Central Michigan University
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Western Michigan
Breakthrough Win at Western Tinged With Emotion
9/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Cullen Maksimowski, CMUChippewas.com
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — On several fronts, Sunday's 2-1 victory for the Central Michigan soccer team over Western Michigan was big.
It put the Chippewas back on the good side of things after their 4-0 loss on Friday at Northern Illinois; it came in come-from-behind fashion, as Western seized a 1-0 lead early in the second half; it snapped a three-game losing streak to the Broncos; and it came with an emotional nod to the program's recent past.
Freshman Marle Bringard scored off a Lauren Sherry assist in the 72nd minute to lift the Chippewas to their first victory over the Broncos since 2012. It was also fourth-year CMU coach Peter McGahey's first victory over Western, the defending MAC Tournament champion.
"I am very proud of the way the team performed today," McGahey said. "I thought it was just a really good college soccer game with a lot of intensity and emotion against a real tough Western Michigan team."
Alexis Pelafas scored her 10th goal of the season, unassisted, in the 61st minute to tie it 1-1. Emma Hahn scored in the 50th minute to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead.
The win came on the heels of CMU's 4-0 MAC loss at Northern Illinois on Friday. CMU improved to 9-1-0, 1-1-0. Western, which opened MAC play on Friday with a 5-0 win over Eastern Michigan, is 7-3-0, 1-1-0.
"The resiliency that we showed over the weekend, the character that we showed (Sunday) is indicative of the team," McGahey said. "You have to make Friday be an anomaly.
"To scratch back after we conceded the first goal (to Western), the grittiness, the character in the team, and the leadership on our team, to understand you have to gut it out and do it our way, and keep grinding."
The Chippewas had dropped each of their last three meetings to the Broncos, each by a 1-0 score. CMU's win in 2012, also 1-0, came on a goal by the late Josie Seebeck. It was her only goal as a Chippewa. She died in a car wreck prior to the 2013 season.
McGahey said his team's performance on Sunday evoked memories of Seebeck, and the way she played.
"Nobody was grittier than Josie -- the character and the grittiness we showed," he said. "This team is really trying to embody that. I thought we led with that character and grit and we saw the fruit of that commitment.
"Marle Bringard with the game-winner for her first-career goal, and it comes in a win at Western, that was pretty special."
Western outshot the Chippewas, 15-8, and held a 2-1 edge in corner kicks.
After a rough outing Friday at NIU, senior goalkeeper Kristen Knutson bounced back with a solid performance, making two saves.
The Chippewas return home next weekend for a pair of MAC games with Miami (Ohio) on Friday (6 p.m.) and Ball State on Sunday (1 p.m.). The RedHawks are 4-4-1, 1-0-1; Ball State is 7-2-1, 2-0-0.
