WAUKESHA, Wis. - Challenging nonconference matchups can often build character and help accelerate the learning process for young teams seeking success on the field.
That proved to be the case for the Carroll University women's soccer team as it lost to Illinois Institute of Technology 3-2 in a gritty, hard-fought nonconference game at Schneider Stadium on Wednesday night.
It was the second home-field loss of the season for the steadily improving Pioneers, who dropped to 0-3-2 overall.
Carroll grabbed the early momentum as senior defender Kimmy Wiley (Kewaunee, Wis.) scored on a header two minutes into the game.
On the bang-bang sequence, senior midfielder Gina La Macchia (Mequon, Wis.) launched a high-arching corner kick from the left side toward the middle of the box.
Wiley, who had gained position inside, perfectly timed her leap and headed the ball over the outstretched arms of Illinois Tech freshman goalkeeper Catherine Klemp into the back of the net.
Illinois Tech, which improved to 4-0-1 overall, answered to tie the game as senior forward/midfielder Katie Hoefgen scored on a header in the 43rd minute.
The Scarlet Hawks extended the lead to 2-1 as freshman defender Kimi Casupang scored on a free kick in the 55th minute. Illinois Tech, which outshot the Pioneers 10-6 - including a key 9-5 shot-on-goal margin - collected the winning goal as sophomore forward Julia Taliana scored on an assist by freshman midfielder Jamie Griggs at the 74:57 mark.
Carroll showed its character and determination down the stretch as freshman midfielder Madison Belo (Algonquin, Ill.) scored on an unassisted shot in the 85th minute.
Senior midfielder Jensen Meyer (Germantown, Wis.), freshman forward Kaitlyn Shanks (Janesville, Wis.) and freshman forward Erika Hess (Green Bay, Wis.) each added a shot-on-goal for the Pioneers.
Junior goalkeeper Christina O' Block (Libertyville, Ill.) registered six saves in playing the entire 90 minutes.
For Carroll head coach Susie Foster, in her seventh year at the helm, the early season nonconference schedule has been difficult but the experience will only help in her young team's progression as the year goes on.
"With the difficult, high-caliber schedule we've played to start off the season, it has really created the opportunity to be challenged in each and every way," said Foster, who has guided the Pioneers to back-to-back appearances in the prestigious CCIW Tournament the past two seasons and needs one more win to reach the special 150 career-victory milestone. "We deliberately wanted to play the very best teams so that it would serve as a good learning experience and help us take another important step toward playing up to our potential (including the squad's 2-0 home-field loss to No. 2-ranked University of Chicago on Sept. 9). Tonight, we played with a real conviction over the course of the final 10 minutes that we hadn't seen yet this season.
"We've taken a trial-by-fire type mentality and it has forced the players to accelerate the process in order to compete at a higher level. Being a young team with a ton of talent, that experience should only serve as motivation and show what type of effort is needed to be successful. Having advanced to the CCIW Tournament the last two years, we want to continue the tradition. It all starts with learning from each situation, focusing every time we step on the field and growing with each opportunity. At this point, we're pushing ourselves hard emotionally, mentally and physically and are truly only a short way away from having a season-changing breakthrough moment. There's not a doubt in my mind that success is right around the corner."