The Badger Herald: Sports: UW’s women’s soccer team host Rocky Rococo Invite

Updated Saturday, November 21, 2009, at 6:41 p.m.

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UW’s women’s soccer team host Rocky Rococo Invite

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Also by Nikki Mutt:

Friday, September 13, 2002 12:00 a.m.

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This weekend the UW women’s soccer team will open its home season with the 2002 Rocky Rococo Classic at the McClimon Soccer Complex.

Play begins with the Davidson Wildcats (1-2-0) and the Saint Louis Billikens (3-1-0) Friday at 5:30 p.m. The Badgers (2-1-1) then face the Connecticut Huskies (3-1-0) at 7:30 p.m. and will take on Davidson Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Badgers, coming off a successful weekend in Ames, Iowa at the Cyclone Classic, look to dominate their invite and come up with a couple of wins.

Head Coach Dean Duerst says the team looks “to open the season with a win at home.”

No. 8 Connecticut will be UW’s first opponent of the tournament.

Last year the Huskies ended their NCAA Championship quest with a loss in the third round to Penn State. Wisconsin’s all-time record against UConn is 2-3. The match-up will force the Badgers to bring their best game. Duerst recognizes Connecticut’s capabilities and acknowledges their strengths.

“The goal is to just play how we know we can,” said Duerst. “We don’t need to adjust for the opponent.”

Like Wisconsin, UConn is no stranger to overtime play. In their last contest, against Georgia Sept. 8, UConn pulled out a 3-2 win in double overtime on a winning goal scored by Kristen Graczyk. Putting two in the net during regulation were Megan Almanzo and Kristi Lefebvre.

Graczyk, a sophomore forward/midfielder, leads the Huskies’ powerful offense with four goals and two assists and has scored a goal in each of UConn’s four games. Trailing her is Jessica Gjertsen with two goals and two assists this season.

Another tournament participant, Davidson picked up their first win of the season Saturday, Sept. 7, against The Citadel. The Wildcats are led by senior co-captains Heather and Tara Maloney, who were both selected to the 2002 Women’s Soccer Preseason All-Southern Conference team.

These two outstanding players, along with junior forward Leigh Anne Hoskins and junior midfielder Sarah Huber, will likely be a handful for the Badgers. Heather Maloney, Hoskins and Huber each have two goals over the three games played so far this season.

This weekend is about pride, going for a couple wins and the chance to take on a nationally ranked team.

Duerst stresses the girls’ desire to beat teams of this magnitude, while Conway has raised the bar of expectations.

“A couple of shut-outs would be nice to have this weekend,” added Conway.

In UW’s last outing, the Cyclone Classic, game one of the tournament went into overtime for the first time this season. Last season, the women’s team played a school-record of seven overtime games.

Junior Jenny Kundert led the team in the Cyclone Classic, earning the Cyclone Classic Most Valuable Player for the tournament and earning a spot on the all-tournament team. Kundert scored two goals and had one assist, helping the Badgers defeat Iowa State 4-0. Senior Bethany Heine, co-Defensive Player of the Year for 2001, joined Kundert on the all-tournament team.

“You can’t get an award without teammates,” a modest Kundert said. “I just appreciate my teammates.”

Sharing in the 2001 team Co-MVP award is also team co-captain Conway. Last year Conway had 89 saves, ranking third in the Big Ten.

These players will prove vital in this weekend’s match-ups, in addition UW’s other 2001 team MVP and this year’s team co-captain Lauren Schmidt.

“Conway and Schmidt will be leading this team all year,” stated coach Duerst.