Soccer heads to Colorado for non-conference play
Air Force and Colorado College will not be CMU’s only opponents heading into this weekend’s games, though they are the only two names on this weekend’s schedule.
The team said it will have to fight a drastic altitude difference during the visit to the Rocky Mountain state. Colorado has an average elevation of 6,800 feet, which is 6,029 feet higher than Mount Pleasant's elevation of 771.
“The physical and psychological impacts of the altitude are real,” said head coach Peter McGahey. “You can minimize the psychological impact, you can push through it, but certainly not all of it.
“Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to acclimated here. We can’t simulate 7,000 feet here in Mount Pleasant.”
The trip west serves as a homecoming for McGahey, who is a native of Colorado. He played for the University of Denver from 1992-1996 and served as the technical director for the Colorado Fusion soccer club in the mid-2000s.
The Chippewas will face an Air Force Falcons team off to a 1-3-0 start. The Falcons have been involved in some tight matches with three of them going into overtime.
“Larry (Friend) does a very excellent job with his team,” McGahey said. “He has been a very good friend of mine for some time. They will be ready to go come Friday.”
Air Force forward Ally Swift will likely pose the biggest threat to the Chippewas defensively. Swift scored three goals last season and has one so far this year.
CMU will take on Colorado College two days later.
CC finished 15-4-3 last season and are returning six starters and 15 letter winners.
Midfielder Sarah Schweiss has been excellent for Colorado College thus far, putting the ball in the back of the net in each of their four matches.
The Chippewas will look to exploit the Tigers’ freshman goalkeeper, Rowlan Frederickson. She has given up five goals in the four matches she has started.
