A big goal from Jenny Kundert and a game-saving stop from Jessica Ring helped Dean Duerst tie Greg Ryan as the winningest women’s soccer coach in Wisconsin history as UW knocked off previously undefeated Kansas 3-2.

“It was a team victory,” said Duerst, who picked up his 108th victory with the program.

His Badgers twice fell behind the Jayhawks on goals by talented forward Caroline Smith in a high-scoring first half. In each case, however, Wisconsin quickly answered back with a score of its own.

Molly Meuer put UW on the scoreboard in the 25th minute as she headed a corner kick past Kansas goalkeeper Meghan Miller, and freshman Rachael Hansen capitalized on a misplay by Miller to score an important goal in the final minute of the first half.

Miller bobbled a long shot, and, after a scramble in front, Hansen fired the ball past two KU defenders with time running down to even the score at two.

“[That was] a goal at a critical time,” said Duerst.

Hansen’s score set the stage for Kundert, who, in the 66th minute, took a pass from Katy Lindenmuth on the right side, found some open space just inside the box and hooked a shot over a leaping Miller and into the far corner to put the Badgers on top.

However, the game was far from over after Kundert’s tally. Smith continued to cause headaches for the Badgers’ defenders and had one golden opportunity that, if not for a heads-up play by UW defender Jessica Ring, would surely have tied the game 3-3.

Smith managed to get free from the Wisconsin defense and tapped the ball past freshman goalkeeper Stefani Szczechowski, who had come out to challenge. Ring hustled back in time to block the shot just before it reached the goal line and clear the ball out of danger, snuffing out the Jayhawks’ last real scoring threat.

“That was a key moment,” said Duerst, “just like the Badgers’ stand yesterday on the [goal] line. Sports are about those moments.”

The Badgers and Jayhawks each now sport identical 3-1 records.

Duerst said he felt a game like this showed that his team was learning how to win.

“Sometimes games are about results and finding ways to win,” he said.

“One of the things we’ve wanted to do in our program is to be able to beat an undefeated team and, of course, always win at home. So we got two goals accomplished today.”

Duerst said that the Badgers’ season opener against California helped the team prepare for this game.

“We lost to [UC-Berkeley] in a game just like this one,” Duerst said, referring to UW’s 2-1 loss to the Bears Aug. 29. “You have to beat the Cal-Berkeleys, you have to find a way to beat Kansas, and we did today. And that’s a well-learned lesson.”

Though Wisconsin doesn’t have any single player who can match KU’s Smith for pure explosiveness and offensive potential, the team showed impressive resiliency.

“Our kids never gave up,” Duerst said. “Today we came back twice and scored that next goal.

“At halftime, I said, ‘Look, we’re scoring the next one.’ And that’s about confidence.”

The Badgers justified Duerst’s confidence and showed plenty of their own as they raised his record with the program to 108-73-23.

Those 108 wins equal the number compiled by former Wisconsin women’s soccer coach Greg Ryan, whose UW teams went 108-32-7 from 1986-93.

Duerst was an assistant coach under Ryan for seven of those eight seasons.

“[Greg and I] were great friends,” said Duerst. “I think he’s inspired me in a lot of ways, and a lot of credit goes to him. It’s great to be there with him now.”