UWL Advances to WIAC Championship Game With Win Over UW-Eau Claire

Natalie Herzog scored her team-leading sixth game-winning goal Thursday.

Box Score La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse soccer team earned a 1-0 victory over UW-Eau Claire Thursday night in the semifinals of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships (Presented by Culver's) at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex. The Eagles improve to 14-4, setting a single-season record for victories. The Blugolds fall to 8-9-2 on the year.

"I'm excited about the record for the players currently in our program, and also the players from the past who have helped build us to his point," said UWL head coach Jason Murphy. "We've been able to able to take some steps forward this year, and it's a credit to the hard work all of the players have put in."

The 14 wins eclipse the previous high of 13, which UWL accomplished in 1994 and 1996. UWL recorded its 10th shutout of the season Thursday, tying the school record set in 1995 and 2001. The Eagles have allowed 11 goals in 18 matches this season.

UWL earns its third trip in school history to the WIAC Championship game with Thursday's victory. The Eagles last advanced to the championship match in 1999, falling 1-0 to UW-Stevens Point. UWL won its only WIAC tournament title in 1996 with a 4-1 victory over UW-Stevens Point.

The Eagles' Natalie Herzog scored the only goal of the game Thursday, her team-leading ninth of the season, at 86:37 to secure the victory for UWL. It was her team-high sixth game-winning goal of the season. Haley Hartkemeyer picked up her team-high sixth assist on the play.

UWL recorded 15 shots in the game, including eight on goal, while UW-Eau Claire finished with four shots, two on goal.

Abby Burke had two saves and improved to 4-0 on the season for UWL while Samantha Lefaive recorded seven saves for the Blugolds in the loss falling to 7-8-2.

"Credit to the Blugolds, they have good tactics against us and were a big-time challenge," added Murphy. "We did a good job in the second half of creating chances. Haley and Natalie decided to play a couple of combinations together and Natalie was composed on the goal."

UWL's victory was its first over UW-Eau Claire in WIAC tournament play in school history. The Blugolds came into the contest holding a 3-0-1 advantage, including an overtime tie in which UW-Eau Claire advanced on penalty kicks.

The Eagles, the second-seed in this year's tournament, will travel to top-seeded UW-Whitewater Saturday for the WIAC Championship at 6 p.m. The Warhawks defeated UW-Oshkosh, 3-1, in the other semifinal Thursday night. The winner of Saturday's title game earns the league's automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships, which will be announced Monday, November 7 at 12:30 p.m.

"We have to be organized offensively, work hard to get the ball, and finish our chances," said Murphy. "UW-Whitewater is really good, but we are excited for the challenge and will get back to work tomorrow to prepare for that challenge."

UWL is ranked fifth in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) North Region while UW-Whitewater is ranked first in the region and sixth nationally.

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