The Valparaiso women’s soccer closed out its weekend of exhibition games at Brown Field Sunday afternoon, falling to Central Michigan 1-0.

The Crusaders put together more chances than the Chippewas over the course of the match, out-shooting CMU 11-7 and putting seven shots on goal to the Chippewas’ one, but the one CMU shot would make the difference. After a Valpo yellow card in the final minute of the first of three, 30-minute periods, CMU’s Kaelyn Korte stepped up from 30 yards and struck a nice shot into the upper left corner of the net.

With just five days left prior to the start of the regular season, both sides were looking to distribute minutes up and down the roster. Valpo saw 24 different players take the field, with nobody playing more than 66 of the 90 minutes. Freshman Tess Barrett (Tinley Park, Ill./Providence Catholic) started in goal and played the first 46 minutes, while fellow rookie Drew Moulton (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) came in at goalkeeper just past the halfway mark of the second period and played the remaining 44 minutes.

Valparaiso opens the regular season Friday night in the same way it concluded the 2014 campaign, making the hour trek east on the Indiana Toll Road to face off against Notre Dame, which is ranked #9 in the NSCAA preseason poll. The Crusaders and Irish kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT.