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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Zach Harwerth
Jade Jensen

Men's Soccer

Men's Soccer Season Comes to a Heartbreaking End

Zach Harwerth made two stops and took the loss in the WIAC playoffs Wednesday at Whitewater.
Box Score

Whitewater 1, Yellowjackets 0

Less than a month ago the Yellowjacket men's soccer team hosted UW-Whitewater at the Yellowjacket Soccer Complex while the two teams were jockeying for playoff position. With 1:20 left on the clock, sophomore Gio Rodriguez (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Los Osos) scored on a penalty kick, giving what most in attendance felt was a back-breaking goal that would catapult the Yellowjackets to victory. The Warhawks had other ideas, however, scoring a goal of their own less than a minute later to send the contest to overtime, where it would ultimately end in a tie.

The Yellowjackets were never the same after that match, as they would go on to drop the final four matches of the regular season, losing all of them by a single goal.

Wednesday the Yellowjackets got another crack at the Warhawks, as the teams met in the first round of the WIAC playoffs for the second season in a row. A year ago the Yellowjackets upset Whitewater on its home field, and a repeat would provide the perfect medicine for what ailed them down the stretch.

This time around, however, it just wasn't meant to be, as Whitewater emerged victorious, and again it came on a late goal.

Whitewater's Ryan Reid, with an assist from Kyle Ricely, scored his seventh goal of the season with just five second left in regulation to thrust the Warhawks into the WIAC championship with a 1-0 win.

The loss brings the season to a lugubrious end for the Yellowjackets, who finished the campaign on a six-game winless streak and wrap up the season 9-10-1.

In the first half the teams didn't register a shot on goal until the match was nearly ten minutes old. Each team attempted seven shots in the opening 45 minutes, with the Yellowjackets holding the edge in shots on goal, 3-2.

The second half was more of the same, with the Yellowjackets carrying the play and holding the advantage in shots attempted at 6-5. Each team, however, had just one shot on goal in the half, with Whitewater's last second attempt providing the winning margin. The game-winning play began with a corner kick, which saw John Gottwald put the ball in play. The ball found its way to Ricely, who attempted a shot that was blocked, but Reid was there to put the loose ball home and send the Warhawks to victory at 89:55.

Rodriguez led the Yellowjackets with four shots attempted and had two of the team's four shots on goal. Brian Grand (North Branch, Minn./North Branch) and Chase Carey (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) also had shots on goal for the Yellowjackets.

Zach Harwerth (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) got the start in goal for the Yellowjackets and finished the match with two saves on three shots.

UW-Whitewater got single shots on goal from Justin Stanko and Sam Kuchenreuther in addition to Reid's. Josh Rohde started in goal for Whitewater and got the win, making four stops in the match.
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Players Mentioned

Chase Carey

#20 Chase Carey

F
5' 8"
Senior
Brian Grand

#17 Brian Grand

F
5' 11"
Senior
Zach Harwerth

#0 Zach Harwerth

GK
6' 0"
Senior
Gio Rodriguez

#10 Gio Rodriguez

M
5' 11"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Chase Carey

#20 Chase Carey

5' 8"
Senior
F
Brian Grand

#17 Brian Grand

5' 11"
Senior
F
Zach Harwerth

#0 Zach Harwerth

6' 0"
Senior
GK
Gio Rodriguez

#10 Gio Rodriguez

5' 11"
Sophomore
M