Stevens Point, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse soccer team, ranked ninth on this week's United Soccer Coaches Top-25 Poll, concluded its regular season with a 5-0 victory at UW-Stevens Point Saturday afternoon at the UWSP Turf Facilities. The Eagles improve to 15-1-1 overall and finish 7-0 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Pointers conclude their regular season at 7-10-1 overall and 3-4 in the conference.
It marks UWL's second consecutive undefeated (7-0) conference season in school history and fourth in school history. The Eagles finished 7-0 in 2017 and 2022 and 6-0-1 in 2018.
UWL will be the top-seed for the WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver's) and earn a first round bye. The Eagles will host a tournament semifinal Thursday, November 2 at 6 p.m. The WIAC Tournament championship game is set for Saturday, November 4 at the highest remaining seed.
The Eagles took a 1-0 lead on Saturday on
Natalie Schisel's goal off a
Kaitlyn Kurtz assist at 30:46. UWL maintained its 1-0 lead at halftime, out shooting UW-Stevens Point, 18-3 in the first 45 minutes. The Eagles have five first half corner kicks.
UWL tallied four second half goals. Schisel gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead at 69:16 on
Ellie Behnke's assist. UWL scored three goals in the next 12:00.
Claire Cater extended the lead to 3-0 at 73:39 on assists from
Sydney Halstead and
Natalie Schisel.
Hayley Slaski scored an unassisted goal at 76:56 to make it 4-0 and
Lucy Quidzinski finished the scoring at 85:42 on
Megan McNeely's assist.
UWL had a season-high 43 shots in the game, including a season-high 20 on goal.
Ainsley Allan had seven shots with two on goal while Arndt recorded six shots with four on goal.
Alexis McMahon had five shots (two on goal) while Halstead (one) and
Maggie Hernandez (three) each finished with four shots. Fifteen different players recorded a shot.
Sophia Anger registered five saves to earn the shutout victory. It is UWL's 12th shutout of the season, third-most in single-season school history. The Eagles recorded a school record 14 shutouts in 2017 and 2022.
UW-Stevens Point totaled eight shots on Saturday with five on goal. Jessica Nigbur finished with 15 saves for the Pointers.