Pioneers fall 1-0 in First Round of WIAC Tournament
PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The Pioneers’ season comes to an end as the UW-Platteville women’s soccer team was unable to overcome the UW-Whitewater Warhawks Tuesday night in Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium. Due to rain and lightning delays, the game got off to a late start as the Pioneers fell 1-0 and were eliminated from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament.
PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The Pioneers' season comes to an end as the UW-Platteville women's soccer team was unable to overcome the UW-Whitewater Warhawks Tuesday night in Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium. Due to rain and lightning delays, the game got off to a late start as the Pioneers fell 1-0 and were eliminated from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament.
The Pioneers (9-10, 3-4 WIAC) found themselves in a hole early in the game as the Warhawks' (10-9, 3-4 WIAC) Anna Boyd fired off an unassisted goal in the 12th minute to set UW-Whitewater ahead 1-0 where it would remain for the entirety of the game.
UW-Whitewater's defense held the Pioneers to only one shot in the first half and four in the second with three on goal for the night. UW-Platteville's goalkeeper Kathryn Flaherty kept busy recording three saves as the Warhawks fired off seven shots in the first and eight in the second half for a total 15 shots and four on goal. UW-Whitewater also held the advantage over the Pioneers in corner kicks with 7-0.
The Pioneers concluded the 2018 season with their first appearance in the WIAC Tournament since 2013. In 19 games, the Pioneers recorded 48 goals, 30 assists, and five shutouts. They averaged 2.53 goals per game which is second best in program history behind the 1994 team's 2.60 goals per game average.
Freshman Caelyn Steffens finished her record setting year scoring 26 goals, six assists, and 58 points. Steffens past the previous 17 goals in a season record early in the year which had been held since 1994. She also finished sitting third in the nation with 26 goals for the season.
Sophomore Amber Lueder also had a record-breaking year with 10 goals, 10 assists, and 30 points. Lueder set a new program record with 10 assists over the previous seven assists in a season record that has sit since 1993.
As the Pioneers fall out of the WIAC Tournament, UW-Whitewater will travel to the #1 seed UW-La Crosse on Thursday while UW-Eau Claire which defeated UW-Oshkosh will travel to #2 seed UW-Stevens Point.