SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Friday’s NCAA Tournament semifinal loss to Akron left two Michigan men’s soccer forwards with a prime opportunity to reflect on the climb that got them to that stage.
For senior Justin Meram, the seconds that ticked off the Harder Stadium scoreboard in Santa Barbara, Calif. meant the end of his career as a Wolverine.
But for his partner-in-crime, freshman Soony Saad, the defeat marked the beginning of a new era for the program.
“Michigan is on the map now,” Meram said. “We set the tone this year. Now, teams will start to have respect for us and not take us so lightly.”
The pair — which accounted for 36 of the Wolverines’ 53 goals this season — formed a mutually beneficial relationship as the season progressed.
However, by no means is Saad Meram’s own prodigy. Although many bonds between seniors and freshmen tend to assume that role, this one was unique in that both attackers profited.
“I’ve learned a lot from Saad,” Meram said. “Hopefully, next year (he) can lead this team to a national title.”
After playing an entire season with Meram, Saad shared a similar sentiment regarding the duo’s time together, much of which was spent dominating Big Ten goalkeepers at the head of the Wolverines’ impressive offense, en route to a conference championship.
“We learned how to use each other’s strengths,” Saad said. “(Meram) taught me a lot with the way he plays.”
For Meram, an impressive latter portion of the season raised eyebrows amongst the professional ranks. Next month, he will travel to the MLS Combine — a natural progression for the explosive goalscorer.
Saad, on the other hand, will not take to the Big House to receive a diploma this spring. Rather, the Michigan faithful hopes he returns to Ann Arbor to continue honing skills while being the man up front for the Wolverines.
“If you take a look at how Michigan soccer started 11 years ago, the progress is mind-boggling to say the least,” Saad said. “I feel this is just the beginning.”