet, we thought it was going to
be a multiple-goal game, so it
was actually surprising when it
finished 0-0,” Jackson said. “As
always, team-defending was our
number one goal, and we’re just
happy that we got the shutout.”
Michigan’s
shutout
was
aided by the return of senior
Anna Soccorsi, whose absence
due
to
a
concussion
was
notable in Thursday’s draw
against Wisconsin, when the
Wolverines were forced to play
with an extra defender. Her
presence Sunday enabled the
Wolverines to play in more of an
attacking 4-3-3 shape.
In the defender’s return to
the lineup, Soccorsi was vital
in
containing
Minnesota’s
star attackers, blocking shots,
intercepting
passes
and
controlling
the
Wolverine
defense across the pitch.
“It was a good effort by
everyone to stay inside of their
player and work hard to get back
in and mark the box,” Soccorsi
said. “They were coming at us
in the beginning, but I think we
did well to keep them at bay.”
Added Ryan: “I can’t even
imagine
playing
against
Minnesota without her. Anna
was everywhere — defending
and shutting down one-on-one
situations, giving cover to her
teammates when they got beat.
She’s just a fantastic defender,
and we’re fortunate to have her
in the middle of our defense.”
Though
Michigan
was
pleased with the shutout, the
team failed to move up in the
conference
standings
with
Sunday’s result, clinging to
fourth place in the Big Ten
after its fourth straight match
without a win.
Despite the recent slump
with two consecutive ties after
back-to-back losses, Ryan sees
the draw against Minnesota as
a successful result for his team.
“Our focus is to get back
in the NCAA Tournament,
and getting a tie against a
Minnesota team with a very
high RPI is going to be one
more result that really helps us
do that,” Ryan said. “If we take
care of the next two games like
we’re capable of, I think it’ll
pay off for our girls.”
Michigan will have its first
opportunity to do just that
Saturday against Ohio State
in the Wolverines’ final home
match of the season.
Wolverines winless for fourth straight match but hold off No. 15 Minnesota
ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily
Greg Ryan’s team managed to shut out Minnesota and earn a tie against the 15th-ranked Golden Gophers.
JACOB SHAMES
For the Daily
WOMEN’S SOCCER
MARK CALCAGNO
For the Daily
Wolverines lose heartbreaker
In front of a sell-out crowd
Saturday night, the Michigan
volleyball team (5-3 Big Ten, 16-4
overall)
clinged
to
a
24-20
lead in the
fourth set of its match against
No. 1 Wisconsin. The Wolverines
had stormed back from a two-
set
deficit
to
recapture
the
momentum of the match when
freshman setter Mackenzi Welsh
set up senior blocker Abby Cole,
who hammered home a powerful
kill to send the match to a fifth
tiebreaker set.
But Michigan was unable to
complete the comeback, falling
13-15 to the Badgers in the final set,
just missing out on a major upset.
“All week, we talked about how
we want to respect every opponent
… (but) the person we want to
respect the most is ourselves,”
said Michigan coach Mark Rosen.
“We want to go in there and know
that…we’re as good as anybody
out there. I’m just really proud of
how we battled tonight.”
Michigan took an early 6-3 lead
in the first set on a kill by junior
middle blocker Claire Kieffer-
Wright. But Michigan was unable
to keep the advantage, and the
two teams went back and in an
opening frame that featured eight
lead changes. A kill by Wisconsin
standout Tionna Williams and
a block error by Welsh gave the
Badgers the first set.
In the second set, Wisconsin
(7-1, 15-2) was outplaying the
Wolverines with a .484 kill
percentage. With the momentum
not in their favor, Michigan let up
to the Badgers, 18-25.
Down two games at that point,
Michigan seemed unfazed to start
the third set.
“I think it’s hard when you’re
down 2-0,” Rosen said. “That can
be a time when maybe you start to
get a little passive, and we knew
that wasn’t going to be a recipe for
success.”
Junior outside hitter Adeja
Lambert set the tone for a
comeback with a kill to begin the
third set. In a six-point stretch,
kills from Welsh and senior
outside hitter Ally Davis, blocks
by Welsh and Kieffer-Wright, and
a service ace from freshman libero
Tiffany Clark gave Michigan a
10-3 lead, and Wisconsin never
fully recovered. The Badgers
called their first timeout to stem
the tide, but it wasn’t enough, as
they lost the set, 25-17.
“I think it was just a turning
point,” Cole said,
“I was actually
laughing
with
my
teammates
in the moment
because one of our
assistant coaches,
Lisa, (had) turned
to me and said,
‘You need to find
your hitter.’ ”
Michigan
continued
its
strong play to start the fourth set,
hitting a four-point stride. Kieffer-
Wright and Cole led with hitting
percentages of .857 and .667,
respectively, and Welsh recorded
14 assists in the fourth set alone.
Despite the loss of Lambert to a
leg injury, the Wolverines never
lost momentum. A .359 Michigan
kill percentage led to a final score
of 20-25, and it gave way to the
deciding fifth set.
“I think that’s something that’s
making this team really compete
well and grow well,” Rosen said.
“…They’re
focusing
on
what
they can control. That’s a great
example of something you can’t
do anything about, so you just got
to play through it.”
Then tied with the top-ranked
Badgers, Michigan huddled up
on the court as the energy of the
crowd pulsed from all corners of
Cliff Keen Arena.
Cole
asserted
Michigan’s
confidence on the court on a first-
point kill. Following a kill from
junior right-side hitter Katherine
Mahlke and a service ace from
Welsh, the Wolverines took a
three-point lead. However, a
service run by Wisconsin tied up
the match, and the score danced
back and fourth before Michigan
tied it up again at 13-13 on a three-
point serving run by Welsh.
Wisconsin, though, took the final
two points to claim victory.
Rosen
highlighted
the
performance of Welsh, who had
49 overall assists and a career-
high 6 kills. He acknowledged that
Welsh was up against the number
one senior setter,
Wisconsin’s
Lauren
Carlini,
a first team All-
American
who
played
on
the
national team.
“She’s
just
getting
better
every
game,”
Rosen
said.“(She’s)
a
freshman
(who
is) learning really quickly. We’re
seeing her grow up right before
our eyes.
“They also came from the same
club,” Rosen said, “… so you know
that’s a big challenge for a player…
Mackenzi was looking at that going,
‘Hey, I want to go one-on-one with
her’. … Watching her be in that
moment and be as good as she was
tonight, I’m really proud of her.”
Two of the three Big Ten
matches the Wolverines have
played
have
been
against
number
one
ranked
teams,
which illustrates the high level
of competition Michigan is up
against and promises a season
devoid of dull moments.
“We’re playing in the best
volleyball
conference
in
the
country,” Cole said. “You can’t
overlook any team. You’re not
guaranteed any wins … that in
itself is motivating. We need to
be very well prepared coming to
every single match.”
MINNESOTA
MICHIGAN
0
0
WISCONSIN
MICHIGAN
3
2
VOLLEYBALL
Welsh serves as conductor for ‘M’
Though the term conductor
is normally used in a musical
context, there is no better
role
to
describe
freshman
setter Mackenzi Welsh after
her performance in a five-set
loss to No. 1 Wisconsin. No. 18
Michigan dropped the last set
15-13, falling just short of an
upset against the Badgers.
All night in front of a sold-
out crowd at Cliff Keen Arena,
the cheers were deafening. But
when Welsh came out of the
huddle for the fifth and final
set and tossed the ball up, the
only thing deafening was the
silence as Mackenzi Welsh
connected the serve. Hitting
the
back-left
corner,
the
serve sailed past an unaware
defender for an ace.
Consistently, Welsh assisted
her teammates to control the
volume and momentum of the
game — a performance that
eventually garnered Big Ten
Freshman of the Week honors.
Returning to the court after
intermission down two sets
against the top-ranked team
in the nation was not easy, but
Welsh stayed aggressive.
“That might be a time when
you get a little passive, and that
wasn’t going to be the recipe for
success.” said Michigan coach
Mark Rosen.
With that in mind, Welsh
helped set up her teammates to
score, helping the Wolverines
earn a 10-3 lead in the third set
and maintain the upper hand
throughout the set.
Welsh conducted the crowd
with her performance as the
Wolverines
took
set
three
and four. A kill by Welsh gave
Michigan a 22-17 lead. Claps.
A set from Welsh for a kill by
Mahlke made it 23-17. Shouts.
A serve from Welsh led to
blocks from Katherine Mahlke
and Abby Cole for a 24-17 lead.
Cheers. Again, a serve from
Welsh leading to a block for Cole
on the top right corner of the
court, 25-17. Screams.
In a game where momentum
means everything, the tempo
and pace of an offense can
be
the
difference-maker.
When
Welsh
conducted
the
offense,
she
avoided
making
it
one-dimensional
with her wide court vision
in order to spot holes in the
opposing
formations
and
better
matchups
between
her teammates and opposing
blockers, such as placing Abby
Cole on Wisconsin’s Haleigh
Nelson and Kriskova, both
shorter
players.
Her
court
awareness allowed her to make
the smartest plays, from quick
backsets to isolation plays for
easy scores.
“We have a really balanced
offense, so it’s easy to set any of
them,” Welsh said.
In addition to oscillating
between her types of assists, she
also added herself to Michigan’s
offensive threat. Notching a
career-high six kills, she tallied
two in a row to expand the lead
in the third set to 22-17.
In addition to a career high in
kills with an attack percentage
of .750, Welsh also gained her
fifth career assist-dig double-
double. She achieved 49 assists
and 11 digs in five sets as well as
a service ace.
One of the most important
aspects of the match, though,
was
Welsh’s
performance
compared to the opposing
setter.
Wisconsin’s
Lauren
Carlini was a first-team All-
American, Big Ten Setter of
the Year in 2015, and arguably
the No. 1 setter in the nation.
But on Saturday, all eyes were
on Welsh.
“I know (Welsh) was looking
at that going, ‘Hey, I wanna go
one on one against her’,” Rosen
said. “They came from the
same club.”
Welsh viewed this as an
opportunity to grow. She played
her best against the No. 1 setter
and ended up earning her second
Big Ten Freshman of Week
award. Young, talented and
improving, Welsh continues to
conduct the court as she steadily
grows into a star player.
TIEN LE
For the Daily
SOPHIE CLOHERTY
For the Daily
VOLLEYBALL
Michigan rallies from two-set deficit to tie the match, but
Wolverines drop fifth set, 15-13, to top-ranked Badgers
“We’re playing
in the best
volleyball
conference.”