W Soccer demolishes EMU, 8-1 in 2015-16 Michigan Athletics opener

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

The 2015-16 Michigan Athletics season has started with a bang.

Michigan Women's Soccer opened its 2015 season after a 3-1 exhibition win over Ohio State nine days ago, against Eastern Michigan.

It didn't take long for the explosive Michigan offense to get going. 

Just 6 minutes in, senior Lulu Haidar scored the first goal of the season for Michigan and the first points of the 2015-16 Michigan Athletics season.

Not even two minutes later, senior star Taylor Timko scored with an assist by Haidar to give Michigan a 2-0 lead, which would be the score at halftime.

The second half is where Michigan really started to flex its muscle. RS sophomore Ani Sarkisian scored eight minutes into the second half at 53 minutes, and then Lulu Haidar struck again just two minutes later to give Michigan a 4-0 lead. 

Six minutes after Haidar's second goal of the game, Taylor Timko got her second of the game. She wasn't done there as she scored just five minutes later for a hat trick! 

Michigan struck yet again after the hat trick celebrations began, this time it was sophomore Rubina Veerakone giving Michigan a 7-0 lead.

After sophomore goalie Megan Hinz was pulled when the game was obviously well in hand, EMU scored to put themselves on the board on Michigan's RS freshman goalie Sarah Jackson.

However, Michigan would not let that EMU goal be the final goal scored in this contest, as sophomore Emma Groffsky scored a goal less than a minute after EMU's tally to make it an 8-1 Michigan victory.

Michigan dominated in every way you look at it. Not only offensively, but defensively by holding EMU to only 8 shots. A dominating defense headed by 5th year senior captain Christina Murillo, who played for the Mexican National Team in the 2015 FIFA World Cup.

The Wolverines are now 8-0-2 against Eastern Michigan all-time and are 31-3-6 against the MAC.

There will be a considerably tougher test in just two days when Michigan takes on Marquette at U-M Soccer Stadium.

Stats-

Stat U-M EMU
Shots 22 8
Saves 4 5
Fouls 6 6

 

Player Pts G A Elig.
Taylor Timko 3 3 0 So.
Lulu Haidar 3 2 1 Sr.
Abby Kastroll 2 0 2 Fr.
Reilly Martin 2 0 2 Fr.
Emma Groffsky 1 1 0 So.
Ani Sarkisian 1 1 0 RS So.
Rubina Veerakone 1 1 0 So.
Anna Soccorsi 1 0 1 Jr.
Jessica Heifetz 1 0 1 Jr.
Christina Murillo 1 0 1 5th
Nicky Waldeck 1 0 1 Jr.

 

MGoBoard
Michigan women's soccer

Wolverine Devotee

August 21st, 2015 at 10:24 PM ^

Michigan outshot Ohio State in exhibition by a similar margin. Michigan just had better chances in this game because it's EMU. 

The defense held OSU to fewer shots (6) than EMU had tonight (8). And don't think OSU wasn't trying, because that exhibition game was the only time these teams will meet barring a B1G Tournament game (thanks Delany).

This is a team that's gonna be playing in late November if not December, IMO. I've had big expectations for this year's team since last year when they were snubbed from the NCAA Tournament after having a tournament-worthy record. 

Was already going to be big getting Murillo back as she took off last season to train with the Mexican National Team. The freshmen already contributing as seen above in the stats is a good sign. We'll learn even more Sunday.

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528

blue quark

August 21st, 2015 at 10:49 PM ^

As men's football will do, this team is going to surprise a lot of people.

Murillo not only trained with the Mexican National Team, she started against Colombia and subbed in against France in the WWC.

Joined: 11/28/2011

MGoPoints: 17

DrewGOBLUE

August 22nd, 2015 at 12:11 AM ^

Kinda curious, mainly since I remember playing pick-up games with him back when he was still coaching HS, but does anyone happen to know how Tom Anagnost ended up as a "volunteer assistant" with the women's team?

Apparently he's already been quite successful as a college HC, most recently with Miami (YTM), and before that at CMU, where he was 2x MAC coach of the year. So a little surprising that Michigan was able to land him as just a volunteer.

Joined: 12/03/2011

MGoPoints: 2953

Mark46

August 22nd, 2015 at 7:26 AM ^

I don't know all the details but his tenure at Miami but it was filled with controversy and charges of player abuse--largely if not entirely verbal.  The thread I've linked might shed some light, but he's far enough down the pecking order at UM that Ryan won't give him enough rope for a repeat performance.

http://www.talking-soccer.com/TS4/showthread.php?t=103426

 

 

Joined: 04/28/2009

MGoPoints: 267

blockm97

August 22nd, 2015 at 12:26 AM ^

Took my girls to the game.  We just got back.  I'm no soccer expert, but Timko is a lot of fun to watch.  First time at a UM soccer game and came away impressed.  

Joined: 11/14/2012

MGoPoints: 216