Soccer Works Overtime In Winning First In MAC

Thursday, September 30

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

7 p.m.

Central Michigan University

4-5, 1-2-0MAC

Northern Illinois

4-7, 1-2-0MAC

Northern Illinois

Central Michigan

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

9/30/2021 10:02:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Rachel Bednarz, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASNT, Mich. -- Samantha Kaye-Toral's first goal of the season could not have come at a better time.

Kaye-Toral scored seven minutes into overtime on Thursday, lifting Central Michigan to a 1-0 victory over Northern Illinois and giving the Chippewas their first Mid-American Conference game of the season.

"She did a really good job when she came in on Sunday (against Ball State)," CMU coach Jeremy Groves said of Kaye-Toral, who started on Thursday for the first time since the season opener. "That's why I put her in tonight from the start.

"Obviously, you see the bandage on her hand, she's had some injury problems, pretty bad ones; she's just getting over that which is good."

The Chippewas are 4-5-0, 1-2-0 MAC; NIU is 4-7-0, 1-2-0.

Central Michigan finished with a 13-8 advantage in shots including 8-4 in shots on goal. The Chippewas also finished with seven corner kicks to the Huskies' two.

"The thing I was most proud of today was everybody, from the people on the field to the people who were on the sideline, there was a lot of really good energy today," Groves said. "I'm hoping that this continues; the way we played was really good."

CMU goalkeeper Allison LaPointe made four saves in posting her fourth shutout of the season.

The Chippewas are scheduled to play at rival Western Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 3 (2 p.m.). The Broncos are 3-7-0, 1-2-0.