KALAMAZOO, MI - The 2017 Western Michigan men's soccer team isn't just rewriting its record books, it's adding new chapters.

In a season of firsts, the Broncos' reached their most recent milestone Sunday at the WMU Soccer Complex with a 2-0 victory over Albany in the program's first NCAA tournament win.

Junior midfielder Kosti Moni opened the scoring 39 minutes into the game and junior defender Ben Thornton added some insurance with a goal in the 61st minute. Senior goalkeeper Drew Shepherd secured his 13th shutout by making two saves.

"This one feels great," WMU coach Chad Wiseman said. "You look at the atmosphere out here at the WMU Soccer Complex, and it's unbelievable. The community has rallied around this team. The athletic department has rallied around this team. It's a great venue."

After holding first-round opponent Maryland scoreless for 110 minutes, Albany advanced to face WMU with an eight-round shootout victory over the Terrapins.

The defensive-minded Great Danes looked to shut down a Bronco attack that featured the Mid-American Conference's leading goal scorer (Brandon Bye) and its top assist man (Jay McIntosh).

The teams spent much of the first half in Albany's end, but its defense kept WMU off the board until Moni, fresh off the bench, found a loose ball at the goal post following two beautiful headers from Thornton and Bye six minutes before halftime.

"It was coming," Wiseman said of the goal. "I felt like we played a really great first half and were getting a lot of half chances in the box, but they just weren't taking them well. I felt like we certainly deserved it.

"It was a great flick by Ben, another flick by Brandon, and then Kosti was there to smash it home on the goal line. It was big going into the half, for sure. It felt like we probably should've been up by halftime, and we found a way to get that ball across the goal line."

With its season on the line, Albany ramped up its physicality in the second half, and the Great Danes allowed their frustrations to boil over when Thornton tapped in the Broncos' second goal just before a defender could touch the ball.

The play sent Thornton tumbling into the net, and shoving broke out as WMU players went to retrieve their goal scorer from the ground.

Albany's Riccardo Iafrate and WMU's Connor McNulty received red cards for their role in the scuffle, and the officials issued a total of four yellow cards by match's end.

"It did get a little chippy, but at the same time, you have to battle with whatever comes your way, get through that and find a way to win," Bye said.

"Give them credit, too," Wiseman said of Albany. "They laid it all out on the line today. I think the 10 seed and having a home game and not having to play in the first round we certainly benefitted from. We had fresh legs and we didn't have to travel, and that's because of our regular season.

"It's just a sweet, sweet victory, and a lot of people are going to enjoy this one."

After claiming their first regular-season MAC title, their first top-10 ranking and setting a season record for wins, the 10th-seeded Broncos advance to face No. 7 Michigan State, a 3-0 winner over Virginia Tech, in the Sweet 16 on Saturday, Nov. 25 or Sunday, Nov. 26 in East Lansing.

"Now they've cemented themselves in NCAA history - off to the Sweet 16," Wiseman said. "Say that one out loud, 'Sweet 16, here we come.'"

The game is a rematch from an Oct. 4 meeting in Kalamazoo that saw the Spartans escape with a 1-0 win after WMU starting keeper Drew Shepherd left the contest following a collision with an MSU player.

"I think both of us have changed a little bit," Wiseman said. "I think more than anything we're more confident."