Central Michigan University Athletics
Field Hockey Season Comes to an End
11/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio - In the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, No. 4 seed Central Michigan University (11-10, 6-4 MAC) fell to No. 5 seed Kent State (7-14, 4-7 MAC), 6-0, today.
Sophomore Samantha Sandham put the pressure on the Golden Flashes in the first minute of the match, breaking away from the Kent State defense and putting a shot on goal only to be saved. The Golden Flashes gained control of the ball and quickly transitioned down to the CMU circle.
In the 10th minute of the match Natalie Barrett defeated a CMU defender and sent a shot from the top of the circle into the right side of the net to put Kent State up 1-0.
"Once they scored, we seemed to lose our composure and could not gain it back," said head coach Cristy Freese.
The Golden Flashes would control the momentum of the remainder of the first half, scoring their second goal less than three minutes later during a penalty corner.
Sophomore Amanda Lucik gave CMU a break-away, as she picked off a pass along the left side of the field. She would be taken down by a Kent State defender as she attempted to take a shot.
Kent State scored its two final goals of the half off of penalty corners, taken in the final six minutes. The first goal was a shot put to the right post for Anna McComb to tip in. The second was a straight shot taken from the top of the circle that CMU flier Kim Erasmus was able to get a stick on, and goalkeeper Danielle Frank would attempt to clear. Kent State's Kate Perry, however, collected the free ball on the left side of the circle and flicked it into the goal.
In the second half, CMU's Kelly Jordan took the ball off the passback, and carried it down within the Kent State defensive circle before being stopped. The Chippewas had trouble blocking up Kent State's free hits as they cleared the ball down to within CMU's defensive 25.
The Golden Flashes earned a penalty stroke during a penalty corner in which a CMU defender stopped the ball with her body. Kent State's Kate Perry would connect on the penalty stroke three minutes into the second half to put the Golden Flashes up 5-0.
The final goal of the match for Kent State was scored in the seventh minute of the half during a scurry in front of the CMU net. Natalie Barrett collected the ball and lifted it over the goalie, for her second goal of the match.
The Chippewas continued to pressure the Golden Flashes, never giving up, earning three penalty corners to their one in the second half. Freshman Kim Erasmus was a spark plug for the Chippewas, stepping up to intercept several balls to cause two CMU break aways, and put the team back into the match. CMU could not connect on its four shots in the second half as three of them went wide.
"We needed to play like we played in the second half, as a team," Freese said.
The Chippewas finished their season 11-10 overall and 6-4 in the MAC.
