Women's Soccer

Western Michigan, Central Michigan Earn Second Conference Victory of Season

Thursday’s Women’s Soccer Results
Central Michigan 2, Northern Illinois 0
Western Michigan 1, Buffalo 0
Ohio 3, Bowling Green 0
Miami 1, Kent State 0
Ball State 1, Akron 0
Toledo 0, Eastern Michigan 0
Stories Courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments

Central Michigan 2, Northern Illinois 0
Box Score
DEKALB, Ill. — "It's amazing what a bit of confidence and belief will do for you."

Central Michigan Soccer jumped out to its best start in Mid-American Conference play since 2016 Thursday with a 2-0 road victory over Northern Illinois, a program previously-unbeaten at its home pitch.

"I'm extremely proud of our performance today against a really good NIU side, who, before today, hadn't lost at home yet this season," Head Coach Jeremy Groves said.

The Chippewas logged the game-winner in the 58th minute as Jocelin Zimmerer (Evergreen, Colo. / Evergreen) connected for a header, assisted from the opposite side of the goal by Lauren Walker (Essexville, Mich. / Garber). The wait for the seal-breaker was not without a handful of quality opportunities earlier on.

"We started off the game brilliantly, created three great chances, and I thought we were a little unlucky to go in at halftime tied."

CMU found a pair goals within minutes of each other for the third straight time on the road as Rachel Jackson (Bloomfield Hills, Mich. / Detroit Country Day) logged her second strike of the season in the 61st minute as she, too, headed in a feed from across the box, this time from Ashley Scesniak (Hoffman Estates, Ill. / William Fremd).

"We found a way in the second half. Two great services in the box and two brilliant headers. It was so nice to keep another clean sheet too."

Allison LaPoint (Royal Oak, Mich. / Shrine Catholic) was called upon just twice in Thursday's bout to go with just one save against Akron Sunday, after averaging over 7.50 saves per game through the first eight matches of the season, though she did face six of NIU's 12 shot attempts for the game in the final 10 minutes.

Central Michigan logged its first road shutout in MAC play since October 6, 2022 (1-0 at Western Michigan), shutouts in back-to-back games for the first time since October 3, 2021 (v. NIU, at WMU) and a shutout with a margin of victory of at least two goals for the first time since March 21, 2021 (3-0 at NIU).

"We will enjoy this one and then, tomorrow, we will start to think about another big game Sunday against a very good Western team."

Sunday's match with the arch-rival Broncos has been dubbed Hooligans' Day at the CMU Soccer Complex, offering CMU students cow bells upon entry and endline seating to spark a rowdy home environment. The directive from Coach Groves is clear.

Western Michigan 1, Buffalo 0
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's soccer team handed Buffalo its first loss of the season in a 1-0 victory on Thursday afternoon at the WMU Soccer Complex. The win pushes WMU's record to 5-1-4 overall and 2-0-1 in MAC play. 

Ava Beckett provided the lone goal of the game for the Broncos, netting her first goal of the season late in the first half. Emily Pagett and Jaden Peck earned the assists on the game winner. Lauren Boafo collected her third shutout of the season and second in MAC play. 

FIRST HALF
Western Michigan controlled most of the play in the first 45 minutes, with Madi Canada getting the first shot on net in the 11th minute. Her shot was tipped away and led to a Bronco corner kick. 

Following that corner kick, Buffalo challenged Boafo with a shot. However, she was up to the task, saving the look to keep the game tied at 0-0. In the 35th minute, Jen Blitchok nearly put the Broncos in front, as her shot was barely cleared off the line by the Bulls defense. 

However, WMU would breakthrough just a few moments later, with Beckett finding the back of the net in the 36th minute. After some pinballing around in the box, Beckett buried a shot in the bottom right corner of the net to give the Brown and Gold a 1-0 lead. 

The Broncos would continue to apply pressure in the final stages of the first half. In the final 10 minutes of the half, Pagett, Blitchok and Meredith Vance each had shots. Nothing would come of the opportunities, and WMU would carry a 1-0 lead into the final 45 minutes. 

SECOND HALF
The Broncos had a nice chance from Blitchok in the opening minutes, as her shot missed just wide of the net. A few minutes after that, Boafo made another great save to keep the Broncos in front by one goal. 

Following that save, Peck nearly headed home a second goal for WMU, but Buffalo keeper Lexie Thompson was there to make the stop. After a couple of substitutions in the 74th minute, Blitchok had yet another chance miss just wide of the net. 

After a Beckett chance in the 78th minute, Buffalo started to apply pressure looking to tie the game. However, Boafo and the WMU defense were up to the task. Boafo made her third save of the game in the 80th minute before stopping one last shot with just over a minute to go to secure a 1-0 victory. 

Ohio 3, Bowling Green 0
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio soccer team (6-1-3, 1-0-2 MAC) returned to action on Thursday (Sept. 26), battling Mid-American Conference foe Bowling Green (5-3-1, 2-1-0 MAC) and securing its first MAC win with a decisive 3-0 victory.

Ohio outshot Bowling Green, 19-11, with the Bobcats putting 12 shots on target compared to the Falcons' six.

Junior goalkeeper junior Celeste Sloma (Columbus, Ohio) made six saves, while the team earned four corner kicks during the match.

Individually, sophomore Jaimason Brooker (Powell, Ohio) tallied four shots on goal and one assist. Junior Rayann Pruss (Perrysburg, Ohio) and sophomore Anna Burchett (Prestonburg, Ky.) both recorded two shots on goal and contributed one goal each. Graduate student Aubrey Rea (Akron, Ohio) added two shots on goal, and sophomore Sydney Crowe (Wilmington, Ohio) scored one goal with one shot on target. Freshman Iro Fakinou (Athens, Greece) also made her mark with one shot on goal and one assist.

The Bobcats started the half with energy, as Brooker recorded an attempt in the third minute, but Bowling Green goalkeeper Madison Vukas made the save, keeping the score at 0-0. In the closing seconds of the first hlaf, in th 44th minute, Crowe found the back of the net with an assist from Fakinou, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

At the break, Ohio had outshot Bowling Green 7-6, with the Bobcats registering five shots on goal.

In the second half, Brooker continued to press, taking two consecutive shots on goal that were saved. However, Burchett broke through in the 48th minute, scoring Ohio's second goal to extend the lead to 2-0. In the 82nd minute, Pruss added a third goal, sealing the victory at 3-0.

The Bobcats will return to Chessa Field for on Sunday, September 29, at 1 p.m. for a MAC matchup against Kent State. The game can be viewed on ESPN+.

Miami 1, Kent State 0
Box Score
KENT, Ohio- The Miami University soccer team secured a 1-0 victory at Dix Stadium against Kent State on Thursday night. The RedHawks move to 5-2-3 (1-1-1 in MAC) and Kent State is now 5-2-1 (2-1-0 in MAC).  

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Morhéa Hoefen put in a looping cross from outside of the area that Millie Cook got a header on to give Miami the lead in the 39th minute. 
  • Kent State had a late chance to tie the match when Kelsey Salopek had a header on a corner that Dominique Popa shuffled over to grab in the 80th minute. 
NOTES
  • Cook led the RedHawks with three shots. 
  • Popa had a six save clean sheet. 
  • Miami had seven shots to Kent State's nine.
  • Both sides had four corners apiece. 
Ball State 1, Akron 0
Box Score
AKRON, Ohio – The Ball State soccer team used an early goal from Addie Chester and a late save by Abby Jenkins to beat Akron 1-0 on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Cardinals (6-4, 1-2 Mid-American Conference) got on the board when Avery Fenchel assisted on Chester's shot that went over the Akron goalkeeper's head into the back of the net in the sixth minute. Ball State was the aggressor in the first half leading 10-2 in shots and 4-0 in shots on goal.

The Zips (5-3-2, 0-3 MAC) had more looks in the second period and got two on goal including one with about seven minutes to go when Emma King had a breakaway shot, but Jenkins slid to block it away and preserve Ball State's second shutout win of the year.

Fenchel and Kaelyn Valleau put two shots on goal each for the Cardinals, while Acadia Murphy, LG Moncrief and Chester had one each for the visitors. The goal for Chester was her sixth of the year to move her to a tie with Delaney Caldwell for the team lead.

Grace Konopatzki and Jenkins combined for the shutout as Konopatzki patrolled the goal in the first half. Jenkins made a pair of saves in her first action since Aug. 20 against Indiana.

Ball State led 13-8 on total shots and 7-2 on shots on goal for the match. Akron had one more corner kick (4-3), and both teams were whistled for 11 fouls.

The Cardinals return home to play Eastern Michigan at 1 p.m. on Sunday.