Central Michigan University
Kansas State
Familiar Script For Unbeaten CMU Soccer Team
8/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Zach Libby, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Four times the Central Michigan soccer team has scored first this season. Four times the Chippewas have won.
Two of those wins have been shutouts. The margin of victory in all four matches has been two goals, and the Chippewas have outscored their opponents 10-2 en route to a 4-0-0 start, their best since 2007.
Samantha Maher scored in the first half, Alexis Pelafas scored her sixth goal of the season in the second half, and Kristen Knutson posted the shutout Sunday as the Chippewas topped Kansas State, 2-0, at the CMU Soccer-Lacrosse Stadium.
"Very proud of the effort and the process that we put out today," CMU coach Peter McGahey said. "We showed today who we are. We played Chippewa soccer to get it done."
Maher, a senior, scored off a Madison Pogarch corner kick in the 20th minute. Pelafas, stationed in front of the net, headed Pogarch's corner kick to Maher, who had gotten position inside a Wildcat defender from in close on the wide-open net. Both Pogarch and Pelafas picked up assists.
Pelafas, a sophomore from Wheaton, Ill., maneuvered past a Wildcat defender to set up a one-on-one opportunity with Kansas State goalkeeper Tania Chassot. Pelafas unleased a quick shot to the bottom left corner of the goal to seal it in the 86th minute. Kayla Roodbeen assisted.
Pelafas, who scored a goal in a 3-1 win over Youngstown State on Friday, now has six goals on the season. She entered the weekend sharing the national lead in goals scored.
What has given Pelafas the opportunity to score consistently, McGahey said, is a collective effort. And while producing scoring chances isn't something that can be tangibly measured, the unselfishness overall has generated a well-run offensive unit.
"We have a very special player in Alexis and when you create one clean chance for her, the goal is scored," McGahey said. "The reality is if you can score goals on set pieces, I believe we have a team that can create chances during the run of play and I thought Alexis did a very good job in burying her one chance."
Knutson saw eight shots, and finished with one save. Three times in the second half Wildcat shots sailed over the crossbar.
For Knutson, a senior who transferred from Minnesota and who had never appeared in a CMU game until this season, it's all about the team.
"I have an amazing team," Knutson said. "I don't do much work; they do a lot and we work together really well. It's been an easy transition as far as players and cohesion."
The Chippewas brought heavy pressure to the KSU defense, finishing with 12 shots to the Wildcats' eight. The Chippewas had six shots on goal to Kansas State's one.
The Chippewas go to Michigan State for a non-league match on Saturday, Sept. 4 (1 p.m.). MSU is 1-1-1.
