Team overcomes slow start to finish above .500 in MAC
After a slow start to the Mid-American Conference season, the field hockey team turned its season around and finished with a 6-4 mark.
CMU, which finished 9-11 overall, lost its first three games to start out in a 0-3 hole. The team would respond, however, by stringing together a 6-1 record in its final seven games.
"I am very proud of the team for their ability to stay focused and positive," said coach Cristy Freese. "They were really able to turn it around and have a really positive second half of the season."
Freese said one of the quality wins came in a1-0 shutout on Oct. 19 against the defending MAC Champion, Ohio. The two teams met twice this season and the Chippewas came away with a split.
"Coming into the season, I thought we would have won the season series against them (Ohio)," Freese said. "The two games we played against them were completely night and day in comparison. They won the first game 4-3 in a shoot-out, and we feel we gave them that game, and the second game was a defensive battle."
The Chippewas were led in most offensive categories by senior Samantha Sandham, including goals (15), points (39) and shots (94). Sandham finished with 10 more goals than Amanda Lucik, the team's second-leading scorer.
"I think since (Sandham) has gotten here she has had the weight of the world on her shoulders," Freese said. "She knows that her job was to create goals by either scoring them or assisting. I thought she did a very good job."
Sandham was selected as the MAC Player of The Year.
Other Chippewas received honors for their successful season. Freshman Kim Erasmus was named first team All-MAC while senior Moyra Betuzzi was named second team.
The Chippewas ended their season in a 4-1 to Kent State, the only MAC team that they failed to defeat in during the season.
"We came up against Kent State and they are the best in the league," Sandham said. "That is just the luck of the draw."
The two teams met three times this year and CMU went 0-3, including a loss in the MAC Tournament semifinals. Kent State won the tournament championship, beating defending champion Ohio 1-0 last weekend.
The team will lose six seniors from the 2008 roster, but Freese feels that the team will be fine next season.
"The freshmen from this year were brought in with the thought of replacing these players, knowing that they were leaving," she said. "Also, our recruiting class is looking pretty good, we have had six kids come in for visits and we have five verbal agreements. So obviously what Central Michigan has is attractive."
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