Field hockey in season's last stretch
The field hockey team can improve on its struggles starting Thursday in its most important stretch of the year.
The fourth-seeded Chippewas face No. 5 seed Ball State at 1 p.m. in the Mid-American Conference Tournament's quarterfinal game in Oxford, Ohio.
Central (5-13 overall, 4-6 MAC) split its two regular season matches with Ball State (5-13, 3-7), with each team winning on its home field. CMU defeated the Cardinals 3-0 on Sept. 30 and Ball State returned the favor Oct. 21 by beating the Chippewas 2-1.
The Chippewas have waited all year for this part of the season, and need three victories in three days to win a conference title. But first, they are doing all they can to not look past the Cardinals.
"We've taken notes so we'll be prepared for it," said Samantha Sandham. "Everyone in the MAC has players who play tough and every game is important, so we just have to take it one game at a time."
Sandham, a junior forward, leads CMU with 20 points.
Sophomore forward Brooke MacGillivary leads BSU. MacGillivary was a MAC Player of the Week this season with a hat trick Oct. 6 against Missouri State and leads the Cardinals with 33 points and 15 goals and is second in the conference. Her .88 goals per game average is the best in the MAC.
CMU will counter with Sandham and junior forwards Kelly Jordan and Moyra Betuzzi. Sandham's 10 assists are tied for first in the MAC, while Jordan is fifth in the conference in scoring at 0.55 goals per game. Betuzzi also has made an impact, scoring 0.33 goals per game.
"The player on our team that deserves a lot of credit is Mo (Betuzzi). Mo just plays," said coach Cristy Freese. "I really have been impressed with her play."
Both teams are familiar with each other, but appear to be heading in different directions.
After starting MAC play 0-4, Ball State has been 3-3 its past six games, including wins against the Chippewas and Kent State.
Meanwhile, CMU has lost its last four conference games.
The Chippewas know the key to ending their losing streak rests with the offense's ability to generate more shots and penalty corners.
"I think we need to be able to get past their defense and then we go from there," said freshman goalkeeper Louise Gericke. "If we can't score we can't win."
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