Years to Remember: 2002 Soccer
4/24/2020 11:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The final year of the winningest senior class in program history created quite the legacy for the RedHawks.
Introduction
After winning the previous two Mid-American Conference Tournaments and shocking No. 19 West Virginia in the first round 2001 NCAA Tournament, expectations for the 2002 Miami soccer team were sky high to build on its achievements in the fall.Â
High Expectations
The RedHawks entered the 2002 season as overwhelming favorites to win the MAC. Despite representing the league in the previous two NCAA Tournaments, Miami had yet to win a regular season conference title as its two MAC Tournament crowns came following third-place finishes.
New York State of Mind
Miami's 2002 campaign kicked off in the Empire State with the experienced RedHawks overcoming a 2-0 deficit with two goals 28 seconds apart late in regulation before dispatching Stony Brook in overtime by a 3-2 count. The Red & White could not repeat those heroics two days later, however, as they dropped a 2-0 decision at Hofstra. The following weekend began at home with a 1-1 tie against St. John's as Danielle Altiero netted her second late game-tying goal in three outings to leave MU at 1-1-1 in the season's early going.
Lucky Number Seven
Following three uneven performances, Danielle Berkemeier found the net on a hot September day in Oxford to deliver the Red & White a 1-0 victory over Georgia Southern. That victory began a dominant stretch as MU rattled off seven-straight wins, including six by shutout as it outscored 17-2 and began its MAC slate 6-0. Only defending regular season champion Ohio managed to find the net in that stretch in a match that Miami prevailed in, 3-2, to grab a firm grip on first place in the conference standings.
A Brief Stumble Precedes a Crown
After jumping out the gate to a 6-0 start to the MAC, Miami went ahead 1-0 before allowing three-unanswered goals to Central Michigan in a 3-2 loss that ended dreams of an undefeated conference season. Still, the Red & White went right back to work in the dominant fashion they had established prior to that blemish.
Miami followed that CMU setback with six-straight victories and clinched its first regular season MAC title with two weeks left on the schedule. Despite the early clinch, the RedHawks showed no signs of slowing down as they went toe-to-toe with No. 13 Purdue in the regular season finale before coming off the pitch with a 1-1 tie, showing once again that they were geared up for another special postseason.
Dominance in the MAC Tournament
Having won two-straight MAC Tournaments and entering the postseason tournament as the No. 1 seed for the first time, the RedHawks showcased their talent and championship pedigree in what became three lopsided Red & White victories. Miami avenged its lone MAC setback by throttling Central Michigan 5-1 in the quarterfinal round with Andrea Cunningham scoring a hat trick and adding an assist in the victory.
Bowling Green proved no trouble for the RedHawks in the semifinal. This time it was Berkemeier, the MAC Player of the Year, netting all three MU tallies in a 3-0 win in which it held a 19-8 shot advantage.
A championship bout against Ohio was all that stood between Miami and its third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. While the first meeting of the year between the two teams went down to the wire, this championship bout was a rout as MU held OU without a shot for 40 minutes while Berkemeier and Cunningham each scored twice in a a 5-1 victory that was never in doubt in front of nearly 1,000 fans at Miami Soccer Field.
At Home in Ann Arbor
The RedHawks had a quick bus ride to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a battle against Michigan State in their third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The teams battled back and forth in a tight first half, but MU got a goal to show for its effort as Katie Milligan headed home a Cunningham cross in the 34th minute of play to stake Miami to a 1-0 halftime lead.
A cold November day in Michigan couldn't cool off the RedHawks as Ashley Swinehart padded their lead to 2-0 over the Spartans in the 61st minute. With mere minutes to play in regulation, MU was outshooting MSU 14-7 overall and 6-1 in the second half. While the Spartans eventually found the net, the RedHawks walked off the pitch with a 2-1 win to move onto the NCAA Tournament's second round for the second-straight season.
A Lasting Legacy
While the RedHawks' 2002 season came to an end in the second round after a 4-0 loss to Michigan, Miami's dominant stretch by its senior class put the young program on the map as one of the best mid-major soccer teams in the Midwest. Miami's senior class finished as one of the best the university has seen in any sport as it went an astounding 64-21-9. That class included Danielle Berkemeier and Andrea Cunningham, who both earned All-American honors during their time in Oxford as that duo remains the top two scorers in MAC history.
Key Players
Danielle Berkmeier (All-American, MAC Player of the Year, 19 goals, 6 assists, 44 points)
Andrea Cunningham (First-Team All-MAC, 13 goals, 8 assists, 34 points)
Ashley Swinehart (First-Team All-MAC, 7 goals, 7 assists, 21 points)
Danielle Altiero (First-Team All-MAC, 6 goals, 7 assists, 19 points)
Audrey Wieman (First-Team All-MAC, 2 goals, 4 points)
Shaedyn Cousino (Second-Team All-MAC, 2 goals, 4 assists)
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After winning the previous two Mid-American Conference Tournaments and shocking No. 19 West Virginia in the first round 2001 NCAA Tournament, expectations for the 2002 Miami soccer team were sky high to build on its achievements in the fall.Â
High Expectations
The RedHawks entered the 2002 season as overwhelming favorites to win the MAC. Despite representing the league in the previous two NCAA Tournaments, Miami had yet to win a regular season conference title as its two MAC Tournament crowns came following third-place finishes.
New York State of Mind
Miami's 2002 campaign kicked off in the Empire State with the experienced RedHawks overcoming a 2-0 deficit with two goals 28 seconds apart late in regulation before dispatching Stony Brook in overtime by a 3-2 count. The Red & White could not repeat those heroics two days later, however, as they dropped a 2-0 decision at Hofstra. The following weekend began at home with a 1-1 tie against St. John's as Danielle Altiero netted her second late game-tying goal in three outings to leave MU at 1-1-1 in the season's early going.
Lucky Number Seven
Following three uneven performances, Danielle Berkemeier found the net on a hot September day in Oxford to deliver the Red & White a 1-0 victory over Georgia Southern. That victory began a dominant stretch as MU rattled off seven-straight wins, including six by shutout as it outscored 17-2 and began its MAC slate 6-0. Only defending regular season champion Ohio managed to find the net in that stretch in a match that Miami prevailed in, 3-2, to grab a firm grip on first place in the conference standings.
A Brief Stumble Precedes a Crown
After jumping out the gate to a 6-0 start to the MAC, Miami went ahead 1-0 before allowing three-unanswered goals to Central Michigan in a 3-2 loss that ended dreams of an undefeated conference season. Still, the Red & White went right back to work in the dominant fashion they had established prior to that blemish.
Miami followed that CMU setback with six-straight victories and clinched its first regular season MAC title with two weeks left on the schedule. Despite the early clinch, the RedHawks showed no signs of slowing down as they went toe-to-toe with No. 13 Purdue in the regular season finale before coming off the pitch with a 1-1 tie, showing once again that they were geared up for another special postseason.
Dominance in the MAC Tournament
Having won two-straight MAC Tournaments and entering the postseason tournament as the No. 1 seed for the first time, the RedHawks showcased their talent and championship pedigree in what became three lopsided Red & White victories. Miami avenged its lone MAC setback by throttling Central Michigan 5-1 in the quarterfinal round with Andrea Cunningham scoring a hat trick and adding an assist in the victory.
Bowling Green proved no trouble for the RedHawks in the semifinal. This time it was Berkemeier, the MAC Player of the Year, netting all three MU tallies in a 3-0 win in which it held a 19-8 shot advantage.
A championship bout against Ohio was all that stood between Miami and its third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. While the first meeting of the year between the two teams went down to the wire, this championship bout was a rout as MU held OU without a shot for 40 minutes while Berkemeier and Cunningham each scored twice in a a 5-1 victory that was never in doubt in front of nearly 1,000 fans at Miami Soccer Field.
At Home in Ann Arbor
The RedHawks had a quick bus ride to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a battle against Michigan State in their third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The teams battled back and forth in a tight first half, but MU got a goal to show for its effort as Katie Milligan headed home a Cunningham cross in the 34th minute of play to stake Miami to a 1-0 halftime lead.
A cold November day in Michigan couldn't cool off the RedHawks as Ashley Swinehart padded their lead to 2-0 over the Spartans in the 61st minute. With mere minutes to play in regulation, MU was outshooting MSU 14-7 overall and 6-1 in the second half. While the Spartans eventually found the net, the RedHawks walked off the pitch with a 2-1 win to move onto the NCAA Tournament's second round for the second-straight season.
A Lasting Legacy
While the RedHawks' 2002 season came to an end in the second round after a 4-0 loss to Michigan, Miami's dominant stretch by its senior class put the young program on the map as one of the best mid-major soccer teams in the Midwest. Miami's senior class finished as one of the best the university has seen in any sport as it went an astounding 64-21-9. That class included Danielle Berkemeier and Andrea Cunningham, who both earned All-American honors during their time in Oxford as that duo remains the top two scorers in MAC history.
Key Players
Danielle Berkmeier (All-American, MAC Player of the Year, 19 goals, 6 assists, 44 points)
Andrea Cunningham (First-Team All-MAC, 13 goals, 8 assists, 34 points)
Ashley Swinehart (First-Team All-MAC, 7 goals, 7 assists, 21 points)
Danielle Altiero (First-Team All-MAC, 6 goals, 7 assists, 19 points)
Audrey Wieman (First-Team All-MAC, 2 goals, 4 points)
Shaedyn Cousino (Second-Team All-MAC, 2 goals, 4 assists)
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