| | 1st | 2nd | Final | DePaul
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Wisconsin
| 2 | 0 | 2 | | | Goalkeepers | Min | GA | Sv | | DEP | Godinez | 90:00 | 2 | 5 | | WIS | Richard | 90:00 | 0 | 5 | | | Stats at a Glance | DEP | WIS | | Shots | 8 | 13 | | Shots on Goal | 5 | 7 | | Saves | 5 | 5 | | Offsides | 2 | 1 | | Corner Kicks | 5 | 3 | | Yellow Cards | 0 | 0 | | Red Cards | 0 | 0 | | |
Nov. 15, 2014
MADISON, Wis. -- Something was different Saturday night.
It wasn't the fact that Cara Walls scored two goals in a single game. She had done that three times before.
It wasn't Genevieve Richard's shutout, seeing as she recorded her school record 16th of the season.
It was temperatures in the 20s, snow falling from opening kick to the final whistle and advancement in the NCAA tournament on the line, but the fourth-seeded Wisconsin women's soccer team was unfazed, earning a 2-0 win over DePaul at the McClimon Complex.
That's what was different. That's what made Saturday night special.
| Fast Facts | | • Walls scores twice in the same game for fourth time this season. | | • Richard and UW's backline close out their 18th shutout in 23 matches this season. | | • Richard sets school record with her 16th individual shutout of the season. | |
"It's really exciting to get a victory today,” UW head coach Paula Wilkins said. “Going into this game I had a lot of respect for DePaul. They had a great season being undefeated. I've only done it once in my career, and I know how hard that is. We knew we were going to be faced with some challenges that they brought, and it was well proven in this game with the conditions and their spirit.
"It was a well fought game, huge respect to them. I'm just excited I get to keep dancing with this group."
Advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010, Wisconsin will play UCF on Nov. 21 at 3:30 p.m. (CT) in Tallahassee, Florida. The match will be hosted on the campus of No. 1 seed Florida State.
Coming through as she had so many times throughout the season, senior forward Cara Walls scored two first-half goals to give the No. 9 Badgers (19-2-2) an early 2-0 lead on the previously unbeaten No. 13 Blue Demons (16-1-4). Fifth-year senior goalkeeper Genevieve Richard and UW’s backline then went to work on preserving their 18th shutout of the season and closed out the win.
Despite steady and constant snow flurries throughout the night, leaving nearly an inch of snow on the ground by the end, Richard made five saves to stymy DePaul. The Saint-Bruno, Quebec, native earned her 16th individual shutout of the season, a new school record.
"I was happy that I made them," Richard said of her five saves. "It helps the team a lot to keep a clean sheet and it gives us the opportunity to score first, which is always good because it leads to momentum. I'm glad I did my job."
Carrying her own weight offensively was Walls, who scored the first of her two goals within the 13th minute of the game with the header off an assist from Kinley McNicoll. The second goal of the night for Walls came a little over eight minutes later, as the Wauwatosa native struck again in the 21st minute on an assist from Kodee Williams.
Walls' goals marked her team-leading 13th and 14th of the season, also moving her into a tie for fourth place in school history.
"I honestly thought the conditions weren't as bad," Walls said of the snowy forecast. "I felt that I was able to pass the ball fine and I don't think the conditions played that big of a role in the chances or opportunities we created."
The snow didn't slow down Walls, who scored two goals in a single game for the fourth time this season.
Assisting Walls on one of her two scores, McNicoll recorded her team-leading 27th point. The junior midfielder has recorded at least one point in 12-of-23 matches this season for UW.
Their snow day behind them, it's on to Tallahassee for the Badgers.
"I think the players are excited to be in a little bit warmer climate," Wilkins said. "But, it's definitely not going to be a vacation for us. They are going to be focused and they have some goals in mind. It will be very exciting."
