SPORTS
Badgers fall to Buckeyes, Musketeers
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Monday, September 30, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Opening the Big Ten season on the road at Ohio State, the Wisconsin men’s soccer team lost 1-0 in overtime, after keeping pace with the Buckeyes throughout two regulation periods. OSU’s Jason Ryan secured the overtime win in the 98th minute with a goal scored from 20 yards out.
“It was a really disappointing and frustrating loss,” Wisconsin head coach Jeff Rohrman said. “We didn’t compete as long and as well as we have in games earlier this season, but we can’t dwell on this game.
“We’re going to learn from it. We’ve shown great mental strength in bouncing back from our other losses (to Valparaiso and UW-Green Bay) and we can do it again.”
During the first period, Wisconsin and Ohio State played evenly, with the Badgers posting four shots to the Buckeyes’ three. Wisconsin’s John McGrady and Erol Goknur both utilized the Badgers’ team play to create some dangerous chances for Wisconsin, including a left-footed shot on goal by Goknur, but OSU keeper Chad Brown pulled down the ball for his only save of the game.
OSU took control in the second period, out-shooting UW 7-2 with several long shots from 25 yards out. Wisconsin goalie Eric Hanson remained solid in the net, stopping all of the Buckeyes’ shooting opportunities to bring the game to a sudden-death overtime period. At 98:46, OSU forward Justin Cook sent the ball to teammate Ryan for the game-winning goal. Overall, Wisconsin keeper Hanson collected five saves for the Badgers, while Ohio State’s Brown posted one save.
The loss bumped the Badgers down to a record of 6-3 overall and 0-1 in the Big Ten.
Sunday, Wisconsin traveled to Cincinnati to face the Xavier Musketeers. Wisconsin last played Xavier in 1997 and, in only two games ever against the Musketeers, leads the series 1-0-1.
Sophomore Nick Van Sicklen scored two goals for the UW men’s soccer team, but the Badger rally fell short as Xavier beat Wisconsin 3-2 in the final minutes.
“We started out well, but as the game wore on we faded down the stretch,” Rohrman said. “We need to raise the bar and work on executing for longer periods of time.
“In today’s game, and against Ohio State, we did some things well. We need to work on extending that for longer durations of the game. We need to concentrate on the little things.”
Wisconsin took an early lead in the first period as Wisconsin midfielder David Martinez sent the ball from a UW corner kick on the left side to the back post. Defenseman and team co-captain John McGrady laid the ball across to Van Sicklen, who beat Xavier keeper Brian Schaeper for the 1-0 Wisconsin lead.
Xavier’s Logan Wallace evened up the match in the 25th minute on a sliding goal assisted by teammate Tiest Sondaal. Entering the halftime break, the game remained a tie, but a second Wallace goal put Xavier ahead six minutes into the second period. Off a feed from XU’s Steven Barten, Wallace fired the ball past Wisconsin goalkeeper Eric Hanson to give the Musketeers a 2-1 lead.
Down one goal, the Badgers rallied back to tie the game with Van Sicklen’s second goal of the game and fifth of the season. Taking a solid ball from sophomore Ryan Nord, Van Sicklen dribbled the ball upfield thirty yards, beating two Xavier defensemen to put the ball under Schaeper for the needed Badger goal.
The game remained tied at two goals apiece for the next thirty minutes and seemed destined for an overtime period. However, Xavier took advantage of a fatigued Badger squad at 88:34 as Musketeer Andy Farrell scored the game-winning goal past Hanson for the 3-2 final score.
The Badgers, now 6-4 overall and 0-1 in the Big Ten, return home to host their second Big Ten opponent of the season. Wisconsin will look to improve its Big Ten conference record against No. 12 Penn State, Sunday, Oct. 6 at noon at the McClimon Soccer Complex.
—compiled from staff reports
