WAUKESHA. Wis. - Defense.
It's the backbone of every successful soccer program and can often help bolster the reputation of a young, hungry team on the rise.
The Carroll University women's soccer team emphasized that as it played to a hard-fought, pressure-packed scoreless tie with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point after double overtime (including 90 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute extra periods) in a nonconference showdown at Schneider Stadium on Wednesday night.
It was the first tie of the season for Carroll, which is currently 4-1-1 overall and entered the contest ranked ninth in the United Soccer Coaches Division III Central Region.
UW-Stevens Point, which is 4-1-2 overall and came in ranked sixth in the Division III North Region, outshot the Pioneers 15-7 - but despite maintaining a 7-4 shot-on-goal margin couldn't finish on several golden opportunities.
Junior midfielder Gracie Wendels generated two shot-on-goal attempts with junior defender Kaitlyn Hess, freshman forward Katie Frierdich, sophomore midfielder Bridget Kauzlaric, freshman midfielder/forward Lauren Johnson and freshman midfielder/forward Mikayla Brown each following with one for the Pointers, who attempted six corner kicks.
Carroll sophomore midfielder Kaitlyn Zanon (Waukesha, Wis.) had two shots on goal with sophomore forward Erika Hess (Green Bay, Wis.) and freshman midfielder/forward Simone Lippmann (Lindenhurst, Ill.) each adding an attempt.
Carroll senior goalkeeper Christina O' Block (Libertyville, Ill.) registered seven saves in playing the entire 110 minutes - remaining unbeaten through the last five games and finishing with her third shutout of the season.
Zanon's potential game-winning shot at the 89:45 mark was saved by UW-Stevens Point freshman goalkeeper Miranda Nieman, ultimately setting the stage for overtime.
"It was one of the most exciting games we've been a part of in quite some time and an absolute battle from beginning to end," Carroll eighth-year head coach Susie Foster said. "With it being a great ongoing in-state rivalry matchup between two regionally ranked teams, we knew it would be another challenging test. Both sides had their share of chances and it could've gone either way at any time. Looking at it from my point of view, it showcased the outstanding effort of young players and their ability to rise to the occasion. It was super exciting to see the grit and tenacity they played with throughout the night.
"From the bench to the players on the field, everyone was heavily invested in the game and we continued to feed off of that energy. During practice this week, we talked about what kind of team we wanted to be and the importance of winning each ball. Tonight, we showed a different part of our personality in the way we competed with grit on every possession and fought hard each time. They refuse to lose, have set high goals and continue to go hard after them. This experience will make us an even more dangerous team moving forward. It was a war and I was extraordinarily proud of the effort we displayed."
Foster was quick to point out how her team's tenacious approach, focus and ability to play together ultimately led to the recent early-season regional ranking.
"It's always a really special, prestigious honor anytime you receive recognition in the rankings with the amount of good, talented programs out there," Foster added. "We're proud and truly feel we've earned it with our effort and strong start this season. That said, we have a young group, they are hungry for more and attempting to get better each time they step on the field. It's been exciting watching the progression and how their belief in one another has set them apart from the rest."
Stay up to date on Carroll women's soccer this season by going online to www.gopios.com, or by following the Pioneers on Facebook (Carroll University Athletics), Twitter (@pio_athletics), and Instagram (@pio_athletics).
