KALAMAZOO, Mich.  – The Western Michigan women's soccer team fell just shy against Notre Dame, 2-1, in front of a packed WMU Soccer Complex on Thursday evening.

The Broncos held a 1-0 lead at the half but the Fighting Irish scored early in the second half and then again in the 76th minute to seal the game. Junior goalie Maggie Rogers made a career-high seven saves in goal for WMU. Morgan Otteson tallied her first goal of the season and the first for WMU.

Western Michigan weathered an early storm of pressure by UND, with Rogers making her first save on a shot from inside the box in just the fifth minute.  Junior forward Bailey Korhorn had the Broncos' best early chance, firing a shot just wide in the 20th minute.

WMU finally broke through in the 34th minute on Otteson's goal. Hannah Kahn beat a Fighting Irish defender into the box and crossed it to Korhorn at the center of the top of the box. Korhorn flicked it on to Otteson and the sophomore forward settled the ball before firing it into the low-left corner of the net to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead.

UND's Autumn Smithers tied the game up at 1-1 in the 48th minute. Early pressure in the second half created a chance for Smithers at the top of the box and she put it into the left-corner of the net. Smithers struck again in the 76th minute from the same spot, once again putting the ball into the left corner.

WMU mounted a late attack but was unable to tie it up.

The Broncos continue non-conference play on the road, heading to Cincinnati to take on the Bearcats on Sunday at 6 p.m. The game will be streamed live for free at www.gobearcats.com.