Sports Update: Soccer wins NCAA opening round game


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The soccer team defeated Purdue 2-0 in the opening round of the NCAA tournament Friday. (Paige Calamari/Staff Photographer)

The season continues for the soccer team.

In its first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, CMU defeated No. 24 Purdue 2-0 on Friday in South Bend.

The Chippewas advance to play No. 5 Notre Dame at 1 p.m. on Sunday in South Bend.

“This isn't just the biggest win this year,” said coach Tom Anagnost. “This is the biggest victory in the program's history because of who we played and beat.”

CMU almost got on the scoreboard within the first five minutes when a Bailey Brandon throw-in was punched away by Jenny Bradfisch to junior Jenna Hill who fired her shot over the crossbar from 10 yards away.

“We won a lot of balls,” Anagnost said. “Our forwards were trying to get behind them and get them off balance and I thought that helped.”

Purdue answered back with opportunities of its own.

With 19 minutes to go in the first half freshman Vanessa Ibewuike passed a through ball to fellow freshman Remi Gibba which keeper Shay Mannino rushed out at and had the ball deflected for a corner kick.

On the ensuing corner kick, Mannino caught the ball in the middle of multiple Boilermakers.

Mannino made six saves on the night, but it was the crosses that Purdue was sending in that Mannino had to step forward and catch before the Boilermakers could finish the opportunity.

“They had a lot of tall girls so I just had to read it well and time it quickly,” she said.

Central got on the scoreboard on a corner of its own when with 13 seconds left in the first half when a Clair Horton corner kick was knocked by Bradfisch for an own goal.

“All week in practice I had been working on driving balls under the crossbar,” she said. “Neil (Stafford) had said we were playing against a big, strong team so it would be hard for us to win the ball in the air.”

Sophomore Liesel Toth added an insurance goal at the 35:25 mark in the second half when she fired in a penalty shot.

“The players were fantastic today,” Anagnost said. “Best game of the season, individually we played well and collectively we did a real good job.”

The Chippewas now have a 18-game unbeaten streak and continue to lead the nation in shutouts with 19 on the season.

Check cm-life.com Sunday for coverage of the team's game against Notre Dame.

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