Goalkeepers make an impact on CMU women’s soccer team

• Tweet
• 

One goalkeeper was the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

The other was not even on the team to start the year.

However, both goalies — junior Shay Mannino and senior Kristen Hubright — came up with the big save the soccer team needed this weekend.

Mannino came up with the save when Miami (Ohio) senior Allison Berkey lined up for a penalty kick with 2:19 remaining in the MAC Championship game.

“I just went with that first instinct, and that is the way she chose,” she said.

It was one of just three saves for Mannino on the day.

However, coach Tom Anagnost said it was Mannino’s leadership and vocal skills that helped guide CMU to a championship — not just the one save.

“The biggest growth is her organizational and leadership of communicating during games,” Anagnost said.

Mannino also made other plays to help the defense.

CMU cleared a corner kick with a little less than 30 seconds remaining in the first half, but Miami sent the ball back into the 18-yard box. Mannino jumped in front of Miami forward Krysti Clarke and grabbed the ball before Clarke could generate a scoring opportunity.

Anagnost said it has been Mannino’s work both during the offseason and the season that has made her into a first-team All-MAC selection.

“Arguably, she is the hardest worker in the program and that I have coached,” he said. “When you do that, things eventually turn your way.”

Opportunity Knocks

After Mannino held Toledo scoreless Friday through 110 minutes, the coaches decided Hubright would be in goal for the Chippewas during the shootout.

Hubright was only on the team after an injury to Stephanie Turner left the team shorthanded on goalkeepers midway through the season. Anagnost asked Hubright if she would return after leaving the team before her senior season for health and personal reasons. Hubright agreed.

Anagnost looked to Hubright with a trip to the conference championship on the line.

“Kristin Hubright is extremely talented at reactionary shots,” Anagnost said after Friday’s win. “She’s the most talented goalie I’ve ever coached in that regard. So it wasn’t an off-the-wall decision.”

Although the coaches did not tell Hubright that she would be their pick to play in the shootout, she said she had a feeling that she would be the one the coaches would call on.

“The coaches hadn’t exactly told me straight out but, throughout practices, the girls had confidence in me,” she said. “They hated taking penalty kicks on me during practice. They would try to go to me first to get it over with.”

Hubright had been warming up on the sideline during the second overtime to get herself ready. She had not played since Oct. 28, 2007, when she made a save in 45 minutes of game action against Western Michigan. She said being a goalie in a shootout, she needs to believe and see herself making the save.

“Warming up, it was more of a mentality than anything,” she said.

After each team had hit the post in their first attempt and both teams converted on their second attempt, Liesel Toth made her shot to put CMU ahead 2-1.

It was then that Hubright made arguably her biggest save of her CMU career.

Hubright dove to the right and turned away Toledo’s Kristen Lynn’s shot.

“Usually, their hips and plant foot will point to the direction they’re going,” she said. “So it’s kind of a, ‘Read it really quick and then react in the right way.’”