The Wisconsin women’s soccer team entered the weekend desperately needing two victories at the McClimon Complex to ensure being included in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. After scoring a season-high of five goals in a 5-1 victory over Purdue Friday and shutting out Indiana 2-0 Sunday, the outlook grew clear as the Badgers officially clinched a spot in the Big Ten Tournament.
The Badgers (10-5-3, 5-2-3) used an ever-attacking offense to score one goal in each half to down the Hoosiers (6-11-1, 2-8-0), improving to third place in the Big Ten standings with one game left to play.
“I thought we played well today, finished up a good weekend of offense,” senior forward Laurie Nosbusch said. “We probably could have had a few more goals, but they probably could have had some too, so we’re just happy that we got enough to win.”
While the offense may not have scored as many goals as it had opportunities, sensational freshman forward Cara Walls continued her great season, scoring her eighth and ninth goals of the season.
The first goal came 21 minutes into the game after she stole a pass from Indiana goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell, easily dumping it into the net. The second goal was scored with 21 minutes left in the game when Walls kicked the ball off Campbell and had the ball bounce off the post before rolling into the goal.
“I think she was in the right place at the right time to get the balls, but then she was very composed and took her chances really well,” Nosbusch said. “It took a lot of skill to finish her first one; it took composure on her second one. It took a lot of strength and skill.”
Prior to the weekend, UW goalie Michele Dalton said she was looking for two shutouts from the Badger defense. She only got one, but it was probably beneficial to get it in the tighter of the two games.
“The consistency throughout the game is what I was most happy with, but I think we need to finish our [offensive] chances,” Dalton said. “Friday night we did a good job of that [and] didn’t do so well in that [today], especially the first couple minutes when we had a point blank shot. Just those opportunities that are right there, we have to have to finish to be successful moving forward.”
Keeping the Hoosiers off the board was no easy task, however. Dalton’s most important save of the game came when a foul was called on Wisconsin in the penalty box.
At that point, still a 1-0 lead for Wisconsin, Indiana’s most dangerous offensive weapon, Orianica Velasquez, was awarded the penalty kick.
Velasquez, who played for Columbia in the 2011 Women’s World Cup, took her shot, but Dalton dove to her right with arms outstretched, and was able to knock the ball wide-left of the goal to preserve Wisconsin’s lead.
“One thing you know about Michele is that she believes that she is going to make a difference in the game,” head coach Paula Wilkins said. “She made it in the first half on the save near the post and she did for the PK to keep the game at 1-0, a huge credit for a senior who feels desperate at the end of the season and wants to make an impression.”
When asked to recall the play, Dalton was almost speechless.
“I don’t remember,” Dalton said. “People talk about being in the zone. I don’t even remember looking at her or seeing the ball even. I just remember standing up and everyone cheering. I was like cool I must have saved it or something.”
Sunday’s game was one of few games this season that Wisconsin has been able to put solid offensive and defensive efforts together in the same game, but with two consecutive impressive performances – be it against less than the strongest competition – the Badgers are happy to have gained some positive momentum heading into postseason play.
“It’s having the confidence to know that we can do it if we’re focused and everyone is concentrated on moving together in the right direction,” Walls said. “In the past we struggled but it was like we always knew we could do it: it was just having the right mentality.”
