Mequon, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse soccer team, ranked 14th on this week's United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Top-25 Poll, improved to 9-1 on the season with a 9-3 win at Concordia University Wisconsin Saturday afternoon at Fitting Field. The Falcons drop to 4-2-3. 

UWL scored six first half goals while recording 28 shots. Aubree Caya gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead at 3:16 on a Catherine Arnold assist. Amaya Thesing made it 2-0 at 8:47 with Ella Opie recording an assist. Caya scored her second goal of the game at 11:52 to extend the lead to 3-0. Megan McNeely recorded the assist on the goal.

Concordia Wisconsin cut the deficit to 3-1 at 14:29 on a Shay Lange goal and Hailey Whittow assist. UWL responded with three straight goals and a 6-1 lead. Caya recorded her third goal of the game at 22:49 while Riley Veenendaal scored at 31:18 and Sera Speltz at 34:35 for a 6-1 halftime advantage. Opie, Alisa Erskine and Jessica Stewart each recorded an assist. 

UWL had 10 corner kicks in the first half. 

Jillian Sawadski made it 7-1 at 56:50 and Emily Pikarski's goal off Grace Petrina's assist at 69:09 extended it to 8-1. Whittow's goal at 74:51 made it 8-2 before Veenendaal finished the scoring at 75:31 for the final margin of 9-2. 

The nine goals for UWL are the most since finishing with nine against Cornell College (Iowa) on September 6, 2006. The Eagles recorded 37 shots on Saturday with 23 on goal. Caya finished with 10 shots, including five on goal. Thesing and Veenendaal each had five shots with four on goal. 

It marks the second straight season a UWL player scored three goals in a game against Concordia Wisconsin. Sawadski notched three goals on October 29, 2024. 

Concordia Wisconsin totaled 10 shots with seven on goal. Jacey Read led the Falcons with four shots, including two on goal. 

Summer Nicolai earned the win for UWL, recording three saves while playing the first half. Robin Blair had two saves in playing the second half. Kara Claussner suffered the loss for Concordia Wisconsin, registering 14 saves.

UWL opens up Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play Wednesday, October 1 at UW-River Falls at 4 p.m.