Box Score
Season Stats
MURRAY, Ky. -- Western Michigan ended a four-game road losing streak by defeating Murray State, 6-1, on Sunday afternoon, with five different players netting goals for the Broncos.
The six goals by the Brown & Gold (4-4-0) were the most scored by the Broncos since an 8-1 win over Iona on Sept. 9, 2001. It also ties a team record for most goals scored in an away game, tying the six goal output the Broncos racked up on Sept. 23, 2001 in a 6-1 win at Akron. Western Michigan had lost its previous four road games, scoring only once during the losing streak.
“We came here expecting to play well,” said head coach Suzie Grech. “Murray State has been the top team in the Ohio Valley Conference for the last two years and really gave us a physical game. We are going to se a lot of physical play in the MAC and it was good to get in a game like that before the start of conference play.”
Sophomore Forward Brittney Pavlica was the first to score for the Broncos in the 18th minute mark on a shot from the center of the 18-yard box to the right post for her third goal of the season. The ball was played in on a give-and-go by senior midfielder Ali Bagley, picking up her second assist on the season.
The Broncos extended the lead to 2-0 in the 25th minute after speedy winger Stephanie Skowneski fired a shot from 20 yards out and into the upper right corner of the net for her third of the season. No Bronco scored more than three goals during the 2009 season with Skowneski and Pavlica now tied for the team lead at three.
Murray State was able to cut the lead to 2-1 in the 35th minute after Shauna Wicker headed in the ball from a corner kick but the Broncos answered quickly just 59 seconds later on a corner of their own. Caitlin Henderson lobbed the ball in and junior center back Alison Szczypka headed it into the net for her first goal of the season. Henderson tallied her team-leading fourth assist on the goal as the Broncos took a 3-1 lead into the half.
WMU wasted no time adding to their lead in the second half as Ali Jacobs found the upper left corner from 20 yards out in the 48th minute to score her first goal of the season to give WMU a 4-1 lead. Szczypka added her second of the game off another corner kick after the ball was directed to her by senior midfielder Nicole Dulyea and junior midfielder Jackie Drees added her first of the season in the 88th minute to settle the score at 6-1.
“I thought we played well and we were able to get a lot of our regulars a chance to rest,” said Grech as the Broncos played 19 players total including both goalkeepers in the win. “We've always had some trouble scoring on the road and with our first few MAC games on the road it is a big confidence boost heading into next weekend to put up six.”
Julia Francy made one save in picking up her third win of the season, while backup keeper Michelle Watson played 37 minutes and also made a save.
Western Michigan stays on the road and heads to Ball State to open MAC play on Friday at 4 p.m., then traveling to Toledo on Sunday for a showdown with the Rockets at 2 p.m.
