Women’s soccer opens regular season Friday against Detroit

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Central Michigan’s women’s soccer team looks to kick off the regular season Friday at the CMU Soccer Complex against Detroit Mercy.

After ending in a tie with the Titans last season, CMU expects a more positive outcome for this season’s match.

“I think last year’s game was very choppy and that is credit to Detroit,” head coach Neil Stafford said. “But we have to create and we have to score. If we can do that and keep a clean sheet then, we will be successful.”

Once again, the Chippewas defense is expected to be a major strength for their team. The past two seasons they have posted 32 shutouts and a 0.615 goals against average.

Seniors Liesel Toth and Claire Horton will help anchor the defensive side of the field as they look to extend their streak of starting every game in their collegiate careers.

However, the team will have to move on without goalkeeper Shay Mannino, the program’s all-time leader in wins, shutouts and goals against average.

But the team is confident that junior Stefanie Turner and red-shirt freshman Grace Labrecque will be able to fill that role admirably.

“It was hard losing Shay and the other seniors because it was a very good back line and we had our shutout streak with her,” Toth said. “But I have complete confidence in Turner and Labrecque and I am very excited to see what they can do.”

After a hard-fought exhibition loss to No. 13 ranked West Virginia, Toth is excited to begin regular season play and believes that the high level of competition has prepared the team for another successful season.

“It’s good to play against that kind of skill and quality, but we have that as well,” Toth said.

The Chippewas will face numerous other tough opponents such as: Pittsburgh, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan and Mid-American Conference favorite, Toledo—all which will require organized and disciplined play by the Chippewas to come out victorious.

But the team and coaching staff realize every opponent poses a threat and they need to focus on one game at a time.

“If you get too focused on anyone else besides the next opponent, then you are just going to shoot yourself in the foot,” Stafford said. “The schedule is very difficult, the competition is super competitive and we know that as soon as we get into conference play, that target is huge on our back and we need to be prepared to play in every game.”