Personnel changes help team's defensive play
Brian ManzulloDespite its poor record, the field hockey team has corrected its defense by doing some personnel shifting.
CMU began the season allowing 23 goals on 80 shots in its first five outings.
However, since then, the team lowered both of those numbers significantly. The team only has allowed 38 shots and 13 goals in four games.
"From earlier in the season we have moved some people around a little bit," said coach Cristy Freese. "One big difference is putting Kim Erasmus at sweeper - which is last position before the goalkeeper - and moving Kim Sihota from midfield to defense. In fact I think Erasmus and Allison Kist are the only original starters on defense."
The team has outshot its opponents in all but three contests this season. CMU had more than twice the amount of shots than its opponent twice in the last four games.
"We have been playing well and we need to continue to do that," Freese said. "The only thing we haven't been able to do is put a good defensive effort in with a good offensive effort at the same time."
Despite outshooting four consecutive opponents, Central could not manage to break into the win column in this stretch, losing all four games by a single goal.
"It is frustrating being so close and outshooting and outplaying a team and still not coming away with a W," said senior Samantha Sandham. "We just got to keep doing what we are doing and making those small changes that will bring us wins."
The most recent frustrating game came last weekend against Indiana. The team outshot the Hoosiers 25-11, but failed to get on the score sheet, falling 1-0 in overtime.
The team has an overall record of 1-8 and an 0-3 mark in the Mid-American Conference.
However, Freese said the team's record is deceiving.
"I think we are a better team than our record shows," she said. "I think Indiana found out that we are a lot better than our record shows and I couldn't believe that they walked off with a win there."
The team hopes to take this improved style of play into the weekend where it will get back into MAC play at Ball State and a rematch against Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
"I feel that our kids are in really good shape and we have been doing good things in practice," Freese said. "I think it is a little easier for our kids to stay positive and be encouraged because they can feel that we are playing well. We just have to keep building on that and see where it leads us."
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