Central Michigan University Athletics
Soccer Hosts Akron, Buffalo This Weekend
10/11/2012 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
MOUNT PLEASANT - The Mid-American Conference West Division-leading Central Michigan women's soccer team will host Akron and Buffalo this weekend, two teams they played to scoreless draws during the 2011 season.
The Chippewas (9-4-1, 5-1-0 MAC) will look to remain unbeaten at home for the 37th consecutive match dating back to 2008. The Chippewas are 32-0-4 in their last 36.
Central Michigan enters the weekend with positive momentum after shutting out defending champion Toledo on Friday and battling for a 2-1 double-overtime win at Northern Illinois on Sunday despite playing with just 10 players for 82 minutes.
Weekend Schedule
Vs. Akron (4-9-0, 0-6-0 MAC)
CMU Soccer Complex | Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Friday, Oct. 12 | 4 p.m.
Follow: Live Stats | Twitter
Promotions: Friday's match will be Kick Away Cancer day in support of the Chips for a Cure initiative. Players will be wearing pink warm-up shirts and pink socks throughout the match in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink "AllFight" T-shirts will be available for sale, with the proceeds going to the Angel Wings Fund to support children who have lost parents to cancer. Fans can also support the team's breast cancer awareness efforts by donating to the National Foundation for Cancer Research. [Full release]
Vs. Buffalo (3-9-2, 1-4-1 MAC)
CMU Soccer Complex | Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Sunday, Oct. 14 | 1 p.m.
Follow: Live Stats | Twitter
Promotions: Sunday's match will be Maroon Across the Map day, as well as Greek Day. Both international students and Greek Life students are encourage to attend the match and show their support for not only CMU women's soccer but also their respective countries and fraternities/sororities.
Parking Update
In accordance with football game day procedures, lot 61 behind Rose Hall/McGuirk Arena will be closed for Friday's soccer match against Akron. Spectators should park in lot 71, which is the grass/dirt lot across from Theunissen Stadium on West Campus Drive. Parking will be free, and the lot opens at 3 p.m. For more details, please consult this parking map.
By the Numbers
| Team | Akron | CMU | Buffalo |
| Record | 4-9-0 0-6-0 MAC 1-4-0 Away | 9-4-1 5-1-0 MAC 2-0-0 Home | 3-9-2 1-4-1 MAC 1-5-1 Away |
| RPI | 234 | 34 | 256 |
|
| 16/26 | 17/15 | 9/17 |
SOG/Shots | 55/120 | 86/221 | 81/186 |
Opp. SOG/Shots | 95/196 | 66/158 | 81/208 |
Corners Taken/ Corners Allowed | 57/83 | 49/53 | 64/58 |
Penalty Kicks | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1-1 |
Yellow/ Red Cards | 2/0 | 3/1 | 8/0 |
Scouting Akron
Season Statistics
The Zips are in the midst of a seven-match losing streak after staring the season 4-2-0. Though Akron hasn't won since Sep. 9 in a 1-0 decision over Canisius, it has been in a majority of the matches since, losing by just one goal in five of the matches. Most recently the Zips dropped a tough double-overtime decision to Kent State at home on Sunday, 3-2.
Senior forward Ashley Hughes leads the offense with seven goals, good for fourth-most in the MAC. Sophomore Alex Luevano-Harden and freshman Klaire Adee have been splitting time at goalkeeper for the Zips. Luevano-Harden has a 1.70 goals against average and two shutouts, while Adee allows 2.36 goal per game.
History Against Akron
The Chippewas have never fallen to the Zips, having gone 10-0-2 in program history. The current senior class is 3-0-1 against Akron, with all but one win decided by just one goal. Most recently the Chippewas dismissed the Zips from the 2011 MAC Tournament with a 2-1 win, scoring two early goals in the first seven minutes - one by current senior midfielder Ashley Mejilla - and holding on for the victory. The Chippewas and Zips also played to a scoreless draw in the regular season in CMU's conference opener.
Scouting Buffalo
Season Statistics
The Bulls are coming off their first MAC win of the season in a close 1-0 win at Ohio on Sunday after having previously been winless since a 1-0 win against Robert Morris on Sep. 14. In the meantine, Buffalo had only managed four goals and has been shut out three times.
Sophomore midfielder Katie Roberts has a team-high three goals - a third of the team's total. Junior goalkeeper Ainsley Wheldon has a goals against average of 1.07 and has three shutouts.
History Against Buffalo
The Chippewas are 8-3-3 against the Bulls all time, and the current senior class is 2-0-1 against them. In 2011 the two sides played to a scoreless draw in Mount Pleasant, one of just four draws at the CMU Soccer Complex since 2008.
Weekend Notes
Chippewas in the Rankings
At 34th in the country, Central Michigan is the top-ranked MAC team in the most recent edition of the NCAA Division I RPI rankings. The Chippewas are 46 spots ahead of the next MAC squad, Miami (OH), which is ranked 80th. These two are the only teams from the MAC in the Top 100. The Chippewas are also just 10 spots behind Michigan as the top-ranked team in the state of Michigan, and are 45 spots ahead of Michigan State. The Chippewas are 50th in the most recent Massey Ratings, which rates them as the 30th best defensive side in the nation.
Mejilla Invited to Philippine Football Federation Tryout
Senior midfielder Ashley Mejilla has been invited by the Philippine Football Federation to participate in a tryout for the Women's National Team as it prepares for the 2012 LA Vikings Cup. Mejilla is the first CMU player to be invited to a national team tryout. [Full Release]
No Place Like Home
The CMU Soccer Complex is a difficult place for opponents to play, as the Chippewas are unbeaten since 2008 in 36 consecutive matches. Central Michigan is 32-0-4 at home since a 1-0 loss to Toledo on Oct. 19, 2008. The Chippewas are 2-0 at home this season and are 78-27-8 at home in program history since the inaugural 1998 season.
Comeback Kids
The Chippewas are 8-0-0 when they score the first goal of a match, and on Sunday earned their first victory after allowing the opponent on the scoreboard first. The Chippewas, playing with just 10 players for 82 minutes after an early red card, scored two unanswered goals to complete the comeback in double overtime.
Youth and Experience
The blend of youth and experience has been a key to CMU success this season, and in each of the Chippewas' wins this past weekend both a freshman and a senior scored a goal apiece. Freshman forward Danielle Rotheram and senior defender Bailey Brandon each scored in a 2-0 shutout of Toledo, and senior midfielder Autumn Hawkins and freshman Christen Chiesa scored in Sunday's 2-1 double-overtime win over Northern Illinois. Rotheram and Chiesa each have two goals this season to co-lead the Chippewas with four other players.
Spreading the Wealth
Six different Chippewas have scored two goals this season, an indicator of a well-balanced offensive attack. Senior Laura Twidle, juniors Kaely Schlosser and Jennifer Gassman, sophomore Laura Gosse and freshmen Chiesa and Rotheram have each scored two apiece. Additionally, nine different players have combined for 11 assists.
