Toledo no match as soccer rolls to 3-0 victory
On a wet and windy day, the Central Michigan soccer offense finally flashed their potential.
First-year coach Jeremy Groves has spoken all season long about the offensive potential of the Chippewas.
A glimpse of the future could be seen in Sunday’s Mid-American Conference matchup. The Chippewas (7-2-2, 4-2 MAC) defeated Toledo (4-10, 1-5 MAC), 3-0, with freshmen providing two of the three goals.
“Like I’ve told you all along,” Groves said, "once a couple of people start scoring, it's going to become a habit. We spent a whole bunch of time finishing, and I think now it’s coming out, and we’re starting to score.”
Senior goalkeeper Zoie Reed earned her fifth shutout of the season, making three saves throughout the game. The Rockets were only able to get six shots off against the Chippewa defense, of which three were on goal.
CMU controlled the ball for most of the game.
Freshman Lauren DeBeau opened the scoring for the Chippewas when she scored in the 26th minute from about 12 yards out to notch her second goal of the season.
Groves said earlier in the season that once DeBeau scored her first goal during the regular pace of play, that many more would be on the way.
“I think Lauren needed that goal,” Groves said. “Hopefully, now she’ll kick on from here and keep scoring.”
The Chippewas doubled their lead when freshman Cassidy Pettinger scored her first collegiate career goal in the 35th minute.
“They’re not really freshmen anymore,” Groves said, referring to DeBeau and Pettinger. “They’ve played in a bunch of games; we’ve trained a whole bunch. We’ve got some experience.”
Early in the second half, junior defender Maria Kaschalk sent a corner into the box that found senior Marle Bringard, who was able to head the ball past Toledo goalkeeper Adrianna Brewer to push the Chippewa lead to 3-0.
The header was Bringard’s team-leading fifth goal of the season.
With the win against Rockets, the Chippewas earned another three points in the standings that will bump them up to third in the conference, depending on the result of the game between Ball State and Western Michigan.
CMU will visit Athens on Friday to take on Ohio. The Bobcats are currently the fifth-best team in the MAC.
Following that game, the Chippewas will take on Kent State in Ohio on Oct. 20. The Golden Flashes are coming off a 2-0 win over Akron.
