The Wisconsin women’s soccer team continues its surprising run in the NCAA’s after two victories this past weekend. Hosting the NCAA tournament in Madison, the team won a close 1-0 affair Friday over Arizona State on the strength of seldom-used backup Roxanne Carlson’s penalty kick and two clutch diving saves by goalie Michele Dalton.
Carlson has only averaged 12 minutes per game this season, but head coach Paula Wilkins was confident her junior midfielder from Cedarburg, Wis., could have some success in the situation because of her strong play in practice that week.
“Roxanne is one our most technical players. The week leading up to the Friday game we were doing a lot of shooting and penalty kicks after practice,” Wilkins said. “She was spot on. She’s one of the best shooters we have on our team.”
Carlson did not start Friday, but was called upon in overtime to take the fifth penalty kick.
“I was really nervous, but I went [out] there, the goalie went the wrong way and it worked out,” Carlson said. “I give credit to every single player on and off the bench for that great win. It was a great job by everyone.”
The win moved the Badgers to the second round of the tournament and set up a matchup with Central Florida Sunday. The team, and specifically the Badgers’ surprising hero, Carlson, did not stop there.
Carlson came in toward the end of the first half and scored the game’s only goal with 21 seconds remaining in the half.
“For her goal against Central Florida, she comes in for a few minutes with 21 seconds left in the first half, sprinting down the field as hard as she can to try to get into the box, it was a great finish, [scoring] first time left footed,” team scoring leader Laurie Nosbusch, who assisted on the goal, said. “We were all so excited for her. It was an amazing thing to see someone who worked so hard get the first goal in her Badger career.”
Carlson’s first career goal on Sunday and her penalty kick on Friday should set her up for more playing time in Friday’s game at Boston College, however, she could care less as long the team continues its success.
“I don’t really care [if I play], we’re in the Sweet 16, so play the best players out there,” Carlson said. “If [coach] decides to put me in, I’ll do what I can.”
The coaching staff would like to utilize her if given the right opportunity, but claims it all depends on the way the game flows.
“A lot of it dictates on what the game is presenting us and where we need her,” Wilkins said. “So it depends on what the other team gives us.”
Moving into the Sweet 16 is a decisive mental victory to this team and the state of the program. UW made the NCAA tournament for the first time in Wilkins’ three years as Wisconsin head coach, and moved past the second round for the first time since 1993.
Wilkins preaches team unity and building the program for the future, and noted just how much the Badgers had to work to be able to put themselves into this situation.
“I’m just really happy for the players, we challenged them last spring to do a bunch of stuff, and throughout the season they’ve gotten better,” Wilkins said. “I’m really happy for them, I think they are the program, and it’s just a reflection of what they’ve done.”
Carlson and Nosbusch both expected to have success, but neither expected it to come this early in their Badger careers. While making the NCAA Tournament was the team’s initial goal, surpassing that made their current accomplishment that much sweeter.
“We worked on trying to get to the NCAA’s, that was our first goal,” Carlson said. “We made it and we went beyond it, we got past our expectations, so anything from here is a gold star.”
