LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Yellowjacket women's soccer team rolled to its third-straight Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season and tournament titles in 2023, and as a result it qualified for the 2023 NCAA Division III Tournament.
Monday afternoon, the Yellowjackets learned their opening round opponent was UW-La Crosse, a team they played often when the two were foes in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Eagles own the edge in the all-time series, and they added another game to the victory column Saturday.
UW-La Crosse owned a major territorial advantage Saturday, but the Yellowjacket defense was strong and the goalkeeping even stronger, keeping the match within reach throughout. A late offensive press by the Yellowjackets didn't produce the goal needed to force extra time, and they fell to the Eagles 1-0 at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.
The loss brings the 2023 season to a close for the Yellowjackets.
Yellowjacket goalkeeper
Quinn Clark (Duluth Minn./Duluth East) played arguably her strongest match of the season, finishing the day with 18 saves as UW-La Crosse controlled the flow of the game from the outset. La Crosse pressed early in the match, trying to secure the all-important first goal, but each time it got close, Clark turned them away.
UW-La Crosse finally broke the ice in the 33rd minute, as Ellie Behnke got the ball in the box and put a low kick past Clark into the middle of the goal to make it 1-0. Behnke's goal was assisted by Hayley Slaski and Claire Cater.
The Eagles continued to apply pressure, but the Yellowjacket defense continued to bend instead of break. With under 10 minutes to play in the match, the Yellowjackets, knowing one shot pulls them even, began to apply pressure of their own. The best chance came in the 97th minute when
Niya Wilson (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) got a ball in the left side of the box, but the La Crosse defense snuffed out that opportunity before the shot reached the goal. Later, the Yellowjackets tried to play a ball from the right side of the box, but La Crosse's goalkeeper stepped in to intercept the pass and thwart the opportunity, and in the process preserve the win.
UW-Superior ends its season with a record of 16-6-1.
