Soccer Balls | Photo by Brett Hull | The Wright State Guardian
The Wright State University women’s soccer team took down the Central Michigan Chippewas 3-0 in its home opener on Sunday.
Game Rundown
The game was played on Alumni field, home of the Raiders soccer programs. Both teams started off with a fast pace through the midfield to play balls cross-goal.
The Chippewas were the first to break through with a very close opportunity, as sophomore Gaelle Wells found the ball in the box in minute 13. A kick over goalkeeper Jessika Seward hit off the right post, saving the Raiders a 0-1 deficit.
After that play, WSU quickly recovered. While the Chippewas had a few other chances, none would break through.
The Raiders had several chances off of set pieces in the first half, as the Chippewas gave up four corner kicks and fouled seven times in the period. WSU finally found a breakthrough in minute 40, as chaos in the box from a corner kick sent the ball straight to junior Maddie Mitchell, who was able to capitalize for a 1-0 Raider lead.
The Raiders continued to possess the ball as CMU ran out of gas. The Chippewas took zero shots for the entire second half, compared to WSU’s eight.
Lauren Borchert would be the next Raider to find the back of the net in minute 58, as WSU continued to control the game. As the clock ticked down to minute 90, CMU was unable to mount a comeback.
The final goal came in minute 83, as Mariella Hartmann connected with Annika Somborski, who put the ball past CMU’s Emma Shingler for the third goal of the day.
Possession Play
The Raiders were able to maintain possession through the defense and goalkeeper, switching the field easily. WSU quickly wore down CMU’s defense, and worked the ball effectively through the midfield.
WSU head coach Travis Sobers showed trust in the full roster as well, substituting players much more than CMU did. The Raiders on the field were always fresh, allowing the team to effectively chip through the Chippewas’ defense.
The Raiders now have a tough road trip ahead of them, including matches against teams like Butler and Kentucky.
The three away games in a row end in the first conference match on Sept. 15 where the Raiders look to go 1-0 in conference play at home over the Milwaukee Panthers.
