The Wisconsin women's soccer team took advantage of its last two non-conference games this past weekend at the McClimon Soccer Complex before heading into Big Ten conference play, defeating Pepperdine and Nevada to put them at 6-2-1 on the season.
The team entered the weekend coming off a less-than-satisfying performance the previous weekend in Boston, where it lost 1-0 to Boston University and ended in a 1-1 draw with Harvard - both games in which the Badgers felt they should have come out on top.
[The games] should have been both wins, and I think we were a little disappointed with our play,"" senior goalkeeper Jamie Klages said.
In Friday's game against the Pepperdine Waves, the Badgers capitalized on their opportunities, with two of the three goals originating from penalties against the Waves.
Wisconsin's first goal came in the 16th minute off a free kick by sophomore defender Taryn Francel to senior midfielder/forward Sheri Ferron. The goal by Ferron was her first of the season.
The Badgers' second goal of the first half resulted from an attempted shot by freshman midfielder/forward Erin Jacobsen in the 34th minute. Jacobsen's shot ricocheted off the cross bar, landing in the penalty box where sophomore midfielder/forward Darcy Riley scored off the rebound. The assist marked Jacobsen's first of five points for the weekend, and the goal was the second of Riley's career.
Entering the half up 2-0, Jacobsen took advantage of a penalty kick awarded in the 66th minute, putting the Badgers up 3-0.
However, Pepperdine soon followed with its only goal of the game in the 76th minute, when senior forward Amanda Rupp scored off a breakdown of the Badger defense. The 3-1 Badger victory dropped the Waves to 3-4-1 on the season.
Wisconsin finished out the weekend with a 4-0 win Sunday against the 0-6-1 Nevada Wolf Pack. In the first half, freshman forward Laurie Nosbusch scored off a header in the 23rd minute, her fifth goal of the season. Junior forward Stephanie Krombach and Riley were both credited with assists. Jacobsen scored the second goal of the half, assisted by Riley, putting the Badgers up 2-0 at halftime.
The third goal was also scored off a header from freshman midfielder/forward Meghan Flannery in the 65th minute, with the assist awarded to sophomore defender Birdie Leibham.
Krombach scored her first goal of the season in the 88th minute, putting the Badgers up 4-0.
Klages stopped all three shots on goal for the shutout, in addition to her save in Friday's game, for a total of four on the weekend.
Sunday's game marked her third shutout of the season.
The Badgers look to maintain their perfect record (4-0) at home as they gear up for the beginning of conference play against No. 23 Illinois. The Fighting Illini, now 6-3 after their win Sunday against the Washington Huskies, will be a tough test for Wisconsin.
""They are a very good team. They are probably one of the top teams in the Big Ten, so I think it is going to be a challenging game right off the bat,"" head coach Paula Wilkins said.
Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. this Friday at the McClimon Soccer Complex.
