LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Western Michigan women's soccer team fell in its season-opener on the road at Louisville, 6-2, on Thursday night.
 
The Broncos (0-1) picked up two goals from sophomore winger Jenna Blackburn but were unable to slow down the Cardinal offense. UL outshot the Broncos 25-8 overall, including an 11-4 edge on goal. Fifth-year senior Maggie Rogers made five saves for Western Michigan.
 
Louisville jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with goals in the ninth and 17th minutes. Nina Nicosia gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead on her first goal of the season, slotting it into the net from just in front. Brooke Dardano headed a goal in from the far post for the team's second.
 
WMU responded on Blackburn's first of the night. Senior outside back Kai Sugiyama sprung Blackburn in the run of play and the speedy Grand Blanc, Mich., native beat a UL defender to the ball and fired it into the left side of the net for her first collegiate goal.
 
Louisville pushed the lead back to two, making it 3-1 on a goal by Julia Simon in the 50th minute and then added another in the 57th to move ahead 4-1.
 
Blackburn's second of the night came just minutes later to cut the lead in half but Emma Hiscock and Nicosia added late goals to seal the game.
 
Western Michigan returns to Kalamazoo to host Detroit Mercy on Sunday at 2 p.m. Prior to the start of the match the Broncos will honor its senior class of Sugiyama, Morgan Otteson, Emily Dahl, Claudia Schilling and Victoria Kyriakopolous.