The Michigan men’s soccer team had two main goals in mind heading into its regular season finale against No. 21 Northwestern.
The first was not letting the Wildcats win a regular-season championship on the Wolverines’ home turf, and the second was to gain a higher seed in tournament play.
And Michigan (4-5-7 overall, 2-1-5 Big Ten) succeeded as it earned its second shutout of the season behind a 3-0 win. Although Northwestern (10-3-3, 4-3-1) entered Sunday’s game hoping to walk away, trophy in hand, with the one-seed entering the Big Ten Tournament, the Wolverines had other plans.
“No one’s coming to our house and beating us,” Bucknor said. “More or less because they were competing for a championship. We’re competing for a higher seed for the tournament. So like I said, no one’s gonna celebrate on our field.”
The first half commenced with intense pressure from both sides of the field as each team took their time setting up space to make plays and create scoring opportunities. The Wolverines and Wildcats traded shot for shot with no result until the 15th minute when Michigan broke the scoreless tie. Junior defenseman Jason Bucknor rocketed a centering pass from the right side of the field to graduate midfielder Riley Ferch who then headed it into the left side of the net, giving the Wolverines an early 1-0 lead.
Northwestern was quick to try and respond, taking a shot from the left side of the goal and creating an opportunity with a corner kick. But the Wildcats’ attempts fell short as Michigan headed the ball away from the goal and regained possession.
Not too long after, the Wolverines took the ball down the field, keeping pressure in the Wildcats’ zone as the ball found the feet of graduate defenseman Moshtaba Al-Hasnawi. Al-Hasnawi dribbled around the Northwestern defender and booted a shot from the left side of the field that just slipped past Wildcats goaltender Jackson Heyman’s diving hands.
The first half wrapped up with the Wolverines up 2-0 — the biggest lead Michigan has had at halftime all season.
As the second half started, Northwestern’s determination to make a comeback was on full display. The Wildcats dominated possession in the first 37 minutes of the second half, racking up a total of seven corners and six shots to the Wolverines’ zero corners and one shot. But the dexterity of Michigan’s defense was also on full display, and multiple saves from freshman goaltender Isaiah Goldson made sure none of Northwestern’s opportunities could translate into goals.
“A big message to our guys (was) that this was our opportunity to set the tone towards trying to compete for a championship,” Michigan coach Chaka Daley said. “And not let anyone else win the championship on our home field.”
Michigan’s offense experienced a very slow second half, unable to take possession away from the Wildcats for an extended period of time. Yet, in the 83rd minute of the game, freshman midfielder Duilio Herrera had a breakaway up the right side of the field where he crept closer to the goal. Leading Heyman to slide out of place, Herrera passed the ball to freshman forward Alex Waggoner who readied his foot right in front of the goal and tapped it in behind his back, sealing the deal and leaving the final score at 3-0.
The Wolverines accomplished their goals and the Wildcats had to leave the stadium empty-handed — literally.
“Now the goal is just to advance like any tournament setting,” Daley said. “… Survive and advance (is) what they call it right. So that’s whatever it takes.”
Heading into Sunday’s matchup, the Wolverines were focused on preventing a Wildcats win and securing a higher tournament seed. Not only did they accomplish those goals, but they did so in resounding fashion with the biggest shutout win of the season.
With Michigan accomplishing those two key goals entering the game behind strong defense and 90 minutes of intensity, it can now focus on a third one entering the Big Ten Tournament: survive and advance.