Oct. 31, 2009

MAC Tournament Bracket

OXFORD, Ohio - With the regular season complete, the Miami University women’s soccer team has earned the No. 6 seed in the eight-team Mid-American Conference Tournament and will travel to face third-seeded Akron Sunday at 2 p.m. ET at Lee Jackson Field. The RedHawks (10-7-1, 6-4-1 MAC) will be making their sixth straight MAC Tournament appearance and 10th in program history.

Miami earned its first 10-win season since 2002 with an 8-0 victory over Ball State in the regular-season finale Thursday that tied the program record for goals in a game and largest margin of defeat. Eight different RedHawks scored the goals, including senior Allison Berkey (Hopkinton, Mass.) and junior Sara Lund (Malmo, Sweden), who lead Miami with six goals apiece on the year (tied for third in the MAC). Senior Kersta Carlson (Plymouth, Minn.) added a pair of assists in the win, giving her eight on the year, which leads the league and is one shy of tying the Miami single-season record.

Offense has not been the RedHawks’ only strength however, as Miami’s defense has given up just 12 goals in 18 games this year (0.67 per game), which is second in the MAC and the fewest Miami has ever given up in a season. In 2002, Miami conceded 22 goals in 24 games (0.92 per game), which was the previous best. Senior keeper Krista Pace (Toronto, Ont.) has seven shutouts on the year, which ties the school’s single-season mark and is second in the league, while her 0.65 goals-against average is third.

The Zips (9-6-2, 7-3-1 MAC) defeated the ’Hawks on Oct. 16 earlier this year, 1-0, also at Akron, behind a second-half goal from Kate Ferrara. Akron comes into the tournament on a six-game winning streak despite being outscored 20-18 on the season (Miami has outscored its foes 31-12). Both teams however, have allowed just six goals in league play, which ties for second. Rachel Phillip leads the Zips with five goals on the year, while goalkeeper Jeny Wolbert has a 0.91 GAA and six shutouts in 16 games in 2009, including a two-save clean sheet against Miami.

“We’re excited to be in the tournament,” Miami head coach Bobby Kramig said. “Akron’s a fine team and we’re expecting a great game with them.”

The RedHawks are 13-5-1 all-time in the MAC Tournament but haven’t won a game in the league championship since a 2-1 win over Ball State in the 2006 quarterfinals. Miami is 6-3 in the quarterfinal round but is 0-1 all-time as a No. 6 seed. The ’Hawks have three MAC Tournament titles (2000-02), tying Toledo (who has won the last three) for the most in league history. Miami fell 1-0 to eventual champion Toledo in last year’s quarterfinals as the eighth seed and is 2-5-1 all-time in MAC Tournament road matches.

The Zips and RedHawks have never met in the MAC Tournament but Miami holds a slight 4-3-2 edge in the all-time series, despite this year’s loss, but is 1-2-2 when playing at Akron.

Should Miami advance, it would travel to the highest remaining seed in the tournament for the semifinals against the winner of second-seeded Eastern Michigan and seventh-seeded Kent State on Friday.

--MURedHawks.com--

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