Badgers Fall in First Round
November 08, 2001 | Men's Soccer
Michigan's Knox Cameron scored at 15:59 of the first half and the Wolverines held on the rest of the way as fifth-seeded Michigan defeated No. 4-seed Wisconsin 1-0 today in the first round of the 2001 Big Ten Men's Soccer Tournament at the McClimon Soccer Complex in Madison, Wis. The Badgers controlled play for most of the game, outshooting Michigan 16-11, but the Wolverines' goalkeeper, freshman Bryan Lau, made 10 saves.
Michigan controlled the early play in the first half. At the 15:59 mark, Cameron dribbled around a Wisconsin defender and kicked a ground shot past UW goalkeeper, Phil Ayoub. After that score, the Badgers settled down and initiated their run of scoring opportunities. Shots by David Martinez, Nicholas Aguilar, Nick van Sicklen, and Dominic DaPra, however, were all denied by the Wolverines' defense.
Despite playing into a tenacious wind in the second half, Wisconsin controlled the flow of play. In the final 10 minutes, the Badgers turned up the heat, firing numerous shots at Lau. The Badgers' final scoring chance came with under a minute left to play when sophomore Erol Goknur corralled the ball at the top of the box and ripped a shot on net. As he had all game, Lau came up with the big save, though.
Wisconsin played without two senior starters, goalkeeper Moriba Atiba Baker and sweeper Scott Repa. Junior Phil Ayoub, starting in Baker's place, finished the game with four saves. The Badgers end the season with a 10-8-1 record. Michigan moves on to play No. 1-seed Indiana in tomorrow's semifinals at 2:30 p.m.
