Soccer hosts Detroit-Mercy

The soccer team will take its unbeaten home record into today’s game against the University of Detroit-Mercy.

The game starts at 4 p.m. at the CMU Soccer Complex.

The Chippewas (4-3) are 3-0 at home this season and are riding a two-game winning streak, but senior forward Amanda Waugh said the team is focusing on the game instead of its accomplishments.

“I think we’re pretty even-keeled right now,” she said. “We don’t want to get full of ourselves.”

CMU will play a Titans (2-3-1) team which has struggled recently. Detroit has won one game in its past five after being picked to finish fifth in the Horizon League preseason poll.

Detroit-Mercy returns its two leading scorers from last year in senior midfielder Trina Kochanski and junior midfielder/forward Selena Stanski.

But the Titans have relied on freshmen for its offense this year. All five of its goals this year were scored by the freshmen duo of Nina Carter and Sarah Dzuris.

Senior Alauna Pierce will lead the Titans’ defense. She has played in every minute this season after getting 13 starts last year.

The Titans also tend to start fast, having outscored their opponents 4-3 in the first half of games this season.

Playing smart

Anagnost said it will be important for the Chippewas to come out ready to play smart from the opening whistle.

“We got to come out with a lot of energy and intensity, and that is always going to be most important with focus and confidence,” he said. “The other thing is for us to implement and improve on a couple of the things we’ve worked on this week.”

However, Anagnost said his team cannot be satisfied with just controlling the possession to start the game. He said CMU has to do a better job of getting on the scoreboard early in the game. The last two games ended in 1-0 wins with Central scoring late in regulation or in overtime to win.

“I felt like we have started out okay, but we haven’t shown it on the scoreboard,” Anagnost said. “I think what we have missed out on is finishing our chances.”