Eagles Host Central Michigan in Regular Season Finale

Soccer vs. Central Michigan
Date	Thursday, Oct. 27 - 3 p.m.
Location	Ypsilanti, Mich. - Scicluna Field
Game Notes	EMU Notes
Live Stats	vs. Central Michigan
Live Stream	N/A
Twitter	@EMUSoccer \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University women's soccer team closes out the regular season at home, Thursday, Oct. 27, when it hosts in-state rival Central Michigan University for a Mid-American Conference West Division clash. Both teams have already secured spots in the MAC Tournament, but the match has seeding implications for the conference tournament.
   Fans can follow live stats for the match on EMUEagles.com, or tune in for in-game updates on the team's Twitter, @EMUSoccer.

#WEARE IN: With a 1-0 win over Akron Sunday, Oct. 23, the Eagles secured a spot in the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the first time since 2014. While EMU will definitely travel for the first round of the tournament, the Eagles could be slotted as the sixth, seventh, or eighth seed based on how things shake out around the MAC on the final day of the regular season.

FOUR POINT WEEKEND IN THE BOOKS: The Green and White posted a 1-0-1 mark over the final weekend of MAC play, Oct. 20-23. On the first stop of the two-game roadtrip, the Eagles played through a downpour and double overtime before leaving Buffalo, N.Y. with a 1-1 draw against Buffalo. From there, EMU traveled to Akron, Ohio where Ellie Tillar's goal lifted Eastern to a 1-0 win.

CHIP DIP: After an 8-0 start to begin the season, the Chippewas have amassed a 5-2-3 league record, leaving them 13-2-3 on the year overall. Most recently, CMU was upended by Akron in double overtime before playing to a 1-1 draw against Buffalo.
   The Chips have outscored opponents, 31-16, this season and have put 118 shots on target compared to opponents' 89. Leading the CMU attack this season has been Alexis Pelafas. Pelafas recently set the Central Michigan record for goals scored in a season, and is the only player on the CMU roster with more than four goals. Having found the back of the net 15 times, Pelafas has also added three assists for a team-high 33 points. Meanwhile, Jamie Rademacher and Eliza Van de Kerkhove are tied for second on the team with 10 points apiece.
   Defensively, the Chippewas have relied on Kristen Knutson in between the posts. Garnering starts in all 18 games, Knutson owns a 0.80 goals against average and has pitched seven shutouts, while compiling a 13-2-3 record in goal.

REGULAR SEASON FINALES: The Eagles hold a 4-5-2 record in regular season finales since 2005, and have closed out the regular season against Central Michigan seven times. Last season, EMU ended the 2015 campaign with a 2-1 loss to Bowling Green, snapping a three-game win streak in season finales.
   Thursday's meeting with the Chippewas pits the Eagles against CMU in the final match of the regular season for the first time since 2011, when Central escaped with a 1-nil victory. The last time Eastern Michigan topped CMU in a season finale came during the 2005 campaign when the Green and White overpowered the Chips, 4-1. In that match, Michele Lawrence netted two goals, including the game-winner, while Trisha Roberts and Cyndi Mullins sealed the win with a pair of second half goals. Sara Schiffbauer made six saves in the win.

TILLAR'S 20TH: Since registering the 20th point of her career in EMU's, 3-2, double overtime loss to Miami, Oct. 2, on EMU's go-ahead goal in the 74th minute, Ellie Tillar has continued to climb the charts in the EMU record books. Netting the game-winners against Bowling Green (Oct. 6) and Akron (Oct. 23), Tillar's career point total now sits at 24, ranking tied for 22nd-most in EMU history.

MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: After opening league play 0-4-0, Eastern Michigan pushed its unbeaten streak to six games over the weekend, Oct. 20-23, with a win over Akron (1-0) and a double overtime draw against Buffalo (1-1). The streak is EMU's longest unbeaten run since the Eagles won four consecutive games, Sept. 20-Oct. 3, 2013.

LEAGUE GAMES ALL-TIME: Since beginning play in the MAC during the 1997 season, the Eagles are 122-72-29 in conference matches. EMU has been most successful against Northern Illinois (14-5-3), but also holds winning records over Akron (11-3-2), Bowling Green (14-9-1), Buffalo (10-6-6), Central Michigan (12-4-3), Kent State (12-9-1), Ohio (13-7-4), and Toledo (13-11-4). The only teams in the conference that EMU trails in the all-time series against are Ball State (7-9-2), Miami (11-12-1), and Western Michigan (11-12-4).

ALL-TIME SERIES: The Eagles are 12-4-3 against in-state rival Central Michigan all-time, having battled the Chips 19 times previously. Most recently, the Eagles and CMU played through double overtime with neither team able to find the back of the net in a scoreless draw. Megan McCabe made a season-best 10 saves in the game, as CMU outshot EMU, 23-12. Eastern Michigan's last loss to Central came in 2011, when the Eagles dropped a 1-nil decision in their regular season finale at Scicluna Field.

SCICLUNA SUCCESS: Eastern Michigan has found consistent success when playing at home over the past 20 years, compiling a 103-52-27 overall record at Scicluna. The Green and White's 100th win came in EMU's 3-2 win over Akron, Oct. 4, 2015. In that contest, Gabriella Mancini netted the quickest goal in EMU history, scoring in the second minute of play. Michelle Rollins' goal in the 21st minute was followed by Ellie Tillar's game-winning strike in the 61st.

KEEPIN' IT CLEAN: In her second season between the pipes for the Eagles, sophomore goalkeeper Kaylin Williams has been rock solid. After posting back-to-back shutouts for the first time in her career, Oct. 14-16, Williams turned in another clean sheet against Akron, Oct. 23. Williams and the Eagle defense held the Zips to just five shots, while the Kansas City, Mo. native helped the Green and White to a 1-nil victory. Credited with five shutouts this season, Williams' career total now sits at seven.

LOOKING AHEAD: Having clinched a spot in the Mid-American Conference Tournament with a win over Akron, Oct. 23, the Eagles will turn their focus to the postseason after Thursday's match. The Green and White will hit the road for the playoffs, with a destination set to be determined Thursday. The match will take place Sunday, Oct. 30, at a time to be announced.

We went 1-on-1 with @EMUSoccer's @Nicole_Remedios for this week's #1on1Wednesday! Catch them at Scicluna tomorrow vs. CMU! #EMUEagles #WeAre pic.twitter.com/tNf2DDFZ6h
— EMU Athletics (@EMUAthletics) October 26, 2016

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Players Mentioned

Gabriella Mancini

Megan McCabe

Michelle Rollins

Ellie Tillar

Kaylin Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics