Pioneer athletics enjoy successful Homecoming week, set to promote mental health this week

Platteville, Wis.- The Bandana Project has been a popular and important cause game for the student-athletes at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Founded at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in January of 2016, the Bandana Project is a suicide prevention and mental health awareness movement. This week, the Pioneer men's and women's soccer program will host their Mental Health Awareness game by encouraging students to become a member and wear a green bandana.

According to the Bandana Project's webpage, students who wear or tie a green bandana to their backpack are "signifying they are in possession of region-specific and national resources. They pledge to support the mental health of those in their life, and reject stigma associated with mental illness."

The Pioneer women's soccer team will host Beloit College on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. for their Mental Health Awareness Night, while the men's team will host Cornell College on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. for their Mental Health Awareness Night.

Men's soccer runs unbeaten streak to 12, host Cornell for Mental Health Awareness Night

The Pioneers continued to play outstanding soccer, running their unbeaten streak to 11 games with a 3-1 victory at Luther College on Oct. 10. The Norse opened the scoring in the 31st minute before the Pioneers tied it 30 seconds later. Konrad Ziaja tied the game when he found the back of the net off a pass from Mitch Reid. It was Ziaja's second goal of the year and Reid's first assist. Isaac Petersen would get the game winner in the 71st minute when he found the back of the net for the first time this season. A minute later, Danny Gutzwiller would give the Pioneers a two-goal lead with his fourth goal of the year. The Pioneers' defense turned away four shot attempts in the final minutes to close out the victory.

Luther Recap 

The Pioneers ran their unbeaten streak to 12 but saw the nine-game winning streak snapped in a 1-1 tie at Wartburg on Oct. 14. The Knights got on the board first in the 18th minute. Sebastian Carranza's fourth of the year knotted the game at one apiece. Neither team could find the back of the net in the second 45 minutes.

Wartburg Recap

The Pioneers were defeated 3-0 by Saint Olaf on Oct. 17 to end the 12-game unbeaten streak. The Oles got on the board early and the first half and added two goals late in the contest for the final score.

St. Olaf Recap and Photos

The Pioneers (10-3-2) will finish the home portion of the 2022 schedule with the Mental Health Awareness Night contest versus Cornell College and Senior Day on Sunday, Oct. 23 at noon versus Elmhurst College.

The Rams (6-5-2, 1-3-1 ARC) have scored 2.15 goals per game and have given up 2.15 goals per game. George Archer leads the Rams with seven goals and six assists.

The Bluejays (7-5-2, 3-2-1 CCIW) will face Illinois Wesleyan University on Wednesday, Oct. 19 before visiting Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium. Entering the week, the Bluejays have scored 1.62 goals a game, while allowing 1.08 goals per contest. Illija Jerinic and Noah Backhaus are tied with five goals apiece to pace the Bluejays. David Falleiros leads the team with four assists.

The Pioneers have scored 2.50 goals per game, while allowing 1.07. Jack Gentilli leads a balanced offensive team in both goals (7) and assists (7). Carranza, Clayton Mobile and Danny Gutzwiller have scored four goals apiece. Alester Dawson and Lucas Godon each have three goals.

Sam Koenig is in his fourth year as head coach of the Pioneer men's soccer team with a career record of 31-15-7. 

Women's soccer wins lone contest versus UW-Oshkosh, host Mental Health Awareness Night

The Pioneer women's soccer team reached double digit wins for the first time in a season since 2010 with a 1-0 victory at UW-Oshkosh on Oct. 15. Senior Emma Ball stopped 11 shots to keep the Titans scoreless. Anna Spindle scored the lone goal off a penalty kick in the 85th minute.

UW-Oshkosh Recap

The Pioneers (10-3-1, 3-1 WIAC) will begin a stretch of four consecutive home matches with Mental Health Awareness Night versus Beloit College (5-3-2, 3-2 MWC) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The Buccaneers average 1.33 goals a game while allowing only 0.33 goals a game. Mikaila Davis leads the Buccaneers with four goals. Abigail Membrino leads the team with three assists.

The Pioneers return to WIAC action at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 when UW-Stevens Point (4-7-4, 1-1-2 WIAC) visits town. The Pointers are averaging 1.27 goals a contest, while allowing 1.53. Kati Frierdich leads the Pointers with five goals and four assists.

The Pioneers will honor the senior class at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23 when Finlandia (6-6-2) visits Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium. The Lions average 0.79 goals a game while allowing 0.93. Addie Budzinski leads the team with three goals and tied with Marissa Schilling and Ally Herrick with two assists apiece.

The Pioneers have a very balanced offensive attack. Five Pioneers have four goals apiece, while two have three. Katherine Ohlwein, Alyssa Peterson, Lydia Smith, Maddi Spencer-Strong and Anna Spindle all have four goals. Smith leads the Pioneers and the WIAC with 11 assists.

Ball has started every contest in goal for the Pioneers. She has recorded five shutouts while allowing 0.88 goals a contest.

The Pioneers average 2.14 goals a contest, while allowing 0.93 goals a game. 

Sam Koenig is in his second season as head coach with a career record of 19-9-4.

Pioneer volleyball wins five-set thriller versus UW-La Crosse

The Pioneers used a balanced attack to take down the University of Dubuque in four sets on Oct. 10. Sophomore Emma Carlson led four Pioneers in double digits in kills with 17. Kierney McDonald helped the Pioneers hold the Spartans to a .077 hitting percentage with four blocks. McDonald added 11 kills for the Pioneers.

Two additional highlights of the match were the Pioneers' unveiling of the new electronic Daktronics video board and honoring Hall of Fame Coach Deb Schulman. Schulman, a UW-Platteville Athletic Hall of Famer was inducted into the WIAC Athletic Hall of Fame after her legendary coaching career and for her contributions to women's athletics at UW-Platteville and the WIAC.

University of Dubuque Recap and Photos

UW-La Crosse quieted a packed Williams Fieldhouse by quickly taking the first two sets. The Pioneers brought the crowd back to life taking the third and fourth set. The 1,197 fans in attendance were on their feet for the fifth set. Carlson finished off the Eagles and the comeback victory with her 27th kill of the night. It is Carlson's career-high and is third all-time in program history for kills in a single match.

UW-La Crosse Recap and Photos 

Prior to the contest, the Pioneers honored Dr. Patricia Collins. Collins' legacy reaches well beyond UW-Platteville. An advocate for women's athletics, she was instrumental in Pioneer women's athletics and the growth of women's sports throughout Wisconsin and the WIAC. Collins is a member of the UW-Platteville Hall of Fame, the WIAC Hall of Fame and has the health and human performance lab named in her honor.

The Pioneers returned to Williams Fieldhouse for the UW-Platteville Invitational on Oct. 15. The Pioneers opened with a 3-1 victory over Augustana College. Carlson led the Pioneers with 14 kills. The Pioneers couldn't duplicate the UW-La Cross contest after dropping the first two sets to Carthage College in the second match. The Firebirds would sweep the Pioneers in straight sets. Madilyn Schultz and Carlson each had eight kills for the Pioneers. 

The Pioneers (18-6, 2-3 WIAC) will welcome UW-Stevens Point (19-5, 3-2 WIAC) to Williams Fieldhouse for a Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Out contest. Ashley Kopp leads the WIAC with 4.62 kills per set. Grace Michalske is second in the WIAC with 9.67 assists per set.

Following the battle with the Pointers, the Pioneers will hit the road for the final invitational of the year when they travel to Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. The Pioneers will open the invitational on Friday, Oct. 21 at 4:30 p.m. when they face Cornell College. The Pioneers will play a pair of games on Saturday, Oct. 22 when they open the day with Grinnell College at 10:30 a.m. They will finish off the invitational with Earlham College at 1 p.m.

Carlson is fourth in the WIAC with 3.67 kills per set. Kierney McDonald leads the WIAC with 0.96 blocks per set. Kelsey Ewert is second in the WIAC with 0.51 service aces per set. Bri Garner is fourth in the WIAC with 4.57 digs per set. 

Samantha Birkicht is in her sixth year at UW-Platteville, with a career record of 71-73.

Football knocks off No. 14 UW-River Falls, will battle No. 3 UW-Whitewater in George Chryst Memorial Bowl 

Behind a stingy defense that held UW-River Falls to their lowest offensive output of the year, the Pioneers sent a majority of the 2,843 fans home happy following the 21-14 victory on Homecoming.

The Falcons marched 75 yards in their first possession of the game to take a 7-0 lead. The Pioneers' defense held the Falcons scoreless until the Falcons found the endzone again early in the fourth quarter. By the time the Falcons scored again, the Pioneers found pay dirt three times. 

Following a 50-yard completion from Michael Priami to Ben Wilson, Braeden Katcher called his own number on a seven-yard touchdown scamper to tie the score. The 50-yard pass and catch was costly for the Pioneers, as a late hit knocked Priami out of the game.

Following a pair of Falcon punts and one Pioneer punt, Sean McMillan intercepted a Kaleb Blaha pass and returned it to the Falcons' seven-yard line. Will Lawrence found the endzone for the first time of his career two plays later to give the Pioneers the lead with 14-7 at the half.

The Pioneers defense stood tall to open the second half forcing a pair of Falcon punts. The offense found the endzone for the final time of the day on the second offensive possession of the second half. Katcher engineered a 10-play drive that covered 64 yards. Katcher found Lawrence in the left flat and Lawrence would get into the endzone untouched for his second score of the day to give the Pioneers a 21-7 lead.

The Falcons cut the lead back to seven on a 19-play drive early in the fourth. The Pioneers answered with an 11-play drive that took seven minutes off the clock that ended in a punt that was downed at the Pioneers' 12-yardline.

The Falcons drove it all the way to the Pioneers' 11-yardline before a Blaha pass fell incomplete on fourth-and-six. The Falcons would get a stop to force a Pioneer punt with 43 seconds left. A fourth down prayer was knocked down by Luke Kush to send the Pioneer fans into a frenzy.

UW-River Falls Recap and Photos

The Pioneers (3-3, 2-1 WIAC) will welcome d3football.com No. 3 ranked UW-Whitewater (5-1, 3-0 WIAC) to Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium for the George Chryst Memorial Bowl at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22.

The Warhawks are fourth in the WIAC in yards per game (390.0) and third in defense (294.8). The Warhawks score 25.2 points a game, good for fifth in the WIAC. They allow only 18.2 points a game, good for third in the WIAC.

Evan Lewandowski has started all six games for UW-Whitewater. He is completing 64.9% of his passes for 1,471 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has thrown five interceptions.

Lewandowski's main pass catcher is Tyler Holte. Holte has hauled in 34 passes for 410 yards and four touchdowns. Tommy Coates leads the Warhawks with five receiving touchdowns.

Jaylon Edmonson leads UW-Whitewater with 73 rushing attempts for 339 yards. Edmonson has found the endzone twice, while Preston Strasburg leads the Warhawks with three rushing touchdowns.

Egon Hein leads the Warhawk defense with 35 tackles. Roy Panthier has recorded four sacks for a loss of 35 yards. Ryan Liszka has recorded five tackles for loss to lead UW-Whitewater. Kyle Loelblinger has picked off three opponent passes.

Kevin Bullis is in his seventh season at UW-Whitewater with a career record of 74-11.

The Pioneers are second in the WIAC in total defense, allowing 266.2 yards per game. They are the top passing defense, allowing 137.5 yards per a game.

Head Coach Ryan Munz has used three quarterbacks this season. Priami started the first game before an injury forced him to miss the next four. Priami returned and started versus UW-River Falls before exiting after a late hit. Katcher and Nathan Shackelford have started games for the Pioneers. The three quarterbacks have combined to complete 56.1% of their passes for six touchdowns and five interceptions. 

Austin Guy leads the Pioneers with 22 receptions and 172 yards. John Goomey leads the team with two touchdown receptions.

Lawrence leads UW-Platteville with 52 rushes for 211 yards. Andrew Schweigert is a perfect 10-of-10 on extra points. He is 2-of-5 on field goal attempts with a long of 49-yards.

Sam Smith is second in the WIAC and leads the Pioneers with 9.2 tackles per game. He recorded the most tackles (18) in a single game this season in the WIAC. Smith has recorded two sacks and six tackles for a loss. Tyler Bacon leads the WIAC (1.50) and Justin Blazek is second in the WIAC (1.17) in tackles for a loss.

Samuel Tausz and McMillan are tied for third in the WIAC in interceptions with two apiece.

Ryan Munz is in his first year as head coach of the Pioneer football team. 

Cross Country competed at UW-La Crosse, travel to UW-Whitewater Friday

The Pioneer men's and women's cross country teams traveled to West Salem, Wisconsin, to run at the UW-La Crosse Drew/Neubauer Invite on Oct. 15. The Men placed eighth out of 28 teams while the women finished 14th out of 30. 

Troy Humpal finished 54th in a field of 254 runners. Logan Bell finished 55th, Joey Madsen finished 57th and Riley Coulter finished 61st. 

Kaitlyn Galgon finished 51st out of 364 female runners. Caitlin Gorge finished 71st while Hannah Fliss finished 98th. 

The Pioneers will travel to Whitewater, Wisconsin, on Friday, Oct. 21 for the UW-Whitewater Warhawk Open. The women's 6k race will start at 4 p.m. with the men's 8k to follow at 4:45 p.m.

Tom Antczak is in his 31st year at UW-Platteville as the head coach of the men's and women's cross country teams. 

To follow the Pioneers all season, visit www.Letsgopioneers.com for links for live stats, postgame recaps and links for the contests that are live streamed. Follow the official social media accounts of Pioneer Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.