Two tough road games to test Central
Coach Cristy Freese said it is easier for the field hockey team to prepare for an opponent it has already played this season.
Central (5-6, 2-3 MAC) has rematches with Louisville Friday and Miami University Saturday.
“We can watch the tape from the last game and figure out what we didn’t do well,” Freese said. “We aren’t changing anything we do — we just have to do what we do better this time.”
CMU beat Miami (4-8, 0-5) 1-0 Sept. 24 behind junior Erica Takach’s goal. She leads the team with six goals.
Central lost to Louisville 4-1 Sept 25.
Scoring goals has been a problem. The Chippewas are averaging 1.5 goals per game, compared to 2.5 goals per game last season.
“Scoring had been a concern of mine, but after scrimmaging this week I know we are going to put the ball in the cage more,” said senior back Michelle Fogle.
The team’s leading returning goal scorer from last season, senior Kristy Reed, has just two goals. Reed scored 12 goals last season and 13 in 2002.
Reed is not the only player who has not met her goal output from last season.
Junior Alisa Folk scored seven goals last season and didn’t score her first goal of the season until Saturday’s 2-1 victory against Ohio.
“They have had a lot of good shots on goal they just didn’t convert,” Freese said.
The defense has more pressure put on it when the team isn’t producing on offense.
“Our defense is good enough to only allow one goal per game,” Fogle said. “We may not get the shutout every game, but we are that good to only allow one goal.”
Louisville and Kent State both stand at 4-1 in the MAC and look to separate themselves from the rest of the conference.
Central still has a chance to win the MAC regular season title with five games remaining, but has to start winning consistently.
It also must get some losses from Kent State, who hosts Ohio Saturday.
