UW-Whitewater's 2009 season ended with a 2-1 loss in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament semifinal match at UW-Stevens Point Thursday afternoon.  

box score

The Pointers made the first shot on goal, by either team, count with Hillary Sauer scoring off an assist by Kirsti Nickels at 32:01.  Later in the period UW-SP had a flurry of opportunities, shooting four times in less than a minute, with Vicki Bieschke finally netting a rebound off a Jackie Spees attempt at 41:19.  

Early in the second period it was the Warhawks' turn to pressure the goal, with Emily Gerber (DeForest/DeForest) putting two balls on net, both saved by Liz Hunter, almost a minute apart less than a minute into the second half.  UW-W stayed on attack, and Gerber finally got UW-W on the board at 52:35.  Gabby Fenzel (Mequon/Homestead) picked her second assist, and second point, of the season.  

Gerber's goal was her twenty-fifth of the season, adding to her record-breaking year.  The previous Whitewater record for goals was 20 by Wendy Scott in 2000, and Scott's mark of 45 points that year also fell to Gerber's total of 51 in 2009.

UW-W had opportunities late in the game, with Stacey Schultz (Menomonee Falls/Menomonee Falls) putting the ball on net at 83:13 and again at 89:00, but Hunter made the save both times. 

UW-W ended the season 11-8-1 overall.  The Warhawks, the number five seed in the WIAC tourney, had defeated UW-Oshkosh 2-1 in overtime Tuesday to advance to the semifinal.  UW-Stevens Point, 14-3-1 and the WIAC regular season champion, will host UW-Eau Claire, a 4-0 winner over UW-River Falls in the other semifinal, in the tourney title match Saturday.  The winner of the WIAC tournament earns the league's automatic berth in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III championship tournament, which begins play next week.  Stevens Point won the WIAC championship and tournament in 2008.

For additional information:  Greg Henschel, UW-W soccer coordinator