Huron graduate Hunter Morse leads WMU soccer to NCAA Sweet 16

Thanksgiving brings families together.

But as the holiday drew near last week, Hunter Morse boarded a plane and put his family 2,000 miles behind him to the east.

Morse, a 2017 New Boston Huron graduate, is the starting goalkeeper for Western Michigan University's men's soccer team. The Broncos played Saturday in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division I Tournament against the University of Portland in Oregon.

Backstopping the Broncos to one of the best seasons in program history softened the blow of passing on his parents' homemade turkey, potatoes, and pie.

"I've done it before. It wasn't that new to me," Morse said of missing his Thanksgiving. "I did miss my family, but I was with my team and we had a nice dinner at the hotel. They provided all the food. It was nice."

Unfortunately for Morse and the Broncos, the long journey to the west coast brought an end to a historic season after Portland scored in the 59th minute during the second half to win 1-0 and advance to the tournament's Elite 8.

The game featured one of the nation's top defenses in Western with a premier offensive program in Portland.

"We thought going into it that it was probably one of the best match ups for us," Morse said. "We wanted to start off really strong in the first 15 minutes and try to get one early on them, put them on their heels a little and not let them get the momentum."

Instead it was Portland that started stronger after the opening kickoff.

Morse was up to the challenge.

The Mid-American Conference Goalkeeper of the Year held Portland scoreless through the first half. He made seven saves total in the game.

None were bigger than his stop on a penalty kick in the game's 12th minute.

Portland's Brandon Cambridge sent a shot to the low right post but had it punched wide by a diving Morse.

"I had faced a PK against Louisville in the first round and had done a lot of film on that guy: where he goes on his PKs, how he shoots the ball, stuff like that. He was going to my right the whole year, but that one time he went left," Morse said. "For that PK against Portland, I was thinking back to Louisville and how he had changed it up. He (Cambridge) was going right all year, so I said 'screw it, I'm going left,' and I ended up saving it."

The save was a game-changer for WMU.

"Everybody was stoked about me saving that," Morse said. "It really was a momentum shifter for everybody. The rest of the half we kind of put them on their heels. We just couldn't find a goal. We were doing good getting to their final third, but couldn't connect that last pass."

Portland's Delentz Pierre scored on a header off a corner kick late in the game and the Pilots held on for the victory.

"They loaded everybody inside the 6-yard box and they crossed it in," Morse said. "I went to go punch it out, but when I did, I ran into a bunch of people: some of my team, some of their team. I didn't hit it clear and it got up in the air. They headed it in after that."

Despite the loss, the Broncos had plenty to give thanks for.

WMU finished 16-3-2 − second-most wins in program history − and won its second ever MAC title this season, earning an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. It was the third ever tournament appearance for the Broncos and second time in the Sweet 16.

Morse was a big part of that success.

He leads the entire nation in save percentage (.884), is second in goal-against average (0.472), and is tied for third in shutouts (11). He made 76 total saves with 3.62 per game.

The Broncos' defense is one of the country's finest with a 0.471 goals-against average − second only behind Duke (.444). They're also second in save percentage (.886) and third in goal differential (33). Starting defenders Daniel Nimick (the MAC Player of the Year), Jaylen Shannon, Jonathan Robinson, and Matt Lockwood have made life easy, Morse said.

"I give a lot of credit to my defense," Morse said. "I would be nothing without them. ... We have one of the best back lines in the country and we take a lot of pride in that. That back line is just a veteran back line. They know what they're doing and they know their roles."

This was the first and only season for Morse at Western Michigan.

Morse was a graduate transfer to WMU from Michigan State. Morse had an additional year of eligibility granted to all athletes after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In four years at Michigan State, Morse was 6-18-1 overall with a 1.26 goals-against average and .727 save percentage. He started in 38 of the 40 games he played in, and twice finished top-five in the Big Ten in goals-against average.

He was recruited to join WMU by Broncos' head coach Chad Wiseman and assistant Shane Lyons.

"I was looking for something new. A fresh start," Morse said. "I talked to some other schools, but Western was my biggest. Plus, I'm a Michigander. I've lived in Michigan my whole life."

It was the perfect match for both sides.

"When I was being recruited by Chad, I told him what I wanted to do," Morse said. "I said I wanted to win the MAC and make an NCAA run. And that's what we did. I knew we had the potential to do it and the team deserved it so much."

Now Morse is carefully planning out the next step of his soccer career. He said he hopes to sign in a professional league, either USL League One or Major League Soccer.

"I've had a few conversations," he said. "It's been going good. The next few weeks will say a lot."

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Huron graduate Hunter Morse leads WMU soccer to NCAA Sweet 16