KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's soccer team opened the 2019 season with a, 4-0, exhibition win over Valparaiso at the WMU Soccer Complex on Friday.
After a scoreless first half, Baily Korhorn and Grace Labadie each scored twice for the Broncos. WMU outshot VALPO 17-5 overall, landing 10 shots on target. Maggie Rogers and Hannah Sargent each played 45 minutes in net, with Sargent making three saves in the second half to secure the shutout.
It being the first game of the season, I think there was a little bit of nerves and uncertainty," said interim head coach Sammy Boateng. "They settled down at half time and the half time talk was more of them doing the talking and figuring things out, which was great. For us it was having them figure things out with a few tidbits from Shannon and I and they came out and played great."
Korhorn netted the first goal of the game in the 61st minute. The junior forward fired a shot on net that was tipped over the bar, resulting in a corner kick. Labadie served the ball into the center of the box and Korhorn jumped and headed it into the net.
Minutes later she struck again to push Western Michigan's lead to 2-0. After creating a turnover in the midfield, sophomore midfielder Tanja Vucenonic went down the right flank and crossed it to Korhorn in the right-center of the box. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native one-timed it into the net for her second of the day.
Labadie netted her first goal of the day in the 70th minute. She was fouled just outside the left corner of the box and curled the free kick into the net, giving the Broncos a 3-0 lead. She pushed the score to 4-0 after settling a ball in the box, turning and ripping it past the Crusader keeper in the 75th minute.
Twenty-one different Broncos played on the day.
"When we made subs, it showed our depth," said Boateng. "The level didn't go down and they were able to raise it. So now they're starting to ask questions of us as a coaching staff as to who is going to start the next game, and that's a problem I'd love to have any day."
Western Michigan opens the regular season at Iowa on Thursday at 8 p.m. The game will be streamed live on BTN+.
#WeWillReign
