UW Falls to Illini in Big Ten Opener
September 22, 2006 | Women's Soccer
The Wisconsin women's soccer team (3-3-2, 0-1-0 Big Ten) fell in its conference opener to 19th-ranked Illinois 4-2 Friday at the McClimon Soccer Complex. Junior Ann Eshun and senior Kara Kabellis netted goals for the Badgers.
Wisconsin was outscored 2-1 in each of the two periods. For the match, the shots were even with 11 for each team. The Badgers had a 5-3 advantage on corner kicks.
'We were beaten in a lot of facets in this game,' Dean Duerst, Wisconsin head coach, said. 'One was marking at the right time. In was a night in which we were compounding some of our own problems.'
Illinois (5-4-0, 1-0-0 Big Ten) got on the board in the seventh minute and quickly took a 1-0 lead. The Illini converted a corner kick that UW failed to clear and the Courtney Bell shot it past Badger keeper Stefani Sczcechowski.
Wisconsin was able to recover and tie the game at 22:26 on Eshun's first career score. The defender from Madison took a free kick and aimed it towards the goal, in an attempt to get Kabellis the ball in front of the net. Kabellis was not able to get her foot on it, but was able to distract both the Illini keeper and a defender enough for them to take their eyes off the ball.
Illinois would regain the lead for good five minutes later when Mary McConnell scored to put her squad up 2-1.
The Fighting Illini kept their momentum going in the second half and scored four minutes into the period to take a 3-1 advantage. Another insurance goal was added in the 59th minute as the Orange and Blue took a commanding 4-1 lead.
The Badgers refused to give up and were able to get a second score when Kabellis scored her second of the year at 68:02. The Lockport, Ill., native launched the ball to the upper left of the net from about 35 yards out. Sheri Ferron (Brookfield, Wis.) was credited with the assist.
Wisconsin junior defender Stacy Omundson (Evanston, Ill.) saw her first game action in 30 games, returning to the field after suffering an injury the second game of the 2005 season. Omundson, who started in the back prior to her injury, was granted a medical redshirt.
The Badgers need just one win to reach the program's 300th all-time victory. Wisconsin, who is celebrating its 25th anniversary of women's soccer, will attempt to do just that against Iowa at 1 p.m. Sunday.
