Soccer eliminated in MAC Tournament quarterfinals
After a long-fought game and a long-fought season, Central Michigan was left stunned when Buffalo scored in double overtime to knock off the Chippewas 2-1 on Sunday.
The loss eliminates CMU from the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
“It’s heartbreaking at the end of the season, especially for our seniors who’ve invested so much to lose and go out like this,” said head coach Jeremy Groves. “But I’m really happy, and I told them at the end of the game. (The seniors) helped turn the ship and move it in the right direction.
“Our fight all season has been great, the games we’ve lost, we’ve only lost by one goal, it’s a testament to our players, how hard they defend and how hard they work."
How it Happened
Buffalo got off to a quick start by scoring within the first 10 minutes off a penalty kick.
Fortunately, the Chippewas they were awarded a penalty keck of their own. CMU senior Amanda Britain took the kick, but UB’s keeper jumped to block it. Britain tried to go for the deflection but was stopped by a foul.
Another foul on Buffalo allowed CMU another penalty kick. CMU senior Samantha Kaye-Toral had the honors of taking the shot and striking the back of net tying the game at 1-1.
The Chippewas were playing from the back, staying on defense, and finding breakaways for their offense. Buffalo continued to push the goal, getting seven first-half corners.
CMU decided to apply pressure to their offensive attack in the second half, a strategy they’ve been using half the year.
With just over 10 minutes left CMU senior Maria Kaschalk had a reminiscent free kick opportunity like her heroic game-winning goal against Ohio a week earlier. Unfortunately she would be denied.
Even though the Chippewas are in postseason play, it did not stop them from going to their fifth-straight overtime appearance.
For the fourth time, the Chippewas find themselves in a second overtime.
The wind kicked up in UB’s favor as Buffalo junior Payton Robertson headed one off a corner kick for the game winning goal and to move on to the semi-finals.
“There was a couple of times where we made a couple of mistakes and gave away a couple of silly corners,” Groves said. “In the first half Buffalo came out and played really well, they put us under pressure right away, but I think we defended pretty well.”
Key Stats
UB had 15 shots and seven on goal compared to CMU’s nine shots and three on goal.
UB had 12 corner opportunities while CMU had only one corner.
There were 25 total fouls called, 13 on UB and 12 on CMU.
Key Performers
UB graduate student Marcy Barberic had the first goal of the game to go along with five shots and two on goal.
Robertson completed the corner kick by heading past CMU’s defense to win the game.
Kaye-Toral tied the game off her one and only shot.
Scoring Summary
1ST (08:26) UB (0-1) Marcy Barberic
1ST (15:55) CMU (1-1) Samantha Kaye-Toral
2OT (104:16) UB (1-2) Payton Robertson (Callaghan)
