Heads hung low Sunday at the McClimon Soccer Complex, as the Wisconsin women's soccer team suffered another heartbreaking Big Ten loss. This time Indiana managed to upend the Badgers 2-1 in a 90-minute thriller.
"This has pretty much been our story all year. We played really well and we played together and played for each other, but we are not scoring," senior Amy Vermeulen said following the Indiana loss.
"The other teams have been finishing their chances and that is what it has been coming down to. It's really frustrating right now. You just know we are able to beat anyone and we can score goals, it is just the bounces are not going our way."
Indiana started the game aggressively and quickly took advantage of a poor first-half performance by Wisconsin. IU was first to score at 28:19 when Hoosier midfielder Molly Kruger managed to kick the ball past UW goalkeeper Lynn Murray.
The score remained 1-0 for another 45 minutes until UW freshman Elise Webber capitalized on an assist from senior Marissa Brown. Weber's equalizer came with 15:43 remaining in regulation.
The game would only be tied for three minutes, though, as the Hoosiers retook the lead at 76:49. Midfielder Kristen Zmijewski scored off of a rebound from a prior shot for the game-winning goal.
Despite losing their seventh match by just one goal, Wisconsin managed to out-shoot Indiana 8-5.
The Hoosier's hostile playing style also set up plenty of scoring opportunities for the Badgers. IU had 24 fouls called against them, most of them coming from right outside the IU box.
Wisconsin was also unable to convert on a couple of corner-kick opportunities set up by the IU defense.
"We missed a lot of opportunities," junior Kara Kabellis said. "A lot of our problem is finishing. Too much of this season we have only played 45 minutes of soccer instead of 90."
"It was a game of two halves," Dean Duerst, Wisconsin head coach, added. "We didn't really play as a team in the first half. It was not one of our best halves. We did not create enough chances. In the second half, we came out and the effort was there. We had numerous chances to score. It comes down to finishing."
"I believe in this team and I have a lot of faith in them," Duerst continued. "They played great soccer. We just need to finish. To win games, you need to finish and it was right there for us. It's very frustrating from a coaching standpoint. Unfortunately for this team right now, it has been there, but we have not been able to get the job done."
Wisconsin's frustration level was even more apparent during Friday nights' emotional 1-0 loss to Purdue. The Boilermakers managed to score the game-winner in the final two minutes of the contest.
Parissa Eyorkon happened to be in the right place at the right time after Purdue teammate Shauna Stapleton missed a shot, which sent Murray diving to save it. The ball went sailing through Murray's fingertips and deflected off the right post before landing right in front of Eyorkon, who tapped it into the right corner of the net for the game's lone goal.
Murray finished the game with four saves.
"As it turns out the scoreboard doesn't mean too much when you let one sneak by you," Murray said. "It is just tough right now. It was another tough loss for us and it seems like we just can't catch a break."
"We just haven't caught many breaks this season and it's been tough," senior defender Jessica Ring added. "We just need to keep our heads up. We need to believe and fight to win."
"Our team is just emotionally ripped apart," Duerst said. "It has been really tough with all of these close games. It's been heartbreaking. These guys have to believe. There is still hope. There are two more games left that could potentially bring something our way and those two games will make or break our season."
