The Wisconsin women’s soccer team delivered one of their grittiest performances of the season last Friday night, outlasting the Western Michigan Broncos 3-2 at the McClimon Complex to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In a match defined by constant tension, rapid momentum swings and emotionally charged sequences, the Badgers dug themselves out of an early deficit and held firm through a chaotic second half to secure the comeback win.
Western Michigan opened the match with startling intensity, pressing Wisconsin deep into their own half and disrupting nearly every attempt at a controlled buildup. The Broncos repeatedly forced turnovers through quick pressure and sharp anticipation, with their captain reading Wisconsin’s passing patterns and shutting down long stretches of possession. The Badgers struggled to connect simple passes and often waited for the ball instead of meeting it, allowing Western Michigan to dictate the rhythm early. Even with strong switches and outlets from junior defender Ella Ottey, Wisconsin had difficulty escaping their half of the field.
Despite the uneven start, both sides generated early chances. Wisconsin produced looks from junior midfielder Erin Connolly, sophomore midfielder Jenna Baumann and graduate forward Adee Boer, while Western Michigan fired a dangerous shot just over the bar in the 11th minute. The match remained tight and tense, with each possession feeling fragile and prone to collapse. But in the 24th minute, Western Michigan capitalized on a scrambled defensive sequence, and Abby Smothers slipped in the opening goal to give the Broncos the 1-0 lead. It was a soft concession, one that reflected the disjointed nature of the half and a recurring pattern of Wisconsin finding urgency only after falling behind.
The Badgers pushed harder after finding themselves trailing, increasing their speed of play and attempting to combine quickly through short passes and direct long balls. Still, their ideas failed to materialize into clear chances, and the half ended with Wisconsin trailing and visibly frustrated by unforced errors and broken possession sequences.
The match’s tension escalated immediately in the second half. Wisconsin attempted to build through the right side but initially found little success, as Western Michigan continued to pressure and collapse passing lanes. Yet in the 54th minute, Wisconsin’s energy flipped dramatically. The Badgers started winning second balls, pressing Western Michigan into mistakes and forcing consecutive saves for the goalkeeper.
The breakthrough came in the 58th minute after a VAR review awarded the Badgers a penalty. Erin Connolly buried the shot into the bottom left corner, leveling the match despite the keeper’s correct directional guess. The equalizer unlocked a frenetic stretch in which both teams traded chances, fouls and near-misses as the game grew increasingly physical. Wisconsin nearly added another goal minutes later, and Western Michigan responded with pressure of their own, but neither side found separation in the chaos.
After a free-kick sequence in the 72nd minute dissolved into a scramble inside the box, the ball crossed the line for what appeared to be Wisconsin’s second goal. The referee immediately initiated another lengthy review due to the scrambles inside the box, drawing boos from the crowd. After a tense delay, the officials confirmed the goal for Connolly — her second of the night — off Hailey Baumann’s assist, giving Wisconsin a 2-1 lead.
The officiating became increasingly contentious as the half progressed, with several uncalled fouls and rising frustration on both benches. The game’s most electrifying moment arrived in the 79th minute, when Boer unleashed a stunning strike from outside the box, blasting Wisconsin ahead 3-1. Western Michigan answered less than a minute later through an unexpected goal, cutting the lead to 3-2 and resetting the tension for a frantic final stretch. Wisconsin nearly extended their lead again in the 87th minute only for the keeper to produce a highlight-reel save to keep WMU within reach.
The Badgers held on through the final whistle, surviving a match that stayed tight from the opening minutes to the closing seconds.
Following the win, Baumann emphasized the team’s mental resilience in high-pressure situations.
“At the beginning of the season, we set goals for ourselves, and we knew this game was going to be important,” she said. “Halftime was just a talk of—we’ve been in this position before, this whole season has prepared us for this. Stick to our details. We had full confidence we were going to win.”
Bauman said Wisconsin’s last game — a 2-1 loss to Washington in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal — helped prepare them for this one. “After every loss we’ve had this season, we’ve bounced back with strong wins. Washington was tough, but it motivated us to come out even harder today,” she said.
In a match that never truly felt settled, Wisconsin’s composure, adaptability and perseverance proved decisive. The Badgers not only overcame a turbulent first half but also managed the emotional swings of a volatile second, securing a win that showcased the team’s grit as much as their quality.
