2008 Woodie Awards
Young team hopes for improvement
By: Dave Jones
Issue date: 11/5/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
Soccer coach Tony DiTucci described the 2007 season in just one word - disappointing.
It was disgruntling for DiTucci to see the team to finish 8-10 overall and 4-7 in the Mid-American Conference. Looking back, the Chippewas outshot and outplayed teams, but still ended up losing.
"It's difficult looking at teams we played that we could've beaten," he said. "Not about us being less talented … it's the games that needed to go our way that ultimately would made the difference in the season for us."
The Chippewas had trouble finding consistency on offense all season. DiTucci touched on the idea late in the season as to which team was going to show up for the next match.
It would either be the team that was shut out eight times this season and suffered losses to Western Michigan, Ohio and Buffalo. Or it would be the team that won in impressive fashion against Bowling Green, Kent State and scored a school-record eight goals against Indiana-Purdue at Fort Wayne.
"We can't make excuses," DiTucci said. "Just see what things need to be changed and improve."
But it's not to say Central can't look back on this season and see some good that has come from it.
CMU will return its top three offensive producers in sophomore forwards Amanda Waugh, Molly Gerst and Stephanie Martin. Martin finished the season as the team leader in goals (eight), assists (six) and points (22).
"(We learned) every team in the MAC is good," Martin said. "You have to show up for every game, people don't just give you wins."
CMU will return others who add to its depth. The team also graduates just two seniors, as opposed to the 2006 season when six seniors graduated.
The two seniors, defenders Laura Gaesser and Erin Douglas, were the only two players who have been part of the program since DiTucci took control of the team four years ago.
"Both have done a lot of great things for the program," DiTucci said. "They will really be missed."
After the team's final game in a win at Eastern Michigan, the end of Douglas' collegiate career still hadn't set in for her.
"Can't really put it into words," she said after the game. "It's really emotional - Laura and I didn't really prepare. We wanted to end on a win, that's the most that we could do."
Now that the season has ended for Central, it looks ahead into the offseason where DiTucci has a few goals. He is looking to recruit talented players, continue to train and develop the current players and raise expectations.
sports@cm-life.com
It was disgruntling for DiTucci to see the team to finish 8-10 overall and 4-7 in the Mid-American Conference. Looking back, the Chippewas outshot and outplayed teams, but still ended up losing.
"It's difficult looking at teams we played that we could've beaten," he said. "Not about us being less talented … it's the games that needed to go our way that ultimately would made the difference in the season for us."
The Chippewas had trouble finding consistency on offense all season. DiTucci touched on the idea late in the season as to which team was going to show up for the next match.
It would either be the team that was shut out eight times this season and suffered losses to Western Michigan, Ohio and Buffalo. Or it would be the team that won in impressive fashion against Bowling Green, Kent State and scored a school-record eight goals against Indiana-Purdue at Fort Wayne.
"We can't make excuses," DiTucci said. "Just see what things need to be changed and improve."
But it's not to say Central can't look back on this season and see some good that has come from it.
CMU will return its top three offensive producers in sophomore forwards Amanda Waugh, Molly Gerst and Stephanie Martin. Martin finished the season as the team leader in goals (eight), assists (six) and points (22).
"(We learned) every team in the MAC is good," Martin said. "You have to show up for every game, people don't just give you wins."
CMU will return others who add to its depth. The team also graduates just two seniors, as opposed to the 2006 season when six seniors graduated.
The two seniors, defenders Laura Gaesser and Erin Douglas, were the only two players who have been part of the program since DiTucci took control of the team four years ago.
"Both have done a lot of great things for the program," DiTucci said. "They will really be missed."
After the team's final game in a win at Eastern Michigan, the end of Douglas' collegiate career still hadn't set in for her.
"Can't really put it into words," she said after the game. "It's really emotional - Laura and I didn't really prepare. We wanted to end on a win, that's the most that we could do."
Now that the season has ended for Central, it looks ahead into the offseason where DiTucci has a few goals. He is looking to recruit talented players, continue to train and develop the current players and raise expectations.
sports@cm-life.com
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