Nov. 5, 2002
Final Stats
Nearly a month after the RedHawks suffered their only Mid-American Conference loss to Central Michigan, Miami's women's soccer team and senior Andrea Cunningham (Cincinnati, OH/McAuley) avenged the loss with a 5-1 win in first-round action of the MAC tournament at Miami Soccer Field.
Cunningham scored three goals and added an assist as the senior RedHawks improved their record to 9-0-1 in the MAC tournament over their four-year career.
Senior Danielle Berkemeier (Fairfield, OH/Fairfield) scored the first goal of the match when Cunningham passed the ball ahead to the fellow forward, who shot the ball past charging Chippewa goalkeeper, Kari Alexander while the clock read 4:26.
Although the RedHawks tarped the Miami Soccer Field before the game to keep the field dry, the steady rain started to saturate the field and led to Miami's next goal. As a Central Michigan defender passed back to Alexander, the ball continued to roll past Alexander into Miami's goal for an owned goal which made the score 2-0 in the ninth minute.
From that point on, the game turned into the "Andrea Cunningham Show." The two senior forwards connected again for the third goal. Cunningham headed the ball into the goal for her first goal of the game off a corner by Berkemeier in the 35th minute.
Miami took a 3-0 lead into the half and outshot the Chippewas 12-1 during the first 45 minutes. The RedHawks continued their dominance in the second half.
Sophomore Laura Freel (Atlanta, GA/Westminster) found Berkemeier for a shot off a throw-in that was saved by Alexander before Cunningham knocked the ball in while the clock read 51:59.
In the 61st minute, the "Andrea Cunningham Show" came to a close when the captain took a shot from 20 yards out beyond the fingertips of Alexander.
Olina Vidarsdotter scored with less than a minute remaining for the Chippewas to bring the final score to 5-1.
The RedHawks play the winner of fourth seeded, Bowling Green and fifth seeded, Buffalo on Friday at 2 p.m. on Miami Soccer Field. Second seeded Ball State will face third seeded Ohio at 11 a.m. to start the MAC semifinal round in Oxford, Ohio.
