The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's soccer team started its two-match trip to Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday with a 3-0 setback against fifth-ranked Washington-St. Louis on the first day of the "W" Challenge at Rhodes College.
 
The Warhawks (2-3 overall) forged a 0-0 tie over the first 50-plus minutes of action before the Bears scored three times in a 14-minute span in the second half to put the match out of reach.
 
UW-Whitewater nearly went shot-for-shot with WashU (4-0-1), which held a 10-7 edge in shots and a 7-2 advantage in shots on goal. Anna Boyd (De Pere, Wis./De Pere) and Olivia May (Elkhorn, Wis./Elkhorn Area) each recorded a shot on goal to lead the offense.
 
Goalkeeper Leah Eisenbarth (Lake Barrington, Ill./Barrington) totaled four saves in the contest.
 
The Warhawks' second shot of the game hit the cross bar in the sixth minute, and the two teams traded shots in the first 20-plus minutes of regulation. UW-W fended off a corner kick in the 28th minute and Eisenbarth saved a WashU shot in the 33rd.
 
Neither team registered a shot in the first eight minutes of the second half before the Bears found the back of the net in the 54th. After the Bears' second goal of the match, the Warhawks countered with a shot by Carli Nehls (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) in the 62nd minute and a corner kick in the 63rd.
 
UW-Whitewater earned corner kick chances in the 74th and 90th minutes, but were unable to take advantage.
 
The Warhawks take on host Rhodes to cap tournament play Sunday at 10 a.m.