Miami University
Eastern Michigan
RedHawks Soar Past Eagles for Third Straight Win
10/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 9, 2009
YPSILANTI, Mich. - Miami University senior Jodi Zwingelberg found the back of the net in the first half Friday afternoon at a cool and rainy Scicluna Field to lead the Miami's women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Eastern Michigan, handing the Eagles their first Mid-American Conference loss of the season. The win vaulted the RedHawks (7-4-1, 3-1-1 MAC) over EMU (6-3-4, 2-1-2 MAC) in the MAC standings and into second place.
The victory also gave Miami its first three-game winning streak--both overall and in league play--since 2005, which was also the last time the 'Hawks won in Ypsilanti. Miami has now eclipsed its win total from each of the previous two seasons.
"Considering the difficult conditions, I thought the game was very well played," Miami head coach Bobby Kramig said. "Eastern Michigan's a fine team. I thought our kids responded to the conditions very well and I was very proud of that. They kept their concentration. They fought like crazy, worked hard for this and definitely earned the result. It was a tremendous team effort."
Senior keeper Krista Pace (Toronto, Ont.) made a season-high-tying nine saves in the match to record her fourth clean sheet of the season and 12th of her career, adding to her school record for career shutouts. Eastern Michigan was held scoreless for just the third time this year with its other two blankings ending in scoreless draws.
Miami came out firing in the opening 10 minutes, as the 'Hawks took the first three shots of the match, but none were on target. The Eagles then seized possession, ripping seven shots over the next 10 minutes but Miami's defense blocked two and Pace turned away the only two that were on goal to keep the game scoreless, as the remainder of EMU's shots were wide of the net.
In the 30th minute, the RedHawks were able to steal back momentum when Zwingelberg (Elgin, Ill.) took her own rebound from the left flank toward the center of the penalty box and blasted a shot from 15 yards out that beat EMU keeper Monique Budani and put Miami on top, 1-0. It was Zwingelberg's first tally of the season.
"Jodi's goal was tremendous," Kramig said. "Stephanie Laser played a great ball through the Eastern Michigan defense and Jodi made a great run to get on the end of it. She turned it around on the end line, took a shot, picked up her own rebound and absolutely buried the second chance."
The Red and White kept the pressure on the remainder of the half but was unable to find the back of the net again and took its one-goal advantage into the break. Both teams took 10 shots in the first 45 minutes with Pace stopping all four Eastern Michigan shots on goal.
The second half saw both teams create opportunities to score, as EMU out-shot Miami 10-8 over the final period, but Pace made five saves to preserve the victory. The Eagles had multiple attempts to even the score over the final eight minutes, taking three shots, but Pace stopped one and Maggie Christensen's blast with under a minute to play was blocked, as the 'Hawks held on for the win.
For the match, Eastern Michigan took 20 shots to Miami's 18 and both sides earned a pair of corners. Carissa Wilson paced the Eagles with six shots (two on goal) while Zwingelberg's four attempts were a team high for Miami. Senior Kersta Carlson (Plymouth, Minn.) and sophomore Krysti Clarke (Scarborough, Ont.) each had three shots for the 'Hawks with two landing on goal. Budani finished with five saves in goal for the Eagles.
The RedHawks look to win their fourth straight match, something they haven't done since 2002 when they won the MAC Tournament, when they continue their stay in Michigan and face first-place Central Michigan, who was a perfect 4-0-0 in league play entering the weekend. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at the CMU Soccer Complex.
--MURedHawks.com--
