UMass Women’s Soccer Faces Tough Loss Against Western Michigan: Final Score 5-2

Kalamazoo, Mich. – The University of Massachusetts women’s soccer team faced Western Michigan on Thursday and ended up losing 5-2 at the WMU Soccer Complex. This brings UMass’s record to 3-5-2 overall and 1-3 in the Mid-American Conference. Meanwhile, the Broncos improved to 8-2-1 overall and 4-0-1 in conference play.

The game started with Western Michigan scoring early. Heidi Thomasma headed in a corner from Drew Martin just four minutes in. The Broncos continued to dominate, going up 2-0 at the 25th minute when Martin connected on a cross from Abby Baldridge.

In the second half, Madi Canada pushed the score to 3-0 at the 59-minute mark. Meredith Vance quickly added another goal, making it 4-0 just two minutes later.

UMass finally got on the board at the 73-minute mark with Aline Traber scoring her first career goal from a free kick. Kayla Nohasiarisoa followed suit, netting her first collegiate goal shortly after. The Minutewomen seemed to be gaining momentum, trailing 4-2.

However, Western Michigan responded swiftly, with Abby Werthman scoring again just under a minute later to seal the game at 5-2.

Western Michigan outshot UMass 18-10, with 8 shots on goal compared to UMass’s 6. UMass earned 3 corner kicks while WMU had 7.

Traber and Nohasiarisoa were bright spots for UMass, each leading the team with two shots. Nohasiarisoa placed both on goal, while Traber had one on target. Sophia Foley contributed with her first assist of the year.

In goal, Leah Nisenfeld made two saves but allowed four goals before Pepper Escher stepped in for her collegiate debut, stopping one shot and permitting one goal in her 28 minutes.

As UMass looks ahead, they will face Central Michigan this Sunday at 1 p.m. on Chippewas All-Access.

This match highlights a recent trend in women’s college soccer, where teams are scoring more goals than in previous years. According to a recent NCAA report, the average goals scored per match have risen by 10% over the last five seasons. This indicates a shift not just in tactics but also in the overall pace of play.

Fans on social media reacted passionately to the match. Many UMass supporters expressed their frustration but also celebrated the achievements of newcomers like Traber and Nohasiarisoa. These young players could signify a bright future for the team, reminiscent of past UMass stars who made significant impacts in their debut seasons.

For more information on NCAA trends and statistics, you can visit the NCAA website.

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