The Badgers found themselves in an all too familiar situation Sunday afternoon at the McClimon Soccer Complex. Leading the Michigan Wolverines 1-0 with only 28 seconds left in regulation, UW gave up a game tying goal that sent the Big Ten opener into overtime.
Only a week earlier, the men in cardinal and white lost to the Creighton Blue Jays in sudden death. In 2005, UW lost its first two conference games in overtime.
On Sunday, however, the Badgers reversed their late game misfortunes. With just over two minutes remaining in OT, UW senior William Bagayoko booted a kick from midfield toward the Michigan goal. Wolverine defender Chase Tennant then inadvertently kicked the ball past goalkeeper Patrick Sperry and gave the Badgers (1-0 Big Ten, 4-3 overall) a 2-1 victory.
""As disappointed as we were with the way regulation ended . . . I was really proud of the resiliency of the guys to put it together and find a way to win,"" Wisconsin head coach Jeff Rohrman said. ""It's often said you create your own luck and on a wet field, a slick surface, you put balls forward and near the box and near the goal and things can happen.""
UW tallied its first goal in the 75th minute when freshman Brandon Miller assisted junior Dirk Pearson.
""I touched it by one of their defenders and got endline, and then I was just trying to center it,"" Pearson said. ""I scooped it over the keeper and luckily ... it went in.""
Pearson's second goal of the season gave the Badgers a lead in a game that saw Sperry and UW goalkeeper Jake Settle make several acrobatic saves.
With Wisconsin defenders clamping down on Perica Marosevic, Michigan's leading goal scorer, it appeared the Badgers would cruise to a victory. Yet, Brian Popeney's shot on a free kick hooked just passed Settle's outstretched arms, and a stunned UW team stood tied 1-1.
""Everybody puts their head down immediately but . . . we stuck together,"" Pearson said.
According to Settle, the Badgers were determined not to let another game slip away.
""We just said ... we're not going to lose this game, and one way or the other we pulled it out,"" Settle said.
Although the Badgers celebrated their victory, the team has set higher goals for itself.
""I think we got picked fourth [in the Big Ten], and we don't want to finish fourth,"" Settle said. ""We want to finish first and get in the tournament.""
The win snapped UW's six-game losing streak against the Wolverines and was especially sweet for Rohrman, who had never defeated Michigan in his four previous seasons as head coach.
The Badgers will take on the UW-Milwaukee Panthers Wednesday at the McClimon Soccer Complex. In 2005, the Panthers defeated UW 2-0.
""They beat us at their place last year,"" Pearson said. ""It's a big game for us to get us rolling.""
""It doesn't matter what the records are,"" Rohrmann said. ""It's a battle every single year.""
