Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Look to Remain Unbeaten in MAC
10/16/2014 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Mary Walsh, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - When you're in first place, every league game is big.
The Central Michigan field hockey team will travel 742 miles south to face Missouri State Friday (4 p.m.) in a Mid-American Conference game. The Chippewas are 4-9, 3-0 and in first place in the MAC.
They have won three of their last four starts, including a 3-1 victory over Miami (Ohio) last Friday which left CMU alone in first place.
The Chippewas fell, 4-0, to eighth-ranked Northwestern on Sunday.
"I thought there were some bright spots in the Northwestern game and I wanted our team to just compete," CMU coach Cristy Freese said.
Even though the Bears (3-11, 0-3) are winless in the MAC, Freese sees the Chippewas as the underdogs.
"I see a team with a record that is deceiving," Freese said. "Missouri State is a great offensive team and they got some great weapons. We need to be ready to go and challenge them. I think we need to make sure we're opportunistic on offense and finish the play."
CMU continues the game plan of keeping junior Kaysie Gregory at forward after the three-game stretch in California in the beginning of the season.
"Since then, I think our scoring has been better," Freese said.
The Chippewas are 3-1 and have scored nine goals since that road trip. Those nine goals have come against MAC opponents Longwood, Ball State and Miami.
Junior forward and midfielder Holly Scherer and Charlie Redhead have five goals each for the Bears. Their 10 combined goals are one-half of the Bears' scoring output this season.
"They're a great challenge, especially when a team has two really good scorers," Freese said. "Missouri State has a good counter attack and speed. We have to be on our toes."
CMU will play a non-league game at St. Louis (2-12) on Sunday at 1 p.m. and returns home to play Ohio in a MAC match on Saturday, Oct. 25.
