Chippewas Draw With Buffalo, 2-2; Dobrowolski Score Nearly Stands as Game Winner

Thursday, October 5

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

7 PM

Central Michigan University

2-4-4, 1-3-1

Buffalo

5-2-5, 2-1-2

Buffalo

Central Michigan

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Chippewas Draw With Buffalo, 2-2; Dobrowolski Score Nearly Stands as Game Winner

10/5/2023 10:21:00 PM | Soccer

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In just her third game back from a year-long absence, Jaelyn Dobrowolski scores through traffic to take a 2-1 lead late over the league’s preseason favorite

By: Harrison LaLone

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — A rebound to complete a rebound.

Jaelyn Dobrowolski (Traverse City, Mich. / TC West) returned from a full-year hiatus in last week's matchup with Western Michigan but returned to form in Thursday night's draw with Buffalo, 2-2, with a strike through traffic in the 74^th minute that took a 2-1 lead.
Central Michigan Soccer settled for one point toward the Mid-American Conference standings despite overcoming a third-minute goal for a 2-1 lead with just over 15 minutes to play.

"We are so disappointed to give up a late one tonight, after such a disciplined performance," Head Coach Jeremy Groves said.

The Chippewas (2-4-4, 1-3-1 MAC) went right to work after the early setback, allowing just two shots from the Bulls (5-2-5, 2-1-2 MAC) until they found their way back in.

Claudia Muessig (Paw Paw, Mich. / Paw Paw) hit from outside the 18' toward the right corner with the Buffalo keeper out of position thanks to one of multiple solid runs from Cece Mernatti (St. Clair Shores, Mich. / Lakeview) on the night.

Matilda Melin (Örnsköldsvik, Sweden / Nolaskolan) came away with a point from Dobrowolski's rebound score. The run was initiated again by Mernatti down the left sideline with a cross to Melin front-and-center inside the 18'.

Two defensive players usually listed as forwards came through in the meantime in support of keeper Allison LaPoint (Royal Oak, Mich. / Shrine Catholic). Between the 62^nd and 66^th minutes, Lauren Walker (Essexville, Mich. / Garber) and Elizabeth Chlystun (Zionsville, Ind. / Zionsville Community) each made incredible stops in one-on-one situations.

The Bulls finally found their equalizer with less than seven minutes to go.

"It was really the first few minutes and the last few minutes that cost us," Groves said.

The defense remained vigilant in the final minutes with two saves, one from LaPoint with less than four minutes to go but another that will go down as a "team save" in the box score. With a mess of bodies inside the 18', a heads-up play from Brooke Carroll (Laguna Niguel, Calif. / Aliso Niguel) in the 85^th minute may have preserved the draw as she plucked an attempt poised for the lower-left corner out of the box.

"I'm so proud of the way our group responded this week after a tough one last week. We have lots of positives to take from the game and build."

Central Michigan Soccer will take on its final road Sunday match of the 2023 regular season with a visit to Kent State for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Dix Stadium. The schedule flips to road Thursdays, home Sundays for the Chippewas next week as a visit to Ohio precedes a 1 p.m. homecoming-weekend kickoff with Akron Oct. 15.

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