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Contact: Matt Lee

Email: matt.lee@uconn.edu

Men’s Soccer

 

Wasserman’s Free Kick Lifts No. 4/5 Huskies Past Michigan State

Max Wasserman buried a free kick in the 76^th minute to lift UConn over Michigan State tonight.

 

STORRS, Conn. (September 1, 2011) – The No. 4/5 UConn men’s soccer team defeated Michigan State tonight, 2-1, in front of nearly 4,000 fans at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium.  Junior Max Wasserman (Farmington, Conn.) smashed a free kick from 25 yards out in the 76^th minute to give UConn the deciding goal.  Freshman keeper Andre Blake (May Pen, Jamaica) made five saves to earn the victory.

 

With the game turning a physical corner late in the second half and the score tied, 1-1, Wasserman stepped up and ripped a free kick from 25 yards out through a hole in the Michigan State wall to put the Huskies ahead for good. 

 

“I hit it pretty hard.  I wanted to go over the wall and bend it into the left side but I struck it good and I guess I got lucky it went through,” said Wasserman.

 

He added, “we alternate free kicks between a few of us in practice so I had total confidence I’d hit it.  Mamadou (Doudou Diouf) wanted it first, then Carlos (Alvarez) said he was taking it then I stepped up and told em I would take it.  It worked out pretty good.”

 

“We made it a tight game tonight,” said Carlos Alvarez.  “We could have opened it up a bit in the first half, but we didn’t finish. But we fought today.  We did what it took to get another W.  This is what it takes to win in the NCAA’s.  I’m proud of us.”

 

UConn pressured early and nearly scored on a shot from straight on by sophomore Colin Bradley (West Hartford, Conn.)  which went just over the bar.  The Huskies ended up going ahead with a goal from sophomore forward Mamadou Doudou Diouf (Dakar, Senegal) in the 15^th minute.  Alvarez sent a corner from the left side into the six yard box.  Diouf found space alone in front and headed it well past MSU keeper Jeremy Clark.

 

The Huskies continued to pressure and had two quality chances in a 30 second span in the 32^nd minute.  Diouf once again found space after beating a defender at the top of the box, only to mishit his shot in front for an easy save.  Senior Tony Cascio (Gilbert, Ariz.) then made a long run from the right side before pulling a hard, low shot past the left post.

 

UConn had the better of play for most of the first half and was ahead in shots, 7-5, and in corner kicks, 2-1. 

 

Michigan State turned it around in the second half and equalized at 51:51 with a volley from Rubin Bega eight yards out.  A cross came in from the right side by Cody Henderson and Bega volleyed towards the ground and past Blake into the bottom right corner. 

 

The game quickly turned into a physical contest in the second half with both teams collecting yellow cards.  The foul total ended 16-13, with UConn acquiring the extra three infractions.

 

“This game got physical tonight.  It was like watching us against a West Virginia maybe.  Real tough game.  These are the games we have to win.  We didn’t last year.  The real tough ones.  We need these games.  We got a great one-goal win tonight.  It was a resilient win,” said UConn Head Coach Ray Reid.

 

The Huskies nearly squandered the lead with just under six minutes remaining when Michigan State’s Mark Barone reached out fully extended to chip a shot towards net that hit off the cross bar.  The rebound came down right in front only to have Bega head it over the bar. 

 

The Huskies closed out the contest and came away with the victory to advance to 2-0 on the season.  Michigan State dropped to 0-2 after beginning the season ranked No. 19. 

 

UConn will host No. 7 California at Morrone Stadium on Sunday beginning at 7:30 p.m.  Fans should dress in blue and white and the fans with the best blue/white outfit will receive a PC Richard gift card.  The Huskies will host an autograph session following the game as well.