KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Creighton women’s soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision to Western Michigan on Thursday afternoon in Kalamazoo, Mich.
The Bluejays fell to 1-3-0 on the year with the loss, while the Broncos climbed to 1-2 overall with their first win over Creighton is four attempts.
Physicality and strong defensive efforts in the midfield kept scoring chances to a minimum in the opening frame. Although Creighton held a 4-3 edge in shots in the first 45 minutes, both teams headed to the locker room locked in a scoreless battle.
Creighton’s best scoring opportunities came early in the first half as Tori Gillis attempted to go top shelf with a shot from 25 yards out but was denied with a leaping save from the Broncos’ goalkeeper Reagan Sulaver in the 10th minute of play. Gillis then nearly gave the Bluejays a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute as Ella Offer lofted a free kick towards the back post where Gillis’ header attempt drifter just wide of the goal.
Creighton continued to hold tough defensively throughout the early portions of the second half, before Western Michigan found the back of the net in the 64th minute on a strike from Abby Werthman. Werthman hammered home her second goal of the season, firing a shot past the outstretched reach of Bluejay goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac from just outside the top of the 18-yard box to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead.
Western Michigan would add an insurance goal in the 80th minute as Drew Martin sent a pass from Avery Peters into the back of the net to give the Broncos a 2-0 advantage.
WMU ended the contest with a 10-6 edge in shots taken and a 6-1 edge in corner kicks, while Zalac collected just one save in the setback.
Creighton returns to the pitch on Sunday at 4 p.m. CT when it takes on No. 3 Duke (2-0-0) at Koskinen Stadium in Durham, N.C.