CMU Women's Soccer records first win of the season
250th win all-time and knocks out EMU from MAC playoffs with 2-0 result
Central Michigan freshman forward Jimena Perez Ayala, right, hugs junior midfielder Melaina Troy, middle, after Perez Ayala’s goal during the game at the CMU Soccer/Lacrosse Complex, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (CMLife | Alivia Cranick)
“I’m so happy for our players. They deserve this,” said Jeremy Groves, Central Michigan’s Women’s soccer head coach, after defeating the Eastern Michigan Eagles 2-0 at home in the final game of the season.
This result was the Chippewa's first win of the year, 250th all-time and ultimately knocked EMU out of the Mid-American Conference playoffs.
Freshman forward Jimena Perez Ayala was overcome with emotion about their first of the season.
“It’s unreal, it’s so exciting. I almost cried,” she said. “I felt like we owed it to ourselves to finish off in a good note because we were working so hard. I thought it would have been a bit sad if we didn’t come out with a win today,
“But we made it, finally.”
Perez Ayala, who led the team in goals going into the game, bagged the first points of the game on a cross from sophomore forward Ella Betzold. She said that she didn’t remember the goal afterwards.
“I think I blacked out, I was too excited,” Perez Ayala said. “I just felt the impact and then kind of saw it in the back of the net.”
Groves believed that this goal shifted the momentum of the game in the Chippewas' favor.
“We scored the first goal and you just saw us growing in confidence,” he said.
Minutes after assisting Perez Ayala, Betzold crossed another ball into the penalty box, where this time junior forward Jordan Bailey volleyed the ball and chipped the keeper to score her first goal as a Chippewa.
“I just knew every time I step on the field to just play my hardest and to make everything count, especially it being our last game (of the season),” Bailey said. “I just gave it my all and got a goal.”
Junior keeper Brylee Borgman recorded her first-ever collegiate win and shutout against the Eagles. She recorded seven saves, including two in the last fifteen minutes of the game.
Although the playoff hopes were dashed games ago, Groves believed this game was crucial to moving on into next season.
“We’re playing to move this thing forward and kind of propel us into the spring moving forward,” he said. “I think it was kind of a barometer for us for where we should be.”
