Ann Arbor — It was all guts and no glory for the MSU men's soccer team (6-4-2 overall, 0-2-2 Big Ten) on Sunday, as the Spartans walked away from their game against Michigan with a 1-1 tie.
The high stakes of the intrastate rivalry motivated players on both teams through an extra 20 minutes of play, but neither team was able to net the game winner.
"I was afraid the minutes were going to haunt us and maybe they'd sneak one with fresher legs," MSU head coach Joe Baum said. "But hey, I thought our players gutted it out and preserved a chance to walk out of here not being losers."
Penalty cards were flying for the Wolverines (5-6-3, 0-1-2), who were hit with two yellow cards and a red card during the game, one of which benched a U-M coach during the first overtime. For the game, 30 total fouls were called.
"These Big Ten games are always physical," Baum said. "They're always hard, and if you're shy, you lose."
MSU got on the board early in the first half after U-M defender Michael Holody was given a red card for a handball in the penalty box on junior forward Kenzo Webster's shot.
Senior midfielder Matt Kreikemeier took the penalty shot for MSU and scored the only Spartans goal of the game. The goal sparked a heavily MSU-dominated first half.
The Wolverines fought back in the second half with a goal from forward Mauro Fuzetti on a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. U-M outshot MSU, 27-13.
"We could have finished the ball a little more, but we weren't able to do it," Webster said.
The MSU offense was silenced after regulation, as the Spartans failed to register a shot on goal in either overtime period.
"It was a little frustrating," Baum said. "We should have been able to hold on and win the game in regulation, but I'm proud of Spartans in overtime."
U-M goalkeeper Patrick Sperry and senior goalkeeper Jason Tillman helped preserve the tie by stopping seven of the nine shots they collectively faced.
"Their goalkeeper was brilliant," Baum said. "He saved a couple I thought were in. You got to give both of them credit."
With a handful of injuries on the roster, Baum said he is running with a shorter list of players, which made the long game tough.
"We're asking guys to play a couple extra minutes and they're doing it and I give them credit," he said. "If you run until you cramp up, I feel you gave a pretty good effort."
Baum praised Webster's performance and intensity despite his fatigue.
"Kenzo Webster was utterly unbelievable," Baum said. "That young man ran and ran and ran until he was about to drop. He did play after play."
Slightly wide shots and balls hitting the crossbar psyched up the atmosphere for the teams and the more than 3,000 fans in attendance — U-M's largest home crowd of the season.
"You only get a couple key opportunities in a game like this," Baum said. "And hey, if you're going to be a winner, you gotta bury them — and we didn't bury them today."
The Spartans next play at 7 p.m. Wednesday against No. 8 Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.
