Lacrosse plays first home competitions in program history
The wait is over. A new era of Central Michigan athletics has finally arrived in Mount Pleasant.
Central Michigan lacrosse hosted three teams for its Fall Play day. The exhibition was the first time CMU played organized lacrosse in front of the home crowd at its new Soccer/Lacrosse complex.
CMU faced Grand Valley State and Findlay, falling to the Lakers 10-3 before rebounding in its afternoon game against the Oilers to tie 11-11.
Head Coach Sara Tisdale was happy to showcase her team at home in the final games of the fall exhibition season.
“(They are) great opponents and close friends of ours,” Tisdale said. “We really respect them as opponents. It was a good test in both games for our girls.”
The Chippewas faced GVSU on Sunday morning to open up play. The Chippewas welcomed lacrosse to the new complex by dropping a 10-3 decision.
The Chippewas struck first by scoring two quick goals, including one from freshman midfielder Anna Schoonover. The Lakers, however, would go on to score 10 of the game’s last 11 goals.
“We started out really strong and then we kind of got on our heels a little bit and then thought we could take some plays off,” Tisdale said. “Putting together that full 60-minute effort it is something we definitely need some improvement on.”
CMU rebounded for game two. After trailing 3-0 early, freshman midfielder Summer Abdalla scored to put the Chippewas on the board.
With about 12 minutes left in the first half and down 5-2, Findlay received a yellow card after striking CMU freshman midfielder Elizabeth Navin. A minute later, freshman attacker Holly Billett cut the lead to 5-3.
Navin said the extra body helped the Chippewas regain some momentum.
“When we have a man up, it makes it a lot easier to stay on track and work against them because they are working harder than we have to work,” Navin said.
CMU trailed 6-4 in the second half when freshman midfielder Jocelyn Lemay scored two straight goals to tie it up. Later down 11-8, the Chippewas’ used the fourth goal of the game from Lemay and two others to tie the game at 11.
With 2.7 seconds left, Lemay scored what would have been her fifth goal of the game and the game-winner, but it was called back. A free shot at the end from Lemay was saved by Findlay to seal the tie.
“It was overwhelming,” Lemay said. “Everyone was screaming. It was crazy. It’s just fall ball, so we have to learn from that right now and hopefully it will happen again in a game that counts.”
Tisdale said she would take the end of that game any day and is happy to have a player like Lemay on her team. She also said Lemay was named the team’s “speaking captain” for the scrimmage.
“Jocelyn’s awesome,” Tisdale said. “She’s such a special player. She’s a great, young woman and such a leader for our program.”
The home fans were treated to an intense second game and witnessed history in the first home competitions in CMU lacrosse history. The team said the fan support gave them a great boost.
“When you have a crowd it really gives more energy to everyone on the field,” Navin said. “Even our team on the sidelines was engaged which helped pump anyone up.”
Tisdale loved the support, including the support of the parents of her players.
“Our families are awesome,” Tisdale said. “When you put the love and support that we have in the stands it really makes this place more special than it already is.”
Lemay echoed her head coach’s thoughts.
“A lot of us haven’t seen our parents all year,” Lemay said. “It was nice to have a bunch of people in the stands cheering us on and supporting us.”
It was not just parents in the stands, but students as well. Men’s basketball players were in attendance, including freshman guard Corey Redman.
Redman said he plans on attending more lacrosse games come springtime.
“It’s cool having another sport come on,” Redman said. “I’ve never really watched girls lacrosse, so I wanted to check it out. Plus, I know some of them.”
Lacrosse has concluded their fall exhibitions. Their next game will be the season opener at Michigan on Sunday, Feb. 7.
Lemay said the group will look to condition and train to gear up for their actual season as participants in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
“I think in February we’ll be ready to play,” she said.
Tisdale will use Sunday’s contests as a learning tool for the team going in to its short offseason break.
“I think for us it was getting up and getting excited and really wanting it,” she said. “For a lot of these young ladies, things came pretty easy to them in high school and now they have to push themselves. You saw that happen (against Findlay). When that happens it is really exciting.”
