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Western Michigan University out-slugged SIU-E 5-1 Thursday in the NCAA Division I first-round game.
Broncos earn NCAA tournament date with top-ranked Ohio State University following dominating opening-round effort
BY DAN STICKRADT
PREMIER MEDIA GROUP | MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK | NATIONAL SOCCER NETWORK
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
BUSINESS LINE: (248) 525-2349
CELL: (248) 884-1051
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @LocalSportsFans @MiSoccerNetwork
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Nothing would slow Western Michigan University’s men’s soccer team on this day.
Nothing.
Not a snow-covered field.
Not a goalkeeper change by its opponent, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
Not a team that is coming off both the regular season and conference tournament titles in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Nothing.
Not even losing its top 25 spot in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 last week after losing in the Missouri Valley Conference quarterfinals -- and after being ranked the entire regular season.
The first time that WMU was not ranked in the top 25 this season, the Broncos blanketed the xxx like the snow all over the Western Michigan Soccer Complex and dusted away SIU-E’s tournament hopes with a 5-1 victory in the Round 48.
WMU’s reward? To face NCAA Division I top-ranked Ohio State University on Sunday.
Western Michigan improved to 12-2-6 overall behind a dominating effort.
The Broncos outshot SIU-E 19-17 overall, including 12-6 with shots on goal, and drew even at cornerkicks with the Cougars at 4-4.
Western Michigan never trailed, taking a 2-0 lead by the half and pouring it on during the second half with a 3-1 edge over the final 45 minutes of play. At one time the Broncos led 4-0 in the second half and the game was never in doubt.
The Cougars (12-5-3) were making their 25th NCAA appearance in the game but suffered a huge blow during warmups when Ohio Valley Conference Goalkeeper of the Year Rob Gjelaj came down with an injury and could not play. Western Michigan put together a pre-Thanksgiving feast on the shorthanded visitors from SIU-E.
Senior transfer Owen Smith netted the game-winner just 2:45 into the contest, as he finished off a volley following short passes from Noah James and Duarte Chapelas for his fifth goal of the campaign.
The Broncos extended their lead when Christian Shannon scored at the 37:29 mark to give his team a two-goal cushion. Following a free kick off the post and the ensuing shot also clanked off the post, Shannon was there to mop up the mess and blast it into the back of the net.
Greyson Mercer extended the lead to 3-0 just under five minutes into the second half, blasting home his seventh goal of the season off helpers from James and Smith at 49:58.
Mercer recorded his eighth tally of the season at 61:21, this time coming off a close-range header following assists from Smith and Emiel Nieuwhof for the 4-0 advantage, essentially putting the game out of reach.
SIU-E was able to spoil the shutout at 70:26 when he converted a penalty kick for his third goal of the season.
Western Michigan made the Cougars pay the price again when Chapelas netted his first goal of the season at 81:58 to cap the scoring. Asher Barnes and Carson Hodgson drew assists on the fifth goal.
Six different WMU players picked up points in the contest.
Shannon, Chapelas and Braxton Arpachinda aided the defensive effort on the snow-covered grounds to help WMU advance to the Round of 32 for the third season in a row. The Broncos are making their fourth NCAA appearance in eight seasons and fifth overall.
SIU-E’s Patrick Coleman picked up a red card in the waning seconds.
Colin Welsh recorded five saves in six attempts during the game to record the win between the pipes in the blizzard-like conditions.
SIU-E backup goalkeeper Ethan Kornas, thrust into action just a few minutes before kickoff, made seven saves in 12 chances for the Cougars.
Western Michigan will visit Columbus, Ohio, at 5 p.m. Sunday night where they will take on
Big Ten Conference champion Ohio State at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-884-1051 or 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com and jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
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(MSN will compile a random sampling of game results from around the state each day. To send in results from high school varsity, club, amateur, pre-pro, semi-pro or professional soccer, email all pertinent details to Communications Specialist / Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com or submit information right on the correct link on the MSN website at https://www.michigansoccernetwork.com/reportascore. Please submit the competing teams, location and date of game, final score, overall and league records, goals, assists, goalkeepers and saves, standout defenders, players of the match, and any other pertinent details of the game. If there are courtesy action photos available, feel free to submit them at the above-listed emails.)
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(Have photos to go with this story? Email pics to Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and also list photo credit as well.)
BOYS SOCCER: MSN SUPER 50 TEAMS POSITIONS 41-50: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/post/boys-soccer-super-50-teams-positions-41-50
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