Soccer team should be proud, despite second-round loss
The Central Michigan University women’s soccer players should not let Sunday’s 6-1 loss to No. 5 Notre Dame get to them.
What they accomplished leading up to that game should be applauded.
It was CMU’s first loss since Sept. 6, when it lost 4-0 to Michigan State. Only one goal was allowed since. The team finished 17-4-3, its best finish in history, along with a 9-0-2 Mid-American Conference record.
The Chippewas also came off a 2-0 win Friday over No. 24 Purdue, their first Big Ten win of the season after three losses, in their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
Sure, Sunday was ugly, with Notre Dame scoring just minutes into the game. But it was the No. 5 team in the country.
The team still had an admirable run to ease attention away from the CMU football team which, along with the wrestling team, carries the school’s lone MAC championships since 2005, when the field hockey team won the MAC Tournament.
The team could get even better next year despite losing seniors Molly Gerst, Stephanie Martin, Amanda Waugh, Kristen Pelkki and Kristen Hubright. Goalkeeper Shay Mannino, after setting a school record with a 0.60 goals-against adverage this year, will return next season as a senior.
Also returning are defenders Bailey Brandon and Liesel Toth, along with forward Chelsi Abbott and a slew of other players who provided great contributions this season.
Coach Tom Anagnost, in his first full season, should be proud of himself and his players — the 2009 soccer season was easily beyond anything we expected. Other CMU sports teams should follow suit this spring.
