CMU field hockey after first win this weekend
The Central Michigan women’s field hockey team looks to leave its slow start in the past this weekend when they host Providence in their home opener at 2 p.m. Saturday at the CMU Field Hockey Complex.
“I look at the Providence game as a game between two teams hungry for a win,” said CMU head coach Cristy Freese. “Their record is deceiving. I think they’re a very good team, and we’re going to have to play really well to come out with a win.”
The team will have little time to let the game sink in, however, as it has to turn around and travel to Ann Arbor for a 1 p.m. game Sunday against Michigan.
In their last meeting last season, CMU shut out the Wolverines 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Pam Seufert.
“It’s a rivalry for us and we always play well against them. They’re a bigger school than us and it’s always fun to play against them,” said senior back Kim Sihota.
All three teams enter the weekend winless, with both Providence and U-M coming into the weekend 0-4. “I really look at all three teams this weekend, including us, as teams hungry for a win,” Freese said.
Looking to regroup
With two weeks off following the Champions Invitational in East Lansing, the last time CMU played a game, the team has been working to correct the holes in its game.
“We’ve been working on our moving together as a unit,” Sihota said. “I think (the tournament) motivated us to do better this weekend and to know that we can never have that score again.”
CMU (0-2) dropped both games in East Lansing to open the season, losing 4-2 to host Michigan State, ranked seventh in the nation, and 9-0 against No. 13 Louisville.
Junior Brooke Sihota netted both of the team’s goals in the tournament, matching her 2008 total and coming within two of her goal total in 2009.
The Chippewas were outshot by more than a 6-to-1 margin over the two games, totaling 11 to their opponents’ combined 67 shots.
Freshman Carissa Flocken and junior Anastasia Netto both saw time in net in the tournament. Flocken played all 70 minutes against MSU, giving up four goals. She was relieved in the second game by Netto after giving up five early goals.
“I know the first weekend we were a little over our heads in terms of competition, but we’re ready for this weekend and to see where these two weeks have taken us,” Freese said.
Netto will get the start in net Saturday, though Sunday’s start will depend on her performance against Providence.
“(Anna) has been real strong and is going to start in goal Saturday,” Freese said. “Her playing time will depend on her play.”
