Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Win in Overtime
10/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Kaelyn Korte took a perfect pass from Madison Pogarch and blasted it past the Bowling Green keeper in the first overtime Sunday as the Central Michigan soccer team defeated the Falcons, 1-0, in a Mid-American Conference match at the CMU Soccer-Lacrosse Stadium.
The win completed a four-point weekend for the Chippewas, who played Eastern Michigan to a scoreless tie on Friday. CMU is 4-7-2 overall, 3-2-1 MAC.
The Chippewas finished with a season-high 29 shots against the Falcons after collecting 23 on Friday against Eastern.
"I think that what feels best about today is that I am proud of how we responded after a frustrating performance on Friday," CMU coach Peter McGahey said. "Granted, you have to go to overtime, granted you hit the post three times, but they kept persevering and they showed really good resilience today."
The Chippewas also showed a level of desire, McGahey said, that perhaps had been lacking in Friday's tie. CMU outshot the Falcons, 29-11, and held a 9-1 edge in corner kicks.
"I think they played with a really good hunger today, really good hunger, to make plays and an eagerness to get on the ball," he said. "And I really thought as the game went on, our collective spirit as a team and their willingness to share the ball was really quite good
"It was the difference in the game today, the end pass that's collective that's a belief in the we and not in the me and I think that is really what stood out in the performance today."
CMU freshman goalkeeper Zoie Reed made four saves in posting her fifth shutout.
The game's lone goal came when Pogarch managed to get free in front of the net, drew a defender, and found a wide-open Korte, who drilled the game-winner high from about 12 yards.
"I saw Po get the ball," Korte said, "we were all dead tired, but I saw space and knew I had to get there, so I sprinted as fast as I could and she played the perfect ball and I put it where I found space.
"I knew I had to put it in the net, I didn't want to waste it and I didn't want it to be a bad shot so I made sure to put it where the goalie wasn't."
Bowling Green is 6-7-1, 2-4-0. The weekend brought the Chippewas just beyond the midway point of the MAC schedule. They make a road trip to Akron and Buffalo next weekend.
"Now we go on the road to Akron and Buffalo, which is a difficult road trip," McGahey said. "I think it's important to have a good quality performance and you leave here feeling good about your confidence and good about your team.
"Don't forget: you may have only scored one goal this weekend, but you shut two teams out too. And defensively you're not giving away quality chances and those things and I think that shows good balance with the team."
