Illini soccer falls to Wisconsin in OT
By: Matt Wettersten
Updated: October 14, 2012
U of I Sports Information:
MADISON, Wis. - Illinois
lost a hard fought 2-1 game in overtime at Wisconsin this afternoon.
Marissa Holden scored the lone goal for the Orange and Blue. It was the
senior's second goal of the season
and third in her career. However, Wisconsin tallied a goal with seven
minutes left in the game and clinched the game-winner in the second
overtime period.
"I thought we
started this game with the right mentality and showed that we had
rebounded from our poor performance on Friday," said head coach Janet
Rayfield. "However, this team is learning just how hard
it is to battle through adversity and to try and focus on the things
that they can control and leave everything on the field of competition.
Sometimes the difference is mental toughness and resolve more than
technique or tactics. It is that area that we need
to strengthen and soon."
It was a cold,
windy and rainy day in Madison, as both squads had to adapt to the slick
and wet conditions on the pitch. As a result, Illinois and Wisconsin
battled for possession for the majority of the
first half, as few scoring opportunities were presented.
Vanessa
DiBernardo recorded the first shot for the Illini, when she utilized the
slick ground to one-hop a shot to the Badgers' goalkeeper Genevieve
Richard. The Wisconsin keeper was once again tested in
the 34th-minute when DiBernardo sent a through ball to Marissa Holden
who then released an off-balanced low shot.
However, Holden
would find her goal in the 42nd-minute on a play that once again started
with DiBernardo. Vanessa dribbled the ball up the left side of the
field nearing the Wisconsin end-line. Her cross
was headed away by a Badgers' defender but the ball found Holden's feet
about 20 yards out at the top left portion of the box. Marissa took
one-touch then struck a left-footed shot that went over the keeper's
reach and into the far post.
DiBernardo nearly
added to their lead off a free-kick in the 52nd-minute. Her shot
knuckled over the wall and began to bend to the near post. Genevieve
Richard then leaped and tipped the ball, which hit
the cross bar before going over the goal. On the ensuing corner kick,
Taylore Peterson's shot was blocked deep in the box as the threat was
then removed.
Illinois
goalkeeper Steph Panozzo preserved the lead in the 70th-minute with one
of her patented point-blank reaction saves. A Wisconsin free kick sent
the ball into the Illinois box where it bounced around
for several seconds before finding the Badgers' leading goal scorer Cara
Walls. The sophomore then released a low shot from around 10 yards out
right at Panozzo.
Yet, the Badgers
would eventually find the equalizer in the 83rd-minute when they
capitalized off of an Illinois turnover. An Illinois back pass skidded
underneath the foot of an Illini defender and was
collected by Wisconsin's Lindsey Holmes inside the box where she
finished off the play.
After no goals in
the final seven minutes of play, the two squads entered into overtime.
The Illini have played in two overtime games this season, with both the
Illinois State and Purdue games ending in
a draw.
Wisconsin
threatened early when they received a corner kick in the 92nd-minute.
The ball landed inside the six-yard box where it was headed on goal by
Walls, but Panozzo was in great position for the save.
Two minutes
later, Niki Read drew a foul that led to a free kick taken by
DiBernardo. The shot from about 23 yards out was tipped over the
crossbar by Richard. DiBernardo's pass from the ensuing corner
kick found Kassidy Brown at the top of the box but her shot went just
high.
Then, 44 seconds
into the second overtime period, Cara Walls delivered the game-winner
for the Badgers. Walls, who was waiting around the penalty marker,
received a cross from the left flank, spun around
the Illinois defender and placed the ball into the corner of the net.
Illinois drops to
7-6-2 overall and 4-3-1 in Big Ten competition while Wisconsin moves to
10-5-1 overall and 3-4-1 in conference play.
Illinois suffers
back-to-back losses for just the second time this season. In addition,
the Illini lost their first game this season when scoring first as their
winning streak in that scenario was snapped
at 31 games, spanning the previous three seasons.
Illinois and
Wisconsin tied in the number of total shots with 15 each. The Illini
produced seven shots on goal compared to the Badgers' 10. Also, the two
squads tied in the amount of corner kicks earned
with five. Finally, Steph Panozzo finished with eight saves in the
contest bringing her season total to 66.
