Central Michigan University Athletics
Ready to Get Rolling
2/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Lacrosse
Zach Libby, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Sara Tisdale admits that her competitiveness as a coach reflects her wanting to win, as her first opportunity comes Sunday in Ann Arbor, the site of the inaugural game for the Central Michigan women's lacrosse program.
The Chippewas have more than a month before their March 11 home opener and first Atlantic Sun Conference game in CMU's brand-new lacrosse-soccer stadium. In the meantime, the focus for Tisdale and the Chippewas is to make an impression, and their first chance comes against Michigan, which is in its third year of varsity lacrosse.d
"Michigan, we have a lot of respect for them, we know the coaches really well and we are excited to have them as our first opponent," Tisdale said.
Tisdale, who was named CMU's first lacrosse coach some 16 months ago, has a roster featuring 25 freshman and one sophomore. Their first collegiate game carries rivalry implications.
Tisdale is familiar with in-state battles. During her time as an assistant coach of the women's club team at Michigan State, she vividly recalls traveling to Michigan on two occasions when both the Spartans and Wolverines were at the club level.
"Overall, just the excitement that I felt when I was getting ready for that game and knowing that a lot of eyes are going to be on that game," Tisdale said of her experience at MSU. "There's just something special about playing someone like Michigan and you definitely get up for it."
Tisdale, a CMU graduate, has been in this position before. After leading the club program at MSU, she took over at NCAA Division III Augustana (Ill.) when that school added women's lacrosse in 2010.
Tisdale led Augustana to a combined 51-8 mark including a 19-1 slate in 2013, when they won the Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference regular-season and tournament championships, and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Tournament
The Chippewas go into their first game featuring a roster that represents 17 states and one Canadian province. Tisdale said she is looking for big things at Michigan's indoor complex, specifically from a midfield corps led by Jocelyne Lemay.
Lemay, from Peterborough, Ont., is known for playing in high-level situations with Team Canada, which she helped win the U19 World Championship last summer.
Anna Schoonover, another mid, was named on the Atlantic Sun's list of players to watch, along with Lemay.
"(Lemay) knows what it takes to win at a high level and we're hoping that it trickles down throughout the entire team," Tisdale said. "We're excited about Jocelyne and the experience that she brings. Overall, I could probably hit on almost every single player and the role that they bring, so we're coming into this game in a very team-focused way."
The Chippewas, Tisdale said, are hungry to get rolling and for the opportunity to be a part of many "firsts."
"We're excited to test our skills and see as a program what we've been working so hard for," Tisdale said. "We talked about the exciting things, first drive, first goal, and when everyone first arrived, that's what they came here for, is to be part of those firsts."
The Chippewas' first three games are on the road, including Feb. 20 at Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C., and at Cinicinnati on March 6.
CMU will take on Delaware State in its home opener on March 11. The league opener is set for March 30 at Detroit.
