Women’s soccer shuts out Ohio 1-0 Sunday

The women’s soccer team continued their dominant play at home on a gloomy Sunday afternoon when they topped the Ohio Bobcats 1-0.

Central Michigan (6-3-1, 2-0 Mid-American Conference) has not lost a game in Mount Pleasant since Oct. 19, 2008, when they lost 1-0 to Toledo.

The Chippewas came out firing with a quick goal less than five minutes into the match. Sophomore Laura Gosse scored her second goal of the season, unassisted from 25 yards out.

The team continued to dominate the first-half, despite not adding any more goals to the first half total. The Bobcats were limited to only two shots in the entire first half.

“We’re always impressed with our defense,” head coach Neil Stafford said. “They show up day-in and day-out, but I’m disappointed in the pressure we put on our own defense with our own mistakes.”

CMU had many opportunities to score in the first half but struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Junior Kaely Schlosser had an active first half, nearly scoring with a shot off the crossbar at the 30-minute mark. She added three more shots in the half.

Gosse and senior Ashley Mejilla tallied three shots each later in the half.

The first half was heavily played on the Bobcats side of the field, but junior goalkeeper Mattie Liston managed to only let one slip past her earlier in the half.

The momentum of the game seemed to switch as the sun started to shine in the second half.

“We struggled in the second half to maintain possession, unlike in the first half,” Schlosser said. “We need to maintain movement, because it gives more chances to score.”

CMU’s defense remained strong in the second half, limiting Ohio to only one shot on net.

The score of the game does not properly depict how the game was played. The Chippewas out shot the Bobcats 24 to 6 and had 12 shots on goal, which doubled the amount of total shots for the Bobcats.

“Losses normally wake a team up, but, in this situation, I think this win is a win that is going to wake our team up,” Stafford said.

CMU will travel to Kalamazoo Friday to take on in-state rival Western Michigan.