Mount Pleasant, Mich. - The Aggies (3-2) capped their first road trip of the season in fine form on Tuesday morning, taking down Central Michigan (2-3) 2-0 to move to 3-2 on the season.
A day after withstanding 29 shots from ranked opponent Louisville, the Aggies handily outshot the Chippewas 20-6, including 12 shots on goal from the Aggies.
"Today we battled many factors in addition to a hungry Central Michigan squad," Head Coach
Britt Broady said, noting the wet conditions in Mount Pleasant on Tuesday along with the toll four games in six days takes on a team. "This team simply competes to the best of their ability on an given day. They give they have. I couldn't possibly be more pleased."
UC Davis have proven to be an outstanding first half team in 2019 having scored in the first half of every game and in the first period in three out of their five games, including Monday's matchup with No. 12 Louisville.
On Tuesday, it was junior
Sara Janetzky scoring her second goal of the season to cap a six minute stretch in the first period that saw the Aggies put together five shots and one penalty corner before a second penalty corner by
Izzy Porco and assisted by
Nicola Prebble set up Janetzky's goal at the 12 minute mark.
UC Davis took eight penalty corners on Tuesday, a season-high that doubled their previous mark of four taken against Michigan State and Ball State.
Controlling possession for much the game, UC Davis at one point took four straight penalty corners in the second period leading up to sophomore
Madison Theodore's penalty stroke opportunity with 5:25 left in the half. Theodore's shot into the right hand corner of the cage gave the Aggies a 2-0 lead they would not relinquish.
So dominant was the Aggies ball control that Central Michigan did not get off a shot attempt in the first period and went nearly 15 minutes between shots in the second and third periods.
The Chippewas' best chance came on a penalty stroke with 6:36 to go in the fourth period but senior
Chelsea Bigelow recorded her third save of the day to stifle that threat.
Tuesday's win moves UC Davis to 6-1 all time against Central Michigan. The Chippewas will visit Davis for the Aggies' next home game on October 8.
The win also wraps up what amounts to one of the more significant road trips in program history. With Louisville ranked as high as eighth in some polls nationally and Michigan State also entering the national rankings this week, the Aggies found themselves a handful of minutes away from wins over ranked opponents on both occasions.
"Playing 4 games in 6 days is asking a lot of any team," Broady added. "Now toss in that all four games are against regional opponents, two of whom are ranked No. 25 and No. 8 in the country and add to the physical demand by adding three overtime periods. Wow. We have asked so much of this team's depth and heart. And I couldn't be more pleased or proud of their answer or performance."
With momentum building, the Aggies will enjoy a week in Davis before heading out on the road again for three games in the Virginia area beginning with September 19's game at American.
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.
AGGIE EVO
Launched in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE
Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 women's athletics programs. Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year. All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs. Visit https://give.ucdavis.edu/ATHG/324041 for more information.
