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April 11, 2003
Site:
Boulder, Colorado (Franklin Field)
Scores:
#4 Michigan 4, #6 Colorado 2
Records: UM (11-3), CU (11-4)
Next
U-M Game: Saturday, April 12 -- vs. #3 Colorado State, Fort Collins,
CO,
6:30 p.m. MST
Defense Stops the
Buffaloes
Boulder, Col. -- Trailing
2-1 in the third quarter, Michigan defensive midfielder Paul Passino
(Houston, Tex./Episcopal) scored his first career goal to tie the
game when Chip Thomas (Tenefly, NJ/Dwight-Englewood) found
him at the end of a fast-break. Five minutes later the roles were
reversed as Passino, as he was being forced out of bounds, hit Thomas
who scored to put the Wolverines up for good. Ben Herbst (Pikesville, MD/Pikesville)
added two goals to round out the Michigan scoring for the day.
On a day that the offense
struggled to beat Colorado All-American goalie Chris Bluse (13 saves, 4
goals against) it was the Michigan defense that shined on this day,
holding one of the better offenses in the USLIA to just 15 shots and 2
goals, by far their lowest outputs of the season. Michigan keeper
Dan Webber (Weston, Mass./Weston) had one of his best days
since taking over starting duties this season, recording 9 saves and
only allowing 2 goals, both from point-blank.
Colorado employed an
uncharacteristic slow-down offensive strategy, holding the ball for long
periods before finally attacking the goal. The Wolverines scored
early, on an extra-man goal just 1:06 into the game when Herbst beat
Bluse up high, but could not gain many meaningful possessions for the
rest of the half. When they did get the ball, Bluse was up to the
task, making 6 first quarter saves. The Buffaloes seemed content
to sit on the ball on their offensive half, getting off just 2 shots in
the quarter, both of which were saved by Webber.
Colorado got off 3 shots
in the next quarter, and 2 of those found their mark to give them a 2-1
lead going into halftime. Again, Michigan managed only a few
possessions, and could not hit the goal when they got their chances.
5:31 into the third
Passino finally gave the Wolverines some life when he rifled a quick
shot past Bluse at the end of a Michigan fast-break. With momentum
back on their side, the Wolverines converted their next transition
opportunity five minutes later when Passino collected a long clearing
pass, drew a double-team along the sideline and lobbed the ball to
Thomas as he was being pushed out-of-bounds. Thomas took a few
steps to the goal and found the lower corner to give Michigan the lead.
Both teams had chances in
the fourth, but it was Herbst who finally got the decisive goal with
5:28 to play when he drove his defender high, turned and put one just
inside the far pipe. Colorado won the ensuing faceoff, but after a
turnover, Michigan regained possession and ran out the clock in the
Buffaloes end.
The Wolverines continue
their Rocky Mountain trip at Colorado State tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.
The game is being billed as the Face-Off at the Fort and is being played
at Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins.
NOTES
●
Michigan lost the faceoff battle for only the second time this season.
Colorado won all three second quarter faceoffs and had a 6-4 advantage
on the day. Anthony Ragnone (Flint, Mich./Flint Powers)
won both of his draws.
●
Passino, a sophomore transfer from Division III Hampton-Sidney, recorded
his first Michigan goal and assist in the same game.
●
The officials called three penalties on Colorado in the first half
(Michigan's extra-man unit converted on one of their three chances) and
none on Michigan. In the second half, the tides were turned as
they called three penalties on Michigan and none on the Buffaloes.
Colorado did not score an extra-man goal.
●
Michigan head coach John Paul collected his 99th career victory
today.
QUOTES
UM Head Coach John Paul
On the
game overall: "I definitely did not expect this to be such a
low scoring game. We were a bit surprised by the Colorado gameplan.
I guess they wanted to slow us down to keep it close and give their
goalie a chance to win it. He's a great goalie, so it's not a bad
plan. Our defense just stepped up to the challenge."
On
playing against a slow down offense: "I would have like to see
a couple of stall calls from the officials, but besides that we don't
change our strategy much. We have to be sure we have positive
offensive possessions when we get our chances, but defensively we didn't
do anything different than we usually do."
GAME SUMMARY
Michigan vs. Colorado
Friday, April 11
4:00 p.m. MST, Franklin Field, Boulder, Colorado
Score by Quarter
1 2 3 4 OT Totals
Michigan …………
1 0 2
1
4
Colorado...............
0 2 0
0
2
Michigan Scoring
Ben Herbst 2G/0A - 2 Pts.
Chip Thomas 1G/1A - 2 Pts.
Paul Passino 1G/1A - 2 Pts.
Colorado
Scoring
Chris Bok 1G/0A - 1 Pt.
Patrick Janson 1G/0A - 1 Pt.
Ted Harries 0G/1A - 1 Pt.
Goalies
Michigan: Dan Webber – 9 saves / 2 goals against (60:00)
Colorado: Chris
Bluse - 13 saves /
4 goals against (60:00)
Team Statistics
1 2 3 4 OT Totals
Ground Balls
Michigan
9 4
4 8
25
Colorado
3 6 2
5
16
Shots
Michigan
10 5
9
6
30
Colorado
2 3
6 4
15
Face-offs
Michigan
1
0
2 1
4
Colorado
1 3
1 1
6
Clears
Michigan
7/8 3/5 3/7
6/8
19/28
Colorado
3/5 2/5 5/7
2/6 12/23
Extra Man
Michigan 1/2 0/1
- -
1/3
Colorado
- -
0/2 0/1
0/3
Scoring Summary
13:54 (1st)….UM
(EMO)….Herbst….UM
1, CU 0
End of 1st
Quarter: Michigan 1, Colorado 0
13:20 (2nd)….CU….Bok….UM
1, CU 1
8:45 (2nd)….CU….Janson
(Harries)….UM
1, CU 2
Halftime: Michigan 1,
Colorado 2
9:29 (3rd)….UM….Passino
(Thomas)….UM
2, CU 2
4:06 (3rd)….UM….Thomas
(Passino)….UM
3, CU 2
End of 3rd
Quarter: Michigan 3, Colorado 2
5:28 (4th)….UM….Herbst….UM
4, CU 2
End of Regulation:
Michigan 4, Colorado 2
Officials
Terry Leyden, Jeff Phillips-Smith, Joe Fritts
Attendance
301
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