The Chippewas defeated Western Michigan 3-1 Sunday, winning the Mid-American Conference tournament and clinching a berth in the tournament for the second time in school history.

CMU head coach Tom Anagnost, in his third year at the helm, has guided the team to its first two NCAA Tournament appearances in school history.

“It hasn’t really hit yet what’s happened,” Anagnost said. “I’m kind of still decompressing. I’m obviously really proud of the result, and how we preserved the win.”

CMU put the game out of reach in the 87th minute when sophomore midfielder Ashley Mejilla broke away from the defense at midfield and and slipped a shot past WMU goalkeeper Julia Francy.

“I got a little touch by the defender and just had a break away,” Mejilla said. “I just set it up for myself.”

Anagnost said Mejilla, whose five goals this season puts her second on the team, played her best game of the season.

“She was unbelievable today,” he said. “She was the best player on the field.”

Mejilla’s late goal was the only offense for CMU in the second half. The Chippewas took a 2-0 lead into the last 45 minutes, but weren’t able to control the ball, leading to several WMU shots on CMU senior goalkeeper Shay Mannino.

The Broncos scored their first goal of the game in the 68th minute, slimming CMU’s lead to 2-1. “They had a free kick and we headed it out, but not far enough,” Mannino said about WMU’s goal.

“The girl got the rebound and put it away. It was a great finish.”

Anagnost said his team lost focus in the second half, especially after WMU scored its goal. He said the Broncos gained a lot of momentum and became a more physical team, putting pressure on the Chippewas defense to maintain its lead.

“It was chaotic. It was mere chaos,” Anagnost said. “It was an extraordinarily physical game. (WMU) slipped one in and I think our kids lost their composure out there. I know we can perform better.”

Although CMU struggled to posses the ball for most of the first 20 minutes, the Chippewas dominated the offense in the first half, netting two goals on 11 shots.

With just over 15 minutes remaining in the half, junior forward Chelsi Abbott dribbled around a Bronco defender and served the ball into the box while sophomore forward Laura Twidle leaped in the air and headed the ball past Francy for the game’s first goal.

Twidle’s goal was her eighth of the season, which leads the team, and is the most in MAC play. Sophomore forward, Charlese McLemore added her third goal of the year with just a few minutes left in the first half, which proved to be the game winner.

The Chippewas will find out who they draw in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at 4:30 p.m. today during the tournament selection show. The team opens tournament play Friday.

All-MAC honors

Sophomore forward Laura Twidle, senior midfielder Valerie Prause, junior defender Liesel Toth and sophomore defender Bailey Brandon were all named first team All-MAC honors before the tournament started on Friday.

In addition, freshmen Nicole Samuel, Kaely Schlosser and Estee Outcalt were named to the All-MAC third team.