Staff Reporter Matthew Valinski breaks down the other teams in the women’s soccer Mid-American Conference tournament.

No. 2 Eastern Michigan

The Eagles will get a chance to avenge a regular season loss to Miami for a chance to advance to its second consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship game.

Eastern Michigan is led offensively by senior forward Ashley Rodrigues, who leads the MAC with nine goals this season.

Coach Scott Hall said Rodrigues’ knowledge on the field sets her apart.

“She has a great soccer sense,” he said. “Whether she has the ball or she doesn’t, she is truly dangerous on the field. She has really learned to adjust herself and the style of play to the rest of the team.”

Helping Rodrigues offensively is junior Paige Sheridan. She is second on the team with 13 points and scored the only goal against Central Michigan during the MAC season. Sophomore Chelsea Detrick, who led the MAC with 11 goals last year, has scored five goals this season.

Defensively, Hall said EMU has two junior goalkeepers capable of keeping the team at top form in Maggie Manville and Monique Budani.

Both have played and started in 10 games this season and each has five shutouts. They are the top two goalkeepers in the MAC in terms of save percentage (.909 and .900 respectively).

“Both of them have different specialties,” Hall said. “Depending on the team we’re playing, we can mix and match which one will play against that team depending on which one fits better against how that team plays.”

While Eastern Michigan has outscored its opponents 9-6 in first halves of games, it has done its damage in the second half, outscoring its opponents 19-7.

We typically play 15, 16 players a game,” Hall said. “Even the players coming off the bench give us an added boost, just as the players on the field, so we don’t really lose anything when we sub.”

No. 5 Toledo

The Rockets are looking for a MAC-record fourth consecutive MAC Tournament Championship.

Although Toledo has an experience edge on all three other teams, coach Brad Evans said he does not think it will be a factor because it comes down to who is playing the best on Friday and Sunday, not last year.

Toledo is led by a senior class that has yet to lose a MAC tournament game and includes two-time reigning MAC Player of the Year Molly Cornwell.

“She is the most competitive player I have ever coached,” Evans said.

Tied for the lead in the MAC with nine assists, Cornwell also has scored four goals to lead Toledo with 17 points.

Cornwell is helped at the forward line by former high school teammate and current Toledo senior Ali Leak, who leads the team with 6 goals, along with senior Heather Wesley, third on the team with four goals.

Evans said this year’s team has grown stronger because of what the season has dealt them.
“We have gone through so many injuries this year,” he said, “There has been plenty of times we could falter and we haven’t.”

In goal for Toledo will be sophomore Vicki Traven who, after a freshman campaign that ended with being named MAC Freshman of the Year, has played well enough to be tied for third in the MAC with six shutouts.

“She has excellent reaction,” Hall said. “She is a very good shot-blocker and she has proven to be consistent with balls out of the air.”

No. 6 Miami (OH)

Miami is looking to reach its first MAC Tournament final since winning three consecutive MAC Tournament Championships from 2000-03.

The RedHawks made the semifinals after avenging a regular-season loss to Akron, beating the Zips 2-0 Sunday at Akron.

Now Miami is switching places with Akron against Eastern Michigan as the Eagles attempt to avenge a regular-season 1-0 loss Miami handed them Oct. 9 in Ypsilanti.

“It will be a chess-match of players trying to break each other down during the game,” Eastern Michigan coach Scott Hall said. “As a fan, this will be a fun game to watch. You got players who can attack and defend.”

Two-time First team All-MAC selection Sara Lund is leading the team in goals for the third consecutive season with seven, including three in the team’s past seven games. All three goals came with her coming off the bench.

However, the scoring is coming from more than just one player, as nine RedHawks have more than two goals on the season.

Senior Allison Berkey is tied with Lund for the team lead with 16 points and is second on the team with six goals, and senior Kersta Carlson is tied for the MAC lead with nine assists.

As a team, Miami has scored three goals or more in seven games, all wins.

Miami will have another senior helping at goalie. Krista Pace has been starting since her freshman year.

Pace is third in the MAC in goals-against average (.61) and save percentage (.879). Pace also is second in the MAC with eight shutouts.

E-mail the author: Matthew Valinski