Eagles Stand Alone Atop MAC West with 2-0 Shutout of CMU

Hall Postgame Interview

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University women's soccer team captured sole possession of first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division with a 2-0 shutout over Central Michigan University Sunday afternoon, Sept. 30, at Scicluna Field. The Eagles (7-3-1; 4-0-0 MAC) won their fourth straight contest and handed the Chippewas (7-4-1; 3-1-0 MAC) their first conference loss of the year.

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Jenna O'Dell was superb, making five saves including several critical stops in the second half en route to her fifth shutout and seventh victory of the season. Angela Vultaggio scored the game-winner for a second straight match for her fifth of the year in the 36th minute. Fellow sophomore Martha Stevens added the insurance marker in the 72nd minute for the first goal of her career.

Junior Stephanie Clarke also registered a point on the afternoon with an assist on Vultaggio's goal, while Vultaggio and junior Cara Cutaia were credited with helpers on Stevens' tally. Vultaggio's three-point afternoon gave her the team lead with 15, while Cutaia racked up her 14th point.

The Eagles last won four straight games Sept. 14-26, 2008.

For the Chippewas, goalkeeper Stefanie Turner took the loss to fall to 5-3-1 on the season. Kaely Scholsser led the team offensively with seven shots (one on goal) for CMU, which outshot EMU overall, 25-13. EMU edged Central Michigan in shots on goal, 6-5.

Central Michigan controlled the tempo early, swarming the EMU goal with shots and several quality scoring chances. The visitors nearly took an early lead in the 12th minute with a pair of shots off a corner kick; the second of which was deflected away by O'Dell.

Following that near-scare, the Eagles turned up the pressure on their opponent, controlling play for the majority of the remaining 30 minutes of the first half. In the 21st minute, an EMU corner kick sailed into the box, where sophomore Bianca Rossi fired a point-blank shot. With Turner making the initial save, Rossi sent another shot straight up in the air, which Turner also corralled.

Fifteen minutes later, Clarke controlled the ball in the CMU zone. She played a pass up toward the box, where Vultaggio and a Chippewas defender battled one-on-one for the ball. Both players briefly lost track of the ball before Vultaggio found it and sent a booming kick from 20 yards out into the top-left corner of the net for a 1-0 EMU advantage.

Rossi nearly made it a two-goal affair with six minutes remaining in the opening half when she sent a skipping shot just past the right goalpost. Senior Jessica Thomas then prevented the Chippewas from adding the equalizer with three minutes to go when she blocked a Christen Chiesa shot in front of the goal.

The Chippewas came out of the break on the attack, but O'Dell extinguished the early momentum when she stoned Laura Twidle with a diving save to her right side.

Crisp passing by the Eagles led to the game's second goal in the 72nd minute. Vultaggio raced up the right side of the field and forwarded a pass to Cutaia. Cutaia then found Stevens, who raced past a pair of CMU defenders and broke in alone on goal. Stevens chipped the ball over a sliding Turner and into the goal to bring the home crowd to its feet.

CMU pressured for the remaining 20 minutes, but the EMU defense and O'Dell remained strong. O'Dell made one final terrific save on Schlosser with six minutes remaining to seal the shutout for the Eagles and a fourth-consecutive MAC victory.

Eastern Michigan looks to keep its streak alive with a game against Ball State University Friday, Oct. 5, in Muncie, Ind. Game time is set for 3 p.m.

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Team Stats

Angela Vultaggio

Martha Stevens

Stephanie Clarke

Cara Cutaia

Eastern Michigan Athletics