Soccer Senior Day Soured by Broncos

Sunday, October 18

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

1 p.m.

Central Michigan University

2-9-4, 0-5-3

Western Michigan

8-3-4, 6-1-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Western Michigan	0	3	3
Central Michigan	0	0	0

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Photo by: Addison Glascock '29 - @aglascock.photography

CMU Soccer vs. Western (October 18, 2026)

Photo by: Addison Glascock '29 - @aglascock.photography

10/18/2026 4:26:00 PM | Soccer

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Chippewas fall to league-leading Western Michigan, 3-0; Kershaw charts six saves

By: Harrison LaLone

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Central Michigan Soccer faced a stiff headwind and a surging Western Michigan squad in the second half of Sunday's Mid-American Conference contest, ceded a 3-0 result.

The Chippewas honored their eight-member senior class prematch: Grace Baczek, Jordan Bailey, Olivia Bretz, Caitlin Gill, Rachel Jackson, Jadia Kershaw, Madison Slezinski and Melaina Troy.

"I appreciate all [the seniors] have done, how they welcomed me," Head Coach James DeCosemo said. "They have definitely made a stamp on the program.

"It's hard going into your last year changing coaches and buying into that, and they did from the first moment."

CMU Soccer has the week to regroup before it hits the road for Massachusetts Saturday (Oct. 24, Noon ET). The home finale is set for Oct. 29 (7 p.m. ET) against Ball State.

The Chippewas stood toe-to-toe with the defending champs and current frontrunner of the MAC throughout the first half, with multiple near misses to break the seal.

"The first half was what we wanted it to be. We knew we needed to match their intensity, fight and speed that they play the game at and come out with the ball more often than not. I felt that we did in the first half, which led to some opportunities."

Ella Betzold (Essexville, Mich. / Garber) tallied CMU's on-target attempt in the 18^th minute.

A pair of up-close attempts from Troy (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester) and Catherine Hoff (Macomb, Mich. / Utica) each floated over the crossbar just prior to the 30^th minute.

"For the first half we did a really good job of matching the speed and intensity. Coming out with the ball, that's what it was all about. That was the game plan was, 'how do we fight through the intense moments and then come out with possession?'"

Kershaw (Lewis Center, Ohio / Olentangy Orange) stood in for three of her six saves in the meantime, though her activity ramped up after intermission.

"We lacked a little bit of quality it takes to win a game at the end. Lots of little things that it takes to win games that we haven't managed to do yet."

The breeze that had aided the Chippewas in the first half had stiffened against them after switching sides.

The Broncos found their winner just two minutes removed from the break, a penalty in the 54^th minute was the insurance. Both strikes came from the foot of MAC points leader, Tessa Fagerson.

"As soon as that goal goes in, it gets the wind in their sails and it kind of takes the wind out of ours. We struggled to recover from that, which makes sense when you've lost as many games as we have, especially by one goal margins."

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