Miami Continues MAC Tournament Run Friday

RedHawks face Eastern Michigan in semifinals

OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University women’s soccer team aims for its first Mid-American Conference Tournament title since 2002 when the RedHawks resume MAC Tournament play Friday against second-seeded Eastern Michigan in the semifinals in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Sixth-seeded Miami (11-7-1) advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2006 with a 2-0 win at third-seeded Akron last Sunday (Nov. 1) to open its sixth-straight MAC Tournament appearance and 10th overall.

The RedHawks, who beat the Eagles 1-0 earlier this year, are 14-5-1 all-time in the conference championship and 4-2 in the semifinal round, last making the championship match in 2002, which was also the last time Miami won the tournament. The Red & White has won three tournament titles in program history, all in a row from 2000-02, and also appeared in the finals in 1999, falling after four overtimes on penalty kicks to Eastern Michigan.

Miami’s defense has led the way this season, allowing just 12 goals all year (six in league play), or 0.63 per game, which is a Miami record (the record was 0.92 in 2002) and ranks second in the conference. Senior keeper Krista Pace (Toronto, Ont.), who’s played every minute in goal this year for the ’Hawks, has not allowed a goal in the last 350 minutes of play, including three straight shutouts. She has eight clean sheets on the year, which is a Miami single-season record, and a 0.61 goals-against average. Pace was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for her shutouts last weekend.

Junior Sara Lund (Malmo, Sweden) has led a Miami offense scoring a MAC-best 1.74 goals per match in 2009 with a team-high seven goals, which is tied for second in the league, including the game-winning goal in the quarterfinals against Akron, which earned her CollegeSoccer360 Primetime Performer of the Week honors. Senior Stephanie Laser (Hinsdale, Ill.) scored the other goal against the Zips, garnering MAC Offensive Player of the Week accolades. Senior Allison Berkey (Hopkinton, Mass.) is second on the team with six goals, while fellow senior Kersta Carlson (Plymouth, Minn.) is tied for the league lead with nine assists, which ties the Miami single-season record.

Eastern Michigan (11-3-6) knocked off No. 7 seed Kent State, 3-0, last Sunday in its quarterfinal match to advance to the semifinals and is riding a seven-game unbeaten streak (5-0-2) since falling to the RedHawks Oct. 9 in Ypsilanti. Senior forward Ashley Rodrigues leads the conference with nine goals, while senior Carissa Wilson and junior Paige Sheridan each have a team-best five assists. Juniors Maggie Manville and Monique Budani have each started 10 games in goal for EMU and each have five shutouts and five wins. The Eagles rank third in the MAC in both goals scored per game and goals allowed per game.

Eastern Michigan holds a slim, 8-7-1 all-time record against Miami, including their meeting earlier this year, but the RedHawks are 2-0-1 against Eastern Michigan in the MAC Tournament, last squaring off in the 2005 quarterfinals—a Miami victory. The teams’ tie came in the 1999 championship match which EMU won on penalty kicks.

Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET at the CMU Soccer Complex and follows the day’s first semifinal between host and top-seeded Central Michigan and fifth-seeded Toledo, who has won the last three MAC Tournaments. Should Miami advance to the finals, the championship match would be played Sunday at 1 p.m. Live stats will be available for all of Miami’s matches at MURedHawks.com.