Dean Duerst?s record-breaking 109th victory as Wisconsin women?s soccer head coach couldn?t have come in a more impressive fashion than the Badgers? 3-0 win over Marquette.

UW?s effort was every bit as balanced as the final score indicates.

The Badgers put up three goals for the fourth consecutive game, this time against a team that had yet to allow a tally in regulation play and had tied No.15 USC 0-0 on Friday.

Perhaps an even more impressive statistic on the night was the fact that the Badgers held the Golden Eagles to a paltry two shots on goal.

Duerst noted that such defensive dominance requires a complete team effort, and that UW delivered.

?Defending becomes a team mentality,? he said. ?Our forwards pressured well, [so] the midfield could step up and win [the ball]. If they didn?t win it, the midfield pressured well and then it made the backs? job a little bit easier.?

The Badgers pressured the ball effectively all game, never allowing Marquette?s players to operate in open space. Even though UW didn?t control the ball more than Marquette, Wisconsin was able to generate many more scoring chances with its possession.

The few times that Marquette players did manage to break free from the UW defenders, goalkeeper Stefani Szczechowski challenged them aggressively and snuffed out their scoring opportunities.

Duerst said he had worked with the team last week on pressuring the ball better on defense. That work clearly paid off against Marquette.

?We were better [defensively] today than we were against Kansas [whom UW defeated 3-2 on Sunday],? Duerst said.

?If we?re a better defensive team, then we?ll have the ball more. And when we have the ball, we?re dangerous.?

Jenny Kundert, Kara Kabellis and Katy Lindenmuth certainly were against the Golden Eagles. The trio accounted for all the Badgers? scoring, combining for three goals and four assists.

Kundert gave UW a lead it would never relinquish in the 22nd minute when she scored on a header to cap off a scramble resulting from Bethany Heine?s corner kick.

?Getting that goal 20 minutes into the game just elevated our kids? confidence today,? Duerst said.

Kabellis echoed that statement. ?The first goal was a big goal,?

Still, the Badgers had to weather some intense pressure from Marquette late in the first half.

?At halftime, I said we didn?t play well in terms of the overall half, and that we couldn?t settle,? Duerst said. ?And I think we came out better in the second half.?

Lindenmuth gave Wisconsin some insurance in the 61st minute when she scored on the rebound of Kabellis? free kick, and Kabellis put the nail in Marquette?s coffin by one-timing a cross from Lindenmuth in the 79th minute.

All in all, it added up to a ?sweet? win and a Gatorade shower for Duerst after the game.

Duerst was humble regarding his status as the all-time winningest women?s soccer coach at UW. As he did on Sunday, Duerst again gave credit to former coach Greg Ryan, whose record he broke,

Duerst added, ?We?ve had a lot of winning seasons here, but I?ve also been here a long time. That?s how you break records.?

Though Duerst was honored to hold the record, he was just as happy about his team?s start to the season.

He pointed out that the last time Wisconsin started a season this well was in 1994, his first year as head coach. That season, UW won the Big Ten championship on its home turf, and the Badgers will be hosting the tournament again this year.

Duerst is intrigued by the parallels.

?Obviously, it?s very exciting,? he said.

If Wisconsin continues to play like it did against Marquette, Duerst can continue to think big.