A gift of a goal capped off the offensive surge that led to two crucial Big Ten wins for the Michigan women's soccer team this weekend.

In the 65th minute of a 1-1 game against No. 24 Illinois, senior striker Judy Coffman fired a routine shot toward the Illini net. The ball slipped through goalkeeper Lindsey Carstens's legs and sophomore midfielder Katie Miler found herself in a perfect spot to deposit it into an empty net for the go-ahead tally. It was her second game-winning goal of the weekend, after netting one in a 2-1 victory over Iowa on Friday night.

Miler is the team's biggest surprise, since she played club soccer last year. In her first season with the varsity team, the sophomore has notched three goals - all of them game-winners. The Big Ten recognized her remarkable weekend, naming her Offensive Player of the Week.

Because of her small, 5-foot-3 frame, Miler takes constant punishment from opposing teams. She took the brunt of a vicious collision with a Hawkeye defender that knocked her out of Friday's game and forced her to change jerseys. But she returned and quickly earned the ultimate revenge with a crucial goal.

"(Miler) is very physical and gets knocked down a lot, but it seems like the more adversity she sees on the field, the more she gets the

adrenaline going and comes back to make something happen on offense," Michigan coach Debbie Rademacher said.

The Wolverines' four goals represented a huge outburst for a team that has been offensively snake-bit for large portions of the season. These games were just the third and fourth multi-goal games for Michigan, and they are now 4-0 on the season when notching more than one goal.

Senior Day against Illinois featured a tale of two halves. Though the first half ended scoreless, the play was wide open and featured numerous scoring chances. Michigan senior goalkeeper Megan Tuura was clutch, making saves on two dangerous shots from just beyond the six-yard box.

"I was a little nervous because it is my last game on this field," Tuura said. "I wanted to end on a good note."

Which is just what she did. Tuura kept the game scoreless heading into the second half.

The tempo of the game completely changed in the second half. The finesse and wide-open style of the first half transformed into a tight, physical game. And this resulted in back-to-back penalties in the box and penalty-kick goals.

Michigan (3-2-2 Big Ten, 7-5-4 overall) earned the first penalty on a nifty play by Coffman. Coffman approached a free kick in the offensive third with the intention of sending a cross to the far side. But she ended up softly chipping a ball over Illini defenders, sending junior striker Melissa Dobbyn streaking into the box where she was taken down.

"We practice free kicks and penalty kicks a lot, but that is a play we haven't actually practiced," Coffman said. "Dobbyn and I talk a lot and have the same mindset and creativity."

Coffman converted the penalty kick, scoring her team-leading fifth goal of the season by barely beating Carstens to the right side.

But momentum quickly changed. Freshman defender Amy Klippert was forced to tackle an Illinois (5-2, 9-6) attacker in the box. Defender Mary Therese McDonnell converted and tied the game at 54:02.

After Miler's aforementioned goal, Illinois was unable to generate any consistent offensive pressure. Michigan earned its third win over a ranked opponent this season.

"We can battle with the best, and we put anything on the line," Miler said. "That is what has enabled us to beat ranked teams."

The weekend started off just as promising for the home team. Facing Big Ten bottom-feeder Iowa (0-7, 5-10-1), Michigan out-shot the Hawkeyes 25-9 and snapped a three-game winless streak with a 2-1 win. Dobbyn dominated, creating opportunities for herself and her teammates.

"Since I am having a hard time finishing, I am concentrating on getting assists and playing good balls to other players who can finish," Dobbyn said. "They are making good runs and doing a great job getting open."

Dobbyn was originally credited with Michigan's first goal. Junior midfielder Katie Bohard sent a low cross from the right side that went through a maze of bodies in the penalty box and found the back of the net at 35:56. It was Bohard's second goal of the season.

The Wolverines nearly got an insurance marker early in the second half. Dobbyn sent a deep ball with her left foot that sprung Coffman on a partial breakaway, where she ripped a shot that hit post and was cleared out of harm.

Iowa put together a few minutes of offensive pressure, but Michigan added to its lead off another brilliant through ball from Dobbyn that sprung Miler down the left flank. Her shot bent inside the far right post for a 2-0 lead at 73:59.

Iowa made the game interesting, diminishing the deficit to one on a beautiful set piece in the 78th minute.