Pioneers Season Ends In Penalty Kicks To Blugolds

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – In a tightly contested match, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men’s soccer team (14-2-5) battled UW-Eau Claire (17-1-5) to a 2-2 draw in full time on Saturday evening from Simpson Field. The Blugolds claimed the match 3-2 in penalty kicks to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA DIII Championships.

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Pioneers Season Ends In Penalty Kicks To Blugolds
November 23, 2024

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – In a tightly contested match, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's soccer team (14-2-5) battled UW-Eau Claire (17-1-5) to a 2-2 draw in full time on Saturday evening from Simpson Field. The Blugolds claimed the match 3-2 in penalty kicks to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA DIII Championships.

Senior Isaac Petersen put the Pioneers ahead in the first half after his left-footed attempt found the back of the net in the 17th minute for his fourth goal of the season. Senior Alex Wano provided the assist, his third on the year.

The Blugolds answered with a goal just after halftime, scoring in the 50th minute to knot the game up at one apiece. Wano flipped the score back in favor of the Pioneers in the 60th minute with his seventh goal of the season on a header that bounced past the UW-Eau Claire keeper. Sophomore Justin Williams tallied his sixth assist of the season on the goal.

UW-Eau Claire would respond in the closing minutes of regulation on an unassisted goal in the 88th minute. The score remained even at two throughout both overtimes, with the Blugolds collecting the only shot of the extra periods. Senior goalkeeper Lucas Cisneros came through with the save and the match moved on to penalty kicks.

Sophomore Brady Harwood and junior Danny Gutzwiller converted penalty kick attempts for the Pioneers, but three Blugold makes and a save on UW-Platteville's fifth attempt sent UW-Eau Claire through with a 3-2 win.

The Blugolds held the advantage on shots, including 9-4 in shots on goal in the game. Cisneros made several big stops, finishing with seven saves on the nine shots faced.

Four different Pioneers recorded a shot on goal, with junior Ethan Dietrich and Harwood joining the two goal scorers with attempts on frame.

UW-Platteville wraps up a fantastic season that saw the team go 14-2-5 overall and advance to the Sweet Sixteen for just the second time in program history.