La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse soccer team captured its sixth Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament title (Presented by Culver's), including third straight, with a 2-1 win over UW-Platteville Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex. The Eagles, ranked third on this week's United Soccer Coaches Region IX Poll, improve to 16-3-2 overall. The Pioneers, sixth in Region IX, fall to 14-3-4.
Chelsea Gale's goal in the first half gave UWL a 1-0 lead.
With the win, UWL earns the conference's automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships. This will be the Eagles' seventh (2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) trip to the championships, including fourth straight.
UWL also secured the WIAC Tournament title in 1996, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023.
The Eagles took a 1-0 lead at 2:27 on
Chelsea Gale's goal off a corner kick. The Pioneers tied the contest at 1-1 on Jess Morawski's goal off a Bryanne Pinkowski assists. The game remained, 1-1, at halftime.
UWL had 11 shots and corner kicks in the first half while UW-Platteville totaled seven shots.
Aubree Caya scored the game's eventual winning goal at 88:50 on an
Alexis McMahon assist.
The Eagles finished with 26 shots, including six on goal.
Ellie Behnke recorded seven shots with one on goal while Gale totaled five shots with three coming on goal.
Amaya Thesing had three shots. UWL had 12 corner kicks.
Erelyn Apel earned the win in goal, recording five saves.
Aubree Caya scored the game-winner at 88:50.
UW-Platteville finished with 12 shots with six on goal. Jorie Carr and Arianna Lombardi each had three shots with one on goal while Morawski finished with two shots, both on goal. The Pioneers were held to one corner kick.
Madison Way suffered the loss for UW-Platteville, registering four saves.
The 64-team field for the NCAA Division III Championships will be announced at 1 p.m. on Monday, November 11. First and second round games of the championships will be played on campuses of competing institutions on either Friday-Saturday, November 15-16 or Saturday-Sunday, November 16-17.
