Women's Soccer Tops Aurora in NCAA Tourney Opener
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's soccer team, making its first appearance in the NCAA III championship tournament, opened with a 2-0 win over Aurora University Friday in Waverly, Iowa. UW-W, 14-4-2, will play host Wartburg College, a 2-0 winner over Principia College (IL) earlier Friday, at 5:00 Saturday. Saturday's winner will advance to sectional play November 18-19 or 19-20 at a site to be determined. The winners of the four sectionals will gather in San Antonio, Texas December 2-3.
Aurora had the first opportunity to score with Raquel Rodgiquez getting off a shot at 7:58 that Whitewater freshman goalkeeper Jordan Meyers stopped. Less than a minute later, at 8:56 Whitewater's Jessica Allemeng (Wauwatosa/West) put the ball on net but was stopped by Spartan goalie Liz Wong. At 14:17 Rodriquez had a shot blocked by the Warhawk defense and at 19:56 Whitewater's Christiana Tooren tested Wong, who again made the save. Rodriquez got off her third shot attempt of the half at 22:40, but miners kept the game scoreless. Whitewater's Riley Kirchoff (Pewaukee/Pewaukee) broke the scoreless duel at 31:11, her 5th goal of the season with as assist from Emily Gerber (DeForest/DeForest). It was Gerber's twelfth assist of the season, adding to her school record. The Spartan defense blocked a shot by Whitewater's Pamela Lisowe (New Holstein/New Holstein) at 33:59 to keep Whitewater's lead 1-0 at the half.
Whitewater had the only two shots on goal in the second half. Allemang tested Wong at 51:06 and again Wong made the save. Just over two minutes later, at 53:23 Caitlyn Fritsch put the ball past Wong for Whitewater's second goal of the game and her second of the season. She was assisted by Christina Tooren (Hoffman Estates, IL/Hoffman Estates), Tooren's fourth assist this year. That was the last shot on goal for either team for the game.
Meyers raised her record to 11-4-2, with her fifth shutout in 2011.
UW-W got off 13 shots to five for Aurora, and also had an edge in corner kicks, 6-5, and fouls, 9-10. Neither team was called for offsides.
UW-W won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season title and tied for the league's postseason tournament championship.
Aurora, the Northern Athletic Conference regular season and postseason tournament champion, ends the season 18-5. The Spartans came into the NCAA tourney on a streak that included fifteen wins in their last sixteen games.
