MOUNT PLEASANT - The 2007 Central Michigan University women’s soccer team will sport a new look compared to its three previous versions. For the first time since 2003, CMU will turn over more than half of its starting positions to a new crop of players.
However, history shows that this year’s team will still find success despite some inexperience compared to previous versions. CMU has the most consecutive MAC Tournament appearances (eight) of any program, and has posted a winning record in conference play in seven of the program’s nine-year history.
The Chippewas open their season this weekend with a pair of matches in North Carolina at Elon University, on Friday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m., and at UNC-Greensboro on Sunday, Sept. 2 at 1 p.m. It will be the first time that CMU has faced either of the two schools.
CMU put its new team on the field twice in exhibition matches last week, winning once and tying once. Almost all of the team's nine new players got some playing time in what was their first experience wearing a Chippewa jersey, and the revamped coaching staff - first-year assistants Tom Anagnost and Michelle Noble will patrol the sidelines with fourth-year head coach Tony DiTucci this season - had a chance to see the team in a variety of competitive situations.
The Chippewas return five starters from last year’s team that went 13-4-2, setting a program record for best winning percentage. They began their year with a perfect run (7-0-0) through the non-conference schedule, including impressive wins at Michigan State and nationally ranked Nebraska. Second team All-Mid-American Conference defender Erin Douglas highlights the returning starters, while last year’s MAC Freshman of the Year Stephanie Martin, who was dynamic off the bench with nine goals and 22 points, headlines the group of returners likely to capture a starting spot this season.
Here's a closer look at the 2007 CMU women's soccer team, position by position, before the season kicks off on Friday night.
Forwards
Sophomores Stephanie Martin and Molly Gerst bring the most experience to what will be a young but explosive group of players that will be at the point of attack for the Chippewas this season.
Martin had one of the finest debut seasons in CMU’s history, scoring nine goals and tacking on four assists for a total of 22 points. She tied for the MAC lead in goals and was second in points, and her six match-winning tallies were by far the most among MAC players.
“Stephanie showed how dangerous she is as a scoring threat last season,” DiTucci said. “She will once again play a key role in our offensive attack.”
Gerst has the inside track on another starting spot at the top of the field. She started six times last season and finished fourth on the team with three goals and nine points.
Sophomore Hannah Lankford, who appeared in four matches last season, and freshmen Amanda Loudin and Ali Nichols will compete for playing time and add depth to this young crop of forwards for CMU this season.
Midfield
CMU faces a challenge in the center of the field, trying to replace departed players who combined for more than 135 starts in their careers, including three-time first team All-MAC selection Rosamaria Rago. Juniors Sarah Burns and Katy Boggan are the most experienced players remaining among the midfielders, with Burns starting every game a year ago.
“Although we have some new faces in this area of the field, the skill and tenacity of our midfield players this season is really outstanding,” DiTucci said. “This group can be both aggressive and dynamic, and if they play to their potential our overall attacking scheme will be dangerous and well-balanced this season.”
Burns was a pinpoint distributor last year, notching six assists, the third-highest single season total in CMU history. She’ll likely play out wide this season in order to take advantage of her speed and skill in one-on-one situations.
Boggan could once again play a major role in the midfield as a starter. She started 14 contests last season after starting 16 times as a freshman in ’05. She is an aggressive player with great field vision who can both distribute the ball and create scoring opportunities.
Sophomore Amanda Waugh played in 12 games last season and started seven times, producing a pair of goals. She has the chance to join Burns as another wide midfielder regularly in the starting lineup. Also returning to the midfield is junior Carly Tydings, who came on strong at the end of last season with two goals and two assists in the final four matches.
A deep group of freshmen will have the chance to earn playing time right away in the midfield. Emily Gniazdowski, Dani Haelewyn, Valerie Prause and Jamie Voelz are all skilled players who will push for the opportunity to see the field and provide depth in 2007.
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Defense
The most experienced group of Chippewas will patrol the back end of the field this season, as three starters return from a unit that helped produce eight shutouts a year ago.
“Our defensive unit might be somewhat underrated,” DiTucci said. “There’s a lot of experience and leadership in that group.”
CMU’s only two seniors, Erin Douglas and Laura Gaesser, will anchor the team’s defensive unit this year. Junior Kylie Armstrong also returns to defend in front of the Chippewa net. Those three players have made a combined 85 starts in their careers, nearly as many games started as the rest of this year’s roster combined (107).
Douglas was a second team All-MAC selection last year after starting the final 14 matches of the season, including the entire 11-game conference slate. She also was a third team All-Great Lakes Region selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Armstrong established herself as a starter last season, drawing 15 starting assignments and contributing a goal and an assist in addition to strong defense. Gaesser, who recieved MAC Player of the Week honors in 2005, should also be a key contributor on the defensive line.
In the mix for the remaining starting spot will be junior Erica Rohren, sophomore Akli Delvecchio and redshirt freshman Kristen Pelkki. Rohren, a defender during her high school and club career, played at forward as a freshman in 2005 and produced four goals and three assists. She returned to a more defensive role last season, and her versatility makes her a valuable asset wherever she plays on the field. Delvecchio played in four games as a reserve last season, while Pelkki was injured a year ago. Freshman Jenna Hill will add depth to the defensive unit.
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Goalkeeper
The player directly in front of the CMU net will be different for the first time in four years, as record-setting goalkeeper Anne Decker’s career ended in 2006. Three players with one collegiate start between them will compete for the starting job.
Redshirt sophomore Kristen Hubright is capable of transitioning to a starter after two seasons behind Decker. Hubright started one game in 2005 as a freshman, then took a redshirt year in 2006. She gained valuable experience during the spring season.
Incoming freshmen Hannah Bengtson and Shay Mannino will also be competing for the starting job and adding depth to the position.
“We hope to establish early on who our goalkeeper is going to be, athough this process may ultimately take some time,” DiTucci said. “It is a position of natural leadership on a team, so it will be important for us to find that quality within each of these players.”
Schedule
CMU plays its first four matches on the road and 11 of 18 total games away from the comforts of the CMU Soccer Complex this season. The four-year rotating conference schedule has the Chippewas playing seven MAC games on the road and only four games at home.
“We’re going to have to win on the road to be successful this season,” DiTucci said. “It will be a test of discipline and focus. I’m excited to see how we learn and respond to that test.”
After this weekend's matches in North Carolina, CMU travels to play at Illinois State (September 7) and IPFW (September 9) next weekend. CMU’s first home contest comes on September 14 against Niagara. The Chippewas then face Canisius (September 16) and in-state rival Michigan State (September 23) to close non-conference play.
MAC action begins on September 28 when CMU travels to face Ball State in the first of four consecutive road games. A match at Miami (September 30) is followed by a pair of games the following weekend in northwest Ohio at Bowling Green (October 5) and Toledo (October 7).
A four-game stretch in mid-October finishes the home schedule for CMU, as it welcomes Ohio and Akron (October 12 and 14) and Kent State and Buffalo (October 19 and 21) on consecutive weekends.
Road games at Northern Illinois (October 26), Western Michigan (October 28), and Eastern Michigan (November 1) wrap up the regular season. The MAC Tournament begins with games on campus sites on November 4.
Free Kicks
• CMU is 3-5-1 all-time in season openers.
• Last year’s 3-2 win over Michigan State snapped a six-match winless streak in season openers from 2000-05.
• CMU is facing a team from North Carolina for the first time in program history.
• The Chippewas are 5-6-3 all-time in matches played in August overall, but are 3-0-1 in the month over the last two seasons.
Courtesy: Robert Barclay/CMU
