The 14th ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's soccer team saw a 33-game Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season winning streak come to an end Saturday with a 1-0 overtime loss to UW-La Crosse. The setback drops the Warhawks to 13-3 overall and 4-1 in the WIAC. The Eagles take over first place in the league with an overall record of 12-3 and a league record of 5-0.
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The loss snaps the league's longest unbeaten streak dating back to 2002. The Warhawks had not lost a WIAC game since September 24, 2011. Head Coach
Ryan Quamme had never lost a league game in his four seasons at the helm of the Warhawks.
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After posting three consecutive shutouts, the Warhawks felt confident on defense and it showed. UW-W held the Eagles to three shots in the first half, just one of which was on goal.
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On the offensive side, the Warhawks put some early pressure on the Eagles.
Brianna Reid (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek) fired a shot at 15:30 that sailed high, and another at 16:33 was blocked.
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Erin Doody (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central) made her only save of the first half at 22:10 when the Eagles' leading scorer put a header from a corner on net.
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After a scoreless first period, both teams came out of halftime with high energy. The teams combined for 10 shots in the first 17 minutes of the second half.
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Again, the Warhawk defense was stout and Doody came up big in goal. Doody made four saves in the second half to keep the Eagles off the scoreboard.
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Trying to end the game in regulation, UW-Whitewater earned a corner with less than three minutes remaining in the match.
Carly Pottle (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) sent a ball into the box, but no one from the home team was able to capitalize and the game headed to overtime.
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Perhaps the best opportunity of the match for the Warhawks came in the first minute of extra time.
Adria Schueler (Wales, Wis./Mukwonago) ripped a shot on net but UW-L keeper Kennedy Brault made the save. The Warhawks kept the pressure on with three more shots in the next three minutes.
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Eagle forward Maya Schmitt put an end to the match in the 94th minute, scoring on a pass from Natalie Herzog.
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Since it was UW-Whitewater's last regular season home game, senior
Jenna Woodson (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) was recognized after the game for her four years of service to the team. Woodson, one of UW-Whitewater's all-time most decorated athletes, will finish her career as the school's all-time assist leader. She is also a three-time All-WIAC pick, two-time NSCAA All-Region honoree, and 2013 WIAC Offensive Player of the Year. Woodson gets it done in the classroom as well, posting CoSIDA Academic All-Region twice, NSCAA Scholar All-Region once, and CoSIDA Academic All-American one time.
The Warhawks will return to action next Saturday when they travel to UW-Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin for their second-to-last regular season game. UW-W will wrap up their schedule on the road at UW-Oshkosh on October 28.
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