RIVER FALLS, WI — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's soccer team opened up Conference play with a 1-1 draw against UW-River Falls on Saturday. The Warhawks finished with a 21-14 shot advantage, including 14 attempts in the second half, and put seven shots on goal, but a penalty kick goal had UWW trailing until a 78th minute goal from
Jenna Laidlaw (Aberdeen, Scotland/Aberdeen Grammar).
UW-Whitewater generated the larger share of first-half chances, putting up seven shots and earning three corner kicks while the half ended without a goal. The Warhawks opened with early pressure, including shots from
Leah Dehne (Waterford, Wis./Waterford) and
Genevieve Simkowski (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest) before
Tessa Czajkowski Higgins (Prairie du Chien, Wis./Prairie du Chien) put an attempt on frame in the seventh minute that Falcons' keeper saved.
Dehne added another saved shot in the 23rd minute, and
Brinley Dunsirn (Appleton, Wis./North) forced another Falcon save in the 34th. UW-River Falls created its best stretch near the middle of the half, but
Lauren Ripley (Brookfield, Wis./East) saved attempts from Emery Bigler in the 28th minute and Nora Arneson in the 31st to help send the teams into halftime scoreless.
After the break, Ripley made a save in the opening minutes of the half before the Falcons converted a penalty kick in the 53rd minute. UW-Whitewater quickly answered with steady chances, including saved shots by Dunsirn and Simkowski, a Simkowski attempt off the right woodwork in the 65th minute, and five second-half corner kicks.
Jenna Laidlaw (Aberdeen, Scotland/Aberdeen Grammar) gave the Warhawks their second-half breakthrough in the 78th minute, scoring to tie the match at 1-1. After Laidlaw's goal, UW-Whitewater added late looks from Simkowski,
Jasmine Wilson (Sussex, Wis./Sussex-Hamilton) and
Anna Gunderson (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago), while Ripley made a save in the 90th minute to help the match finish 1-1.
The equalizer from Laidlaw gave the Warhawks their first point over UW-River Falls since 2023.
The Warhawks return to action against UW-Platteville on Wednesday, October 7th at 7 PM. Due to the re-surfacing of Foster Track, the game will be moved to Badger High School Soccer Field in Lake Geneva. The UWW men's game against Beloit is scheduled for 4 PM with the women's match against the Pioneers to follow.
