Badgers Extinguish Flames, 2-0
September 24, 2003 | Men's Soccer
In the last game before the start of Big Ten play, the Wisconsin men's Soccer team bested Illinois-Chicago 2-0 Wednesday night at the McClimon Soccer Complex. Team tri-captain Erol Goknur led the Badgers with a goal and an assist in the victory.
'It was nice to get the win,' head coach Jeff Rohrman said. 'But I still don't think it was as a complete of game as we can put together.
'I thought our movement was good. I thought our work rate was great. But soccer is about those two or three great chances you get, and if we don 't raise the bar for ourselves and execute perfectly in the final third, we 're not going to create the chances.'
The Badgers (5-5-0) claimed the early lead over the Flames (5-3-0) in the 27th minute. Aaron Hohlbein, a freshman defender started the drive with a well-placed cross to teammate John Scripp. A native of Milwaukee, Scripp set up Goknur for the score in front of the Illinois-Chicago net. The goal marks Goknur's first of the season and the second of his career.
In the second half, it was Goknur's turn to help out a teammate. At 68:25, Goknur set up the square-ball to junior midfielder Nick Van Sicklen, who fired the shot just out of the reach of Flame goalkeeper Roman Tulis for UW's 2-0 lead.
Wisconsin's defense, composed completely of freshmen, held Illinois-Chicago to its second shutout of the season. Goalkeeper Jake Settle, a freshman from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, collected three saves in his first collegiate start for the cardinal and white, including an athletic tip-save made late in the second period.
'I thought Jake did a good job tonight,' Rohrman said. 'He had a tremendous tip and that's Jake's thing. He 's quick and he's athletic.'
Next on this week's schedule for Wisconsin is the Big Ten opener against Ohio State. The Badgers and the Buckeyes (1-6-1) face off Sunday at noon at the McClimon Soccer Complex.
