KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Last season, the goal for the Western Michigan women's soccer team was to make the Mid-American Conference Tournament. It did so with a win in its last game of the regular season against Toledo, making the MAC Tournament as the final seed in the field. 

However, in 2023, the expectations were higher in Lewis Robinson's second year at the helm and with a new-look team taking the field. It started with an undefeated spring season and extended into the fall with a couple big wins early. The Broncos began the season 3-0, including a win over Butler. 

The team has taken that momentum to an undefeated conference season, a program record 11-game unbeaten streak and the first regular season MAC Title in program history. As fate would have it, the record-breaking regular season again ended with a win over Toledo. 

The Broncos upended the Rockets, 3-1, at the WMU Soccer Complex this afternoon to move to 12-3-3 overall and 8-0-3 in MAC play. Western Michigan earned the No. 1 overall seed in the MAC Tournament and will host the semifinals and finals. WMU is just the fifth team in MAC history to end the regular season with an undefeated conference record. 

FIRST HALF
Toledo tried to steal the show early on, scoring in the opening five minutes to take a 1-0 lead. However, it was all Broncos from there, with Jen Blitchok netting the game-tying goal in the 24th minute. 

Western Michigan would get several more looks down the stretch, including a Jaden Peck shot in the closing minutes, but the two teams would head to the half tied at 1-1. 

SECOND HALF
The Broncos turned up the offensive pressure in the second half, as Blitchok scored the game-winning goal in the 56th minute. It marked her second goal of the match. 

About 20 minutes later, Madison Cotta found Bria Telemaque who then hit Jenna Blackburn for an open look on net. Blackburn knew what to do with it and buried it to give the Broncos a two-goal cushion. Western Michigan would go on to close out the victory and claim its first regular season MAC Championship in program history. 

Overall, WMU was dominant throughout the game, leading in shots (23-3), shots on goal (8-3) and corner kicks (8-3). 

UP NEXT
WMU will now host the semifinals and finals of the MAC Tournament next week. Semifinal play begins on Thursday, Nov. 2 at the WMU Soccer Complex.