DURHAM, N.C. – The Wisconsin women's soccer team was back at it in North Carolina on Sunday, taking on top ranked No. 4 Duke. It was the Badgers' second match in a row where they faced a top five ranked team in the nation. Unfortunately, Wisconsin lost 2-1 after a hard-fought game.
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How it happened
It was a tough one for the Badgers in North Carolina, who fell to top ranked Duke 2-1 on Sunday. The Blue Devils went up 2-0 after goals in the 19' and 76' minutes, but the Badgers did not give up. In the 85th minute,
Aryssa Mahrt played a great ball across the box and lined
Riley Philbin up for a shot. Philbin buried the ball into the back of the net and sparked a comeback. While getting close, the Badgers were not able to tie the game with the limited time remaining.
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It was a tale of two halves for Wisconsin; the Badgers came out much more aggressive in the second half, making both dangerous offensive runs and forward passes to split Duke's defense. The team had Duke on its back heels on multiple occasions in the final 45 minutes.Â
While the result may not have been there, the Badgers send a message that they can compete with some of the best teams in the country. Tying No. 3 UNC and only losing by one goal to No. 4 Duke puts the rest of college soccer on notice and helps the Badgers' case for the NCAA Tournament.
Next up
Next up, the Badgers are back at home to face LSU at 7 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, August 31. Â
