KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Senior forward Charlie Sharp scored a natural hat trick as the Western Michigan men's soccer team downed Cleveland State, 5-0, in an exhibition game at the WMU Soccer Complex on Saturday afternoon.
 
In addition to Sharp's three, the Broncos also got goals from Eric Conerty and Dylan Sing. Conerty also chipped in two assists in the victory.
 
Sharp got his first of the day in the 5th minute. Conerty sent a corner kick into the box and it bounced to Sharp, who kicked it in through traffic and into the net.
 
Sharp tallied his second of the game in the 12th minute, this time with an assist from Sing. Sing found Sharp in the right side of the box and the big forward posted up, turned and fired the ball into the top-left corner of the net to push the lead to 2-0.
 
He completed his natural hat trick in the 28th minute off another corner by Conerty. This time, Sharp rose above everyone and headed it into the middle of the net to make it 3-0.
 
Conerty put the Broncos ahead 4-0 with a goal in the 44th minute. Off of a free kick Jaylen Shannon kicked the ball back to Conerty at the top of the box and he volleyed it into the net.
 
Sing added a late goal after Landon Fisher split the Viking defense with a through-ball and Sing slotted under the keeper and into the net in the 84th minute.
 
WMU outshot CSU 16-5 overall, with an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal. Hunter Morse started the game between the sticks for the Broncos, with Ethan Brandt spelling him at half time. Brandt made all four of Western Michigan's saves in the second half.
 
The Broncos wrap up the preseason next Friday on the road at Xavier at 7 p.m.