The game finds the two teams moving in different directions with CMU (2-2) coming off a big win against Lake Superior State, and MSU limping away from a 3-0 loss to Davenport.

Coach Rob Innis is optimistic about the team’s chances, but refuses to underestimate the opponent.

“Michigan State will definitely be one of the regional teams in nationals again this year,” he said. “Davenport is a good team to lose to, and a 3-0 loss isn’t really too bad.”

Michigan State does return most of the same players from last year’s national tournament team.

Innis said the team will have to work off of last week’s big win to be successful.

“Hopefully we can maintain last Friday’s intensity and get a few shots to go our way,” he said.

CMU will attempt to create the same abundance of offensive opportunities as they did last week when they put 58 shots on goal against LSSU. They will have to do so without defensemen Eric DeYonker and forward Kevin Driscol — two vital members of CMU’s power play attack – who are both out sick.

The game is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. start Sunday at Munn Arena.

-Josh Vick

Men’s rugby hosts Northern

It’s not getting any easier for the men’s club rugby team.

CMU hosts Division II-leading Northern Michigan Saturday in hopes of improving to 2-3 this fall.

CMU suffered a disappointing 20-14 defeat to rival Ferris State Friday.

“We played strong in the first half,” said senior president Rob Pawlowski. “But we played very poor in the second half, and they simply outplayed us.”

Sophomore Dwain Ackerman is confident of a better performance from CMU.

“We’ve been working hard after our loss to Ferris,” he said. “They [Northern] play a good, hard game, but we can win if we play better than last week.”

The game begins at 1 p.m. Friday at the Intramural fields.

-Kevin MacMillan

Men’s lacrosse downs Eastern

A veteran and physical lacrosse team defeated Eastern Michigan 9-3 Wednesday.

“We had great pressure on offense, which allowed us to control the ball and the game,” said senior assistant captain Joe VanderMeulen. “In return this cut back on their scoring opportunities, which kept our defense fresh.”

Central dominated EMU after a sluggish first quarter.

Senior captain Jared Venia attributed the success to the team’s superior physical condition.

“This might be the best physically conditioned team that we’ve had,” Venia said. “Being in good physical condition allowed us to be more aggressive, and have an attacking style of play. We will have a very solid fall if we can keep up this style of play.”

CMU returns 10 of 11 starters from last year’s team. Despite this, Venia said the team needs contributions from the younger players as well.

“It was nice to see the young guys step it up, it is a promising sign for the future,” Venia said. “If these guys can keep up the solid play and absorb the game this fall, it will greatly help our team when CCLA play starts.”

The win against Eastern gives CMU its first victory of the fall season and improves its record to 1-1.

Up next for CMU is a tournament at Michigan State University Oct. 23 and 24.

-Joe Jorgensen

Club softball faces challenge

As club softball nears its season finale, it is likely to face some of the toughest competition of the year.

Central heads to Ohio State this weekend for a two-day tournament. They will face Southern State and Ohio State Saturday as pre-games to the tournament which determine the brackets for round one.

With almost all of the teams being from big Division I schools, the competition may be a little different then during the season. CMU played smaller teams during the season — teams mostly from community colleges.

“We don’t really know what to expect,” said club vice president Mary Ellen Jannsen-Picard. “I'm sure we’ll run into some bigger competition we haven’t seen yet.”

All of the teams participating in the tournament are also club teams.

The team’s morale and hunger for a win is high after coming off a one-run loss to Delta Community College.

“I feel that we've grown as a team and are playing more and more as a team each time we compete,” Jannsen-Picard said. “Hopefully we can pull something out this weekend.”

Central has had many close games, but has rarely been able to come away with a win.

“We almost always come through with some big hits in the clutch games like Bowling Green and Delta,” said club president Kristyn Sabbag. “We just can't seem to get enough going to steal a win.”

-Justin Marr