LA CROSSE, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point women's soccer team dealt UW-La Crosse its first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) loss of the season 3-2 behind a long-range goal by
Jillian Ross (Waunakee, WI/Waunakee) 5:51 into the first overtime period on Wednesday evening at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.
Box Score With UW-Stevens Point (4-14, 2-4 WIAC) and UW-La Crosse (12-5-1, 5-1 WIAC) deadlocked at 2-2 after regulation, Ross broke the tie by hammering a shot into the top-right corner of the goal from around 30 yards out. The goal was Ross' team-best fourth of the season and her second in as many games.
UW-La Crosse was ranked No. 5 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) North Region rankings and had allowed just two goals in its first five WIAC games. UW-Stevens Point's three goals matched the team's highest total of the season.
The win also keeps the Pointers in the hunt for a berth in the WIAC Tournament, as UWSP sits just one point behind UW-River Falls and UW-Stout for the final spot with one game to go. UW-Stevens Point needs to defeat UW-River Falls on the road on Saturday to clinch a berth in the six-team field.
The Pointers twice led by a goal in regulation only for the Eagles to tie the game each time.
Olivia Bohnert (Oshkosh, WI/Fox Valley Lutheran) gave UW-Stevens Point a 1-0 lead with her second goal of the season 26:39 into the game.
UW-Stevens Point continued to lead 1-0 until UWL's Alex Cording knotted the score at 1-1 early in the second half at 51:17. It took just 5:30 for the Pointers to reclaim the lead when
Sarah Meylor (Watertown, WI/Watertown) put home a corner kick from
Elise Thuot (Hatley, WI/D.C. Everest), who had seen her shot saved by a leaping Kennedy Brault seconds before.
With just over 15 minutes remaining in regulation, the Eagles' Natalie Herzog evened the game at 2-2, setting up Ross' heroics. UW-La Crosse outshot UW-Stevens Point 12-4 in the second half but Brault needed to make a save at full stretch to deny
Kayla Huber (Wausau, WI/D.C. Everest) with under six minutes left in the second half.
The Eagles held a 21-9 advantage in shots in the game but shots on goal were just 9-7 in favor of the hosts.
Kristen Churkey (Mosinee, WI/D.C. Everest) made seven saves, including one in overtime, for the Pointers, while Brault made four stops for the Eagles.
UW-Stevens Point takes on UW-River Falls in River Falls on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. with a WIAC Tournament spot on the line.
