Badgers Ice Illinois State
November 01, 2002 | Women's Soccer
The weather was frigid, but the Badgers' feet were hot as the Wisconsin women 's soccer team outshot Illinois State, 31-5, en-route to a 3-0 win Friday night. With a temperature in the low 30s on Senior Night at the McClimon Soccer Complex, UW won its 15th-straight regular season finale, improving to 10-7-3 overall.
'One of the things I saw with our team tonight was a bit of personality, a bit of confidence,' coach Dean Duerst said. 'This team is believing in themselves and they're just playing very confidently.'
The Badgers showed confidence in the first half, but were unable to use a 16-1 advantage in shots to get on the board. Wisconsin also led Illinois State, 6-0, in corner kicks, but entered the break knotted up in a 0-0 tie.
'The connections weren't quite on,' coach Dean Duerst said. 'Some of our services were right at the keeper.'
During halftime, the coaching staff used the right words to spur on the team and the Badgers came out and scored a minute into the second stanza. The Badgers ' two leading scorers, forwards Jenny Kundert and Amy Vermeulen, contributed on the only goal UW would need at 45:58. Sending the ball to sophomore Molly Meuer, she broke through a crowd to tally her second goal of the year.
'We said in the second half [we're] going to get those chances again and [we're] going to make that happen,' Duerst said.
The Badgers continued to put the heat on the net, outshooting Illinois State 15-4 in the second half. Late in the game, Wisconsin surged toward the net and frosh Erin Dubina pushed the ball to Vermeulen. Backup goalkeeper Cheryl Sarnwick came out to challenge Vermeulen and the Badger sophomore slipped it by for her fifth goal of the season.
Less than four minutes later, senior Lauren Schmidt sent a free kick into the middle that ricocheted off a defender. Sarah Capel corralled the loose ball and sent it home for her fourth goal of the year. Five different Badgers have four or more goals this season.
Senior Kelly Conway made two saves on the evening, earning her fourth shutout of the year.
'We're on a roll,' Duerst said. 'You have to be very confident, but still very humble.'
The Badgers have won seven of their last 10 games to close the 2002 regular season. Wisconsin heads into the postseason having outscored its last three opponents 10-2. The Badgers travel to Michigan State next week, Nov. 7-10, for the 2002 Big Ten Tournament.
