Field Hockey And Cross Country Crowned MAC Champions
Nov. 2, 2002
MOUNT PLEASANT -- The Central Michigan University field hockey and men's cross country squads are the latest teams to hang Mid-American Conference championship banners in Rose Arena.
The field hockey squad was the first to be crowned MAC champions this weekend. The Chippewas had to settle for a share of the MAC regular season crown after falling to Kent State, 2-1, in OT on Saturday night. They clinched a share with a 3-1 win over Ohio on Friday. The Chippewas will be the second seed in the conference tournament next week in Oxford, Ohio, on the campus of Miami University. The Chippewas rallied behind the play of Kristy Reed (Lake Villa, Ill) and Janel Spero (Shoreham, N.Y.Sr.) this year. Reed is second in the MAC with 12 goals this season. Goaltender Spero leads the MAC in minutes played (1207:50), save percentage (.764) and goals against average (1.45). She has also recorded five shutouts.
The No.8-ranked men's cross country team unseated the preseason favorites, No. 7 Eastern Michigan, en route to their fifth MAC title. The Chippewas landed four runners on the All-MAC team. They were paced by Jake Flynn (Benzonia/So.), who took second in 24:03, and was a first-team honoree. Also winning first-team laurels was Tristen Perlberg (Bay City/So.) with a fourth-place showing (24:15). Taking second team All-MAC were Luke Humphrey (Sidney/Jr.) in seventh and Dave Ernsberger (Harbor Springs/Jr.) in 11th. The squad returns to action on November 16 when it participates in the Great Lakes Regional meet in West Lafayette, Indiana.