Soccer plays Purdue at opening round of NCAAs
The soccer team will play in its first-ever NCAA tournament game today in South Bend.
Central (16-3-3) plays Purdue (12-5-3) at 5 p.m., with the winner playing the winner of No. 2 seed Notre Dame and IUPUI.
CMU has only lost to Big Ten teams this year — Indiana, Michigan and Michigan State — during its 16-3-3 season. Purdue finished fourth in the Big Ten.
The Boilermakers tied for the highest-scoring offense in the Big Ten, scoring 39 goals.
Sophomore Liesel Toth said the entire team is going to have to defend as a unit for CMU to shut down Purdue.
“No matter what, we are going to try to get the job done,” she said. “And that’s to not let Shay (Mannino) get scored on, and that becomes everyone’s job. The forwards do their part, the midfield, the defense, Shay — we all do our part.”
Purdue is led by senior co-captain Jessica Okoroafo, who leads the team with 8 goals and 20 points, which places her seventh in the Big Ten. CMU gave up nine goals to Big Ten opponents in three games despite holding Mid-American Conference opponents to just one goal in 14 games.
Senior Sylvia Forbes added six more goals for the Boilermakers this year, with senior Katie Seeger and sophomore Katie Leinert each adding four more.
How to win
CMU freshman defender Bailey Brandon said one of the keys to defending Purdue’s attack will be communicating.
“I try to talk as much as I possibly can,” she said. “That is something we definitely stress at practice.”
Although Purdue’s offense led the Big Ten in goals, its defense excelled as well.
While Forbes is an offensive threat, she also is an important piece of the defense, which led to her naming to the All-Big Ten First Team.
Central comes into the game riding a 17-game unbeaten streak while allowing one goal during that stretch.
Brandon said it has been important the team stay confident during that stretch without becoming over-confident.
“It’s awesome that we are getting national publicity but, at the same time, the level head on everyone’s shoulder around me is amazing,” Brandon said.
Purdue has played two Mid-American Conference teams this season, defeating Ohio in the team’s opener 5-0 Aug. 21 and Ball State 6-1 Sept. 7.
