Soccer advances in MAC Tournament with 1-0 victory over Western

The CMU soccer team needed just one goal Sunday to advance in the Mid-American Conference tournament.

Freshman Bailey Brandon sent the ball to freshman Ashley Mejilla, who put the ball into the back of the net to give the Chippewas a 1-0 win over Western Michigan at the CMU Soccer Complex.

Mejilla, who came into the game right before scoring, said it was that type of ball she was looking for once she got onto the field.

“We were trying to focus on getting the ball over the defensive line and getting through the midfield and getting behind,” she said. “So I kept thinking about that, and it translated into game. Bailey played a great ball and I just remained composed.”

The goal was Mejilla’s first of her career and sends CMU (15-3-2, 10-0-2) to the semifinals of the MAC Tournament, where it will face Toledo, who beat Ohio 3-1 to advance.

The 15 wins sets, a new CMU soccer record, previously held by the 1999 team.

Coach Tom Anagnost said players with multiple skill sets, such as Mejilla, are what make Central dangerous on the field.

“We have versatile players,” he said. “We have players that can play and give different looks out there. Ashley Mejilla is a great example of that.”

Although Central outshot the Broncos 20-7, senior keeper Sarah Phillips made four saves for Western. Anagnost said his team needs to be able to get its shots on net and finish its opportunities if it want to advance.

“If we are to get over the hump, we need to be able to finish our opportunities,” he said. “Today is a prime example of not finishing opportunities that should have been goals. We did not put a lot of our shots on target.”

Defense

Junior goalkeeper Shay Mannino made two saves for her 14th shutout on the season. Anagnost gave credit to the defense, including two players who performed well off the bench.

“Katie Slaughter is a lockdown defender,” he said. “Great athlete, physical, strong, and can jump. She is a very aggressive player and, defensively, she does an extraordinary job. On any given day, she could play the whole game.”

Anagnost said senior Kristen Pelkki also played well in today’s game, and has been important to the team during its latest stretch of games, which included facing No. 2 seed Eastern Michigan and Toledo.

“She has a lot of experience,” he said. “She has played in a lot of big games. She knows how to play tactically-athletically, she is very gifted. She has been giving us a lot of good minutes, especially the last few matches.”

Senior forward Amanda Waugh said her team did not come out the way it wanted to, and it cannot keep waiting until the second half to show what type of team it is.

“We haven’t really had a game where we really came out strong from the beginning,” she said. “As the game wears on, we tire them out and usually score on them in the second half, but we need to have a game where we score a goal early to put them on their heels.”

CMU plays Toledo at 11 a.m. Friday at the CMU Soccer Complex.