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Oct. 23, 2001
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REDHAWKS CONCLUDE HOMESTAND VERSUS BALL STATE AND BOWLING GREEN: With the season rapidly winding down, Miami University's women's soccer team concludes its regular-season home schedule this weekend when it hosts Mid-American Conference rivals Ball State University on Friday and Bowling Green State University on Sunday.
Ball State, which started the season with seven consecutive wins, has struggled over its last seven league matches, managing just one win and one tie. Despite its 3-5-1 league record, the Cardinals have been a dangerous team. All five of BSU's MAC losses have come by just one goal, while four of those contests were resolved in overtime. In all, Ball State, which is in its third season as a varsity program, has outscored the opposition by a surprising 32-15 margin. Coached by Ron Rainey, the Cardinals are led by senior forward Julie Pigozzo, who has notched six goals and four assists. Sophomore Megan Swafford has seen 11 starts in goal this season and boasts a stellar 0.92 goals against average.
The RedHawks clash with Bowling Green Sunday in a rematch of last season's MAC Championship game. Since advancing their overall record to 7-3-2 with a three-game winning streak in early October, the Falcons have dropped four consecutive MAC contests, including losses to three of the top four teams in the league, and are suddenly in danger of not qualifying for the MAC Tournament. Mentored by Ron Rainey, the Falcons are led by freshman forward Kristy Coppes, who leads the MAC with 12 goals. Erika Flanders has handled the goalkeeping responsibilities in all 16 Falcon contests this season and possesses a 1.62 GAA and four shutouts.
MIAMI-BALL STATE SERIES HISTORY: Miami and Ball State are meeting for the third time since Ball State joined the league in 1999, with the RedHawks maintaining a 2-0-0 series advantage. Miami claimed the series' inaugural meeting by a 4-0 margin in Oxford but struggled at Muncie, Ind., last season, needing overtime to earn a 2-1 come-from-behind win.
MIAMI-BOWLING GREEN SERIES HISTORY: Miami and Bowling Green are meeting for the sixth time since 1997, with the RedHawks holding a dominant 5-0-0 series advantage. Despite the lopsided manner of the series record, the Falcons have been very competitive versus Miami, losing three of the five matches by just one goal, including two overtime losses. Last season, Miami defeated Bowling Green in the championship match of the MAC Tournament when Danielle Berkemeier tallied the contest's only goal in the second overtime. Miami is 2-0 versus BGSU on Miami Soccer Field, outscoring the Falcons 6-3 in those meetings.
HOME SWEET HOME: Though Miami struggled in dropping its first two home contests this season, the RedHawks have since righted the ship on their home turf, winning their last three home dates by a combined score of 12-0. Miami Soccer Field has historically posed more than its share of problems for opposing teams, posting a stellar 27-15-2 (.636) record. Over the past three seasons, the Red and White has been even stronger on its home field, amassing 20 wins and just five losses for a remarkable .800 winning percentage. Overall, Miami has won 21 of its last 25 games at Miami Soccer Field.
MIAMI IN THE MAC: Now entering its fifth season in the Mid-American Conference, Miami owns a 26-21-2 (.551) regular-season record versus MAC opponents. Since struggling to just four combined league wins through their first two seasons, the RedHawks have begun to assert themselves over the past two years, winning eight league contests in 1999 and seven in 2000. Miami guaranteed its third consecutive winning MAC record with last Sunday's defeat of Western Michigan. Two wins this weekend would establish a new Miami record for league wins.
HEAD COACH BOBBY KRAMIG: Fresh off his 50th win as Miami's women's soccer mentor this weekend, Bobby Kramig continues to lead the RedHawks to new heights. Kramig, who has headed the women's program since its inception in 1997, holds a 52-37-4 (.581) record.
Kramig has successfully guided Miami's women's soccer program through its transition from club to varsity status over the past five seasons. In 1999, Kramig led the RedHawks to a landmark season that included a trip to the MAC Championship match and a Miami record 17 wins. Last season, Kramig guided the Red and White deep into the postseason, guiding the RedHawks to a 13-8-0 overall record, a MAC Tournament Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Kramig, who began his career as head women's soccer coach at Morehead State in 1982, came to Miami prior to the 1983 season, when he took over the Miami men's soccer program, which he guided for the next 16 seasons. His overall college coaching record (men's and women's) stands at 203-183-25.
A LOOK BACK: Behind two shutout performances from its defense, Miami kept itself in the MAC title hunt last weekend by blanking Northern Illinois, 2-0, and Western Michigan, 4-0. The wins advanced Miami to 7-2-0 in league play while allowing the RedHawks to move to a second-place tie in the MAC point standings.
Versus Northern Illinois, Miami got a first-half goal from senior Julie Grosso (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto) and, following a brief Husky rally, put the game out of reach with a Danielle Altiero (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) header. Danielle Berkemeier (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) notched two assists in the win.
Senior forward Brooke Paul (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart) was the story in Miami's 4-0 defeat of Western Michigan last Sunday. With Miami clinging to a 1-0 halftime lead, Paul came off the bench for the second half and tied a Miami record with three goals in a half. Sophomore Katie Milligan (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville) tallied the eventual game-winner in the first half, while freshman Ashley Swinehart (Worthington, Ohio/Worthington) dished out two assists.
ALL OR NOTHING: It is all or nothing when it comes to Miami and MAC play. Through the RedHawks' first nine games, Miami has poured on 26 goals for a league-leading average of 2.9 tallies per match. The RedHawks have tied or broken their program record for most goals versus a MAC opponent three times this season, with their six goals versus Akron on Oct. 7 standing as the record. In stark contrast, Miami's offense has been silent in its two MAC losses, absorbing shutout losses to Toledo (1-0) and Ohio (2-0). Miami, which is 9-0 overall when scoring at least two goals, has outscored its MAC foes 26-8 and leads the league in margin of victory. Defensively, the RedHawks have blanked four MAC opponents.
STRIKING FIRST: In the case of RedHawk soccer this season, every match has followed sudden victory format. Miami is a perfect 10-0-0 when scoring the first goal and a most imperfect 0-5-0 when the opponent strikes first. Danielle Berkemeier (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) and Andrea Cunningham (Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley) have led Miami's first-strike efforts this season, with three first goals each.
BROOKE'S BIG DAY: Senior forward Brooke Paul (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart) gave Miami a big lift off the bench in last Sunday's defeat of Western Michigan, tallying a hat trick in a single half. Paul, who tallied Miami's first hat trick in a 1998 defeat of Morehead State, became the first RedHawk to tally multiple career hat tricks with her effort. Paul's three goals in a half also tied a Miami record set by teammate Katie Milligan (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville) in a 1999 defeat of Loyola (Ill.) for most goals in a half. Paul, who completed the trifecta in just 11:28, also broke Milligan's record for fastest hat trick. Paul currently ranks third all-time at Miami with 17 career goals and 39 career points. One more point would make Paul just the 17th player in MAC history to clear the 40-point barrier.
CHASING HISTORY: A little more than half way through their junior seasons, Miami's dynamic duo of Danielle Berkemeier (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) and Andrea Cunningham (Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley) are firmly entrenching their reputations as the most dangerous duo in Mid-American Conference history. According to a listing of the MAC's all-time career scoring leaders, compiled by Eastern Michigan's Bernadette Vielhaber, Cunningham ranks second all-time with 99 career points and Berkemeier rates fourth with 90 points. The duo is chasing former Buffalo standout Paula Listrani, who tallied 104 points during her three seasons of MAC soccer. Cunningham and Berkemeier are attempting to become the second and third players in MAC history to reach the century mark in career scoring.
CUNNINGHAM STILL ON THE MOVE: Following a remarkable 2000 campaign in which she earned first-team all-America status from the NSCAA, junior forward Andrea Cunningham (Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley) has picked up where she left off. Since she was kept off the scoreboard in season-opening losses to SMU and Georgetown, Cunningham has come to life, tallying 11 goals over the past 13 games, including a Miami record five game-winning goals and four multiple-goal efforts. Cunningham traditionally has been stronger versus MAC foes, netting 28 of her 41 (.683) career goals in MAC outings. She currently ranks second in the MAC in both points (1.78) and goals (0.78) per game.
BERKEMEIER'S AMAZING RUN: Though the 2000 season paled statistically when compared to her sensational freshman campaign, Miami forward Danielle Berkemeier (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) peaked at the right time and has been riding high ever since. Beginning with Miami's 2-0 MAC Semifinal defeat of Buffalo last season, in which she tallied the game-winning goal, Berkemeier tallied a goal or assist in nine consecutive contests until the entire team was blanked versus Utah on Sept. 23. She found the back of the net in seven of those nine games, netting three game-winning goals while assisting on another. Excluding three shutout losses, Berkemeier has remained red-hot, contributing a goal or an assist in 15 consecutive contests. She ranks second in the MAC in assists (0.67 apg) and is tied with Andrea Cunningham in points per game (1.78 ppg).
HEART OF THE MIDFIELD: Always a physical presence in the center of Miami's midfield, two-time all-MAC honoree Shaedyn Cousino (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill) is reestablishing herself as a scoring threat this season. Cousino, who tallied three goals and three assists her freshman season, notched just one goal and two assists as a sophomore. This season, Cousino has been getting forward with Miami's offense and already matched her career high with three assists. Versus Buffalo on Sept. 28, Cousino tallied her first goal of the season, ending a 21-game drought. The daughter of former Miami football All-American Brad Cousino and sister of current RedHawk football player Cortt Cousino, Shaedyn was a first-team all-MAC selection as a freshman and second-team honoree last season.
DINGED UP DEFENSE: If Miami had to select a Defensive MVP for its team, it might very well select Dave Donnelly, the team's athletic trainer. Of nine players who have played defender this season, Donnelly has or is helping all nine through some type of injury. Currently listed on Miami's injury report are seniors Courtney Carey (probable-knee), Quinn Brady (probable-knee) and sophomore Michaela Fink (out-knee), who is just returning to the practice field after off-season surgery to repair a torn ACL. Also battling various ailments are senior Sarah Paul (achilles tendon), sophomore Tricia Gill (concussion), junior Katie Mach (ankle), junior Holly Wildenhaus (knee), junior Audry Wieman (knee) and freshman Kristy Tamaska (foot).
"D" WINS: Despite the rash of injuries that have plagued Miami's defender corps this season, the RedHawk defense has hung tough while maintaining an impressive tradition. Miami ranks fifth in the MAC this season, surrendering just 1.07 goals per game. In MAC action, Miami is allowing just 0.89 goals per game, which ranks fourth in the MAC. Both totals currently stand as Miami team records.
Miami's defense has blanked three consecutive MAC foes and four of the last five. Goalkeeper Katie Karlander (Carmel, Ind./Syracuse) has notched three of those shutouts while Caitlin Wolf (Fairfield, Ohio/Dayton) recorded the fourth. Karlander has not allowed a goal in 270 minutes.
MAC RACE HITS HIGH GEAR: With three league contests remaining, Miami finds itself in a heated race for the 2001 MAC regular-season championship. Currently in a four-way tie for second-place in the league point standings, Miami trails Central Michigan by just one win and is even with Ohio, Eastern Michigan and Buffalo. By winning its last three games, Miami guarantees itself at least a share of the regular-season championship (Central Michigan has only two more league matches to Miami's three) but not necessarily the top seed for the MAC Tournament.
With Miami, Ohio and Central Michigan all tied with a league-low two losses, all three could finish in a tie for the regular-season title, forcing a tiebreaker to decide which team would earn the tournament's top seed. Assuming the RedHawks, Chippewas and Bobcats win out, Miami would claim the top seed by virtue of posting a better record versus the top remaining teams in the league. The tiebreaker rule would not come into effect as all three teams have one head-to-head loss versus the other two. If Miami and Central Michigan win out but Ohio stumbles, the RedHawks would earn the top seed via its head-to-head win over the Chippewas in September. However, if Ohio and Miami finish tied for first, the Bobcats would earn the top seed by virtue of their head-to-head defeat of Miami two weeks ago.
There is still much to be decided in the "whacky" MAC, though, as 12 of the 13 teams have at least an outside chance of making the eight-team tournament field. Eastern Michigan also has a shot at the league title and faces Central Michigan and Miami in its final two matches, forcing the very real possibility of a four-way tie for the MAC Title.
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