KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's soccer team opened up a five-game homestand with a 3-1 win over Oakland at the WMU Soccer Complex on Thursday afternoon.
WMU's three goals, a season high, all came in the first half. The Broncos (2-1-0) outshot the Golden Grizzlies 11-10, with an 11-7 advantage in shots on goal. Western Michigan held Oakland (2-3-1) to just two shots total in the second half and only one made it on frame.
Bailey Korhorn, Grace Labadie and Reagan Wisser each scored their first goals of the season, while Morgan Otteson led the way with two assists. Junior goalie Maggie Rogers made four saves, with the team making two, to earn her second win of the season.
Rogers had to make two saves in the first two minutes of the game, but it was WMU that struck early on a counter attack goal by Korhorn. The Broncos quickly moved the ball up the field after breaking up an attack by OU. Otteson played the ball through the Golden Grizzly back line to Korhorn. The junior's shot was initially deflected by the Oakland goalkeeper but trickled through and into the net in the seventh minute.
Oakland responded in the 24th minute after forcing a turnover on WMU's back line. Sierra Grodsinsky got the ball up to Alexa Sabbagh and she put the ball in the lower-right corner of the net for her fourth goal of the season to tie it up.
WMU responded quickly in the 32nd minute on a goal by Labadie. Freshman Katie Sullivan crossed the ball from the right side to the far post. Korhorn then played it back into the middle of the goal for Labadie to tap it in on the goal line.
"I think it's becoming a thing, where we are able to respond pretty quickly," said interim head coach Sammy Boateng. "Yes, we make mistakes, but one of the things we ask them is what do we do after mistakes happen? Now we are responding and fighting and that's a great trend for us heading into a difficult conference season in two weeks."
Just over seven minutes later Western Michigan added its third of the game. This time Otteson played a ball wide into the right side of the box and Wisser ripped it into the back of the net for her first collegiate goal, pushing the lead to 3-1.
"For us, it's not just one person that's scoring, it's a team effort," said Boateng on the three different goal scorers. "For Morgan to be a center forward and to score earlier in the season and now assisting, it means she is very involved. The scoring being spread out today was great to see that and all three goals came on great combination plays."
Western Michigan returns to action on Sunday when it hosts No. 18 Kansas at 12 p.m.
