Wisconsin senior forward Taylor Walsh netted a late goal to push the Badgers past Indiana 1-0 Friday night at the McClimon Soccer Complex.
With the game locked in a scoreless tie for over 88 minutes, Walsh caught Indiana on a counterattack with the ball on the sidelines and made a sharp pass to freshman forward Laurie Nosbusch.
Nosbusch was caught by a defender, but the ball fell back to Walsh just outside the penalty area, and Walsh blasted the ball to the near post and past freshman goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell.
It was one of those things where it felt really good off my foot, and I looked up and it was right in there,"" Walsh said.
The win was the first for Wisconsin in conference play. The Badgers are now 1-4 in the Big Ten and 7-6-1 overall. Indiana remains winless in the Big Ten in six games and is 5-9 overall. The defeat was the sixth consecutive loss for the Hoosiers.
The first half seemed fairly evenly matched, with limited chances for both squads. The best first-half chance for Wisconsin came in the 14th minute. Nosbusch tried to place a shot in the top shelf from well outside the penalty area, only to be denied by the goalpost.
But Wisconsin took over the game in the second half, creating numerous opportunities, each one seeming better than the last.
""[In] the second half we have always been coming out strong, and we did that again today,"" Walsh said.
Two of Wisconsin's best chances in the second half before the goal came on corner kicks. In the 70th minute, a corner kick fell to the ground in the box, and Campbell was forced to come out and make a save off to the side of the net. But the rebound popped up high in the air, and a Badger got off a shot toward the empty net, but an Indiana defender was there to head the ball off the line.
Then, in the 86th minute, Wisconsin had a chance close to the net, but the shot went off the side of the net.
At first, it seemed it would only be a matter of time until Wisconsin would take the lead, but as the minutes passed without a goal it seemed as though Wisconsin would have to take a draw.
But Walsh was confident her team would net the game-winner.
""We kept getting chance after chance, so I kind of just believed it was going to happen,"" Walsh said.
Defensively, Wisconsin was impressive. Senior goalkeeper Jamie Klages earned the shutout, but only needed to make one save. The Badgers held the Hoosiers to six shots, and just one on target.
""Our two center backs did a great job,"" Wisconsin head coach Paula Wilkins said.
Walsh played just 47 minutes, but her effect on the game was apparent in her limited action.
""She has a huge impact on everyone in this team. Anytime we can have her on the field, it's a plus for us,"" Klages said.
