Soccer wins seventh consecutive game

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Senior Molly Gerst shot a penalty kick into the back right of the net to put CMU ahead 1-0 a minute and 25 seconds into the game Sunday.

Gerst got the penalty kick after Buffalo defender Jennifer Mihok received a red card after stopping the ball from going into the back of the net with her hands.

And with that, CMU (9-3, 4-0) earned its seventh consecutive win, scoring three more goals in a 4-0 victory over a Buffalo team that has not won a Mid-American Conference game since 2007.

Gerst said getting the early goal helped give her team confidence on the field.

“Having the confidence to know that I was going to go up and score a goal is good for the rest of the team and good for us to play off that mentality as well,” she said.

The win was Central’s seventh shutout, a new school record, and fourth straight to start MAC play.

“We are just working to not let any team get a shot off,” said sophomore Liesel Toth. “We really want to keep our shutout streak going because we take pride in our backline.”

Coach Tom Anagnost said the shutouts are a result of the entire team’s effort and its ability to control possession of the ball.

“It is not just (Shay Mannino) and our back four, although they have done a very good job,” he said. “Our team has defended really well. The other thing is the best defense is a good offense and, when you have it, the other team can’t score.”

A familiar start

The win marks the second consecutive season the Chippewas have started MAC play 4-0, but Anagnost said maturity is the biggest difference between this year and last year’s team.

“I think our team is a little more mature and that makes a difference,” he said. “The core leaders are back and I think we just have a little better feel, more confident, and a little more of a swagger.”

Freshman Autumn Hawkins found a hole while attacking Buffalo’s defense and passed the ball to Gerst, who scored her second goal of the game and fifth of the season, giving Central a 2-0 lead after 15 minutes in the first half.

Toth added another goal eight minutes later as she took a shot from 30 yards out and scored CMU’s third goal of the game.

“I saw that the goalie was off her line and I decided I was going to go for it,” she said.

Freshman Laura Twidle finished the scoring for CMU. Senior Amanda Waugh kept the ball alive on the endline and found Twidle crossing over, who gave Central its fourth goal of the game and her seventh on the season.

Another CMU Milestone

Martin entered her senior season needing only two points to become CMU’s all-time points leader. Injuries kept her off the field for the beginning of this season but, Friday, she was able to fire in the goal she needed to mark her place in the record books.

“It was more weight off my shoulders,” Martin said. “It feels good to get my first goal of the season and get back to contributing to the team.”

Martin had already earned the title of CMU’s all-time leading goal scorer last season with 25 total goals. Her 26th goal and 15 assists give her 67 career points.

“Its weird. I played with the girl whose record I broke, so it is kind of an odd feeling,” Martin said. “I never really thought about the record this season. I just wanted to play.”

After Martin’s goal, CMU added two more, including Autumn Hawkins’s first of the season, with nine minutes remaining to given Central a 3-0 win against Kent State, which had come into the weekend tied with CMU for the MAC lead.

The Chippewas next play Ball State at 4 p.m. Friday at the CMU Soccer Complex.