Penalty Kicks Advance Thunder Past Titans In NCAA Postseason Opener
Three-time national champion Wheaton College (Ill.) forced overtime with a pair of unanswered goals late in regulation and completed its comeback by outscoring UW-Oshkosh, 2-1, during a penalty kick shootout to win a first round match of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Women's Soccer Championship held Friday (Nov. 12) in Chicago, Ill.
The five-shot shootout, UW-Oshkosh's third in its six Division III postseason matches, featured conversions by Wheaton College's Izzy McNally and Zoe Lipke in the first and third rounds, respectively, and the Titans' Rylie Kaufmann in the first.
UW-Oshkosh missed penalty kicks in the second round by Molly Jackson, in the third by Mackenzie Bennett, in the fourth by Hailey Dehnert and Quinlan Thompson in the fifth. Wheaton College misfired on penalty kicks launched by Tori Seeland in the second round and Carlye Fatum in the fourth.
UW-Oshkosh's two previous NCAA postseason shootouts were a 2-1 victory over Ohio Wesleyan University in 2011 and a 2-0 loss to DePauw University (Ind.) in 2015.
The overall result of Friday's contest was a tie, as the teams played to a 2-2 deadlock through two 45-minute halves and a pair of 10-minute overtime sessions. The penalty kick shootout is only used for advancing purposes in NCAA tournaments.
With the one-score edge in the shootout, Wheaton College (11-7-3) advances to meet nationally ranked and regional host University of Chicago (13-2-4) in the second round of the 64-team national tournament at 1 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 13).
University of Chicago, ranked 16th in Division III by United Soccer Coaches, qualified for its contest with the Thunder by defeating Rhodes College (Tenn.) (12-3-2), 3-0.
UW-Oshkosh, which was appearing in its fifth NCAA postseason tournament and first since 2015, took an early 1-0 lead over Wheaton College on Kaufmann's 18-yard kick from the right wing during the ninth minute (8:03) of play. The goal was Kaufmann's team-leading eighth of the season.
The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament champion Titans held their one-goal advantage until Alyssa Gunderson collected the rebound from Mackenzie Stein's missed shot and tapped a 2-yard kick into the net during the 72nd minute (71:09) of activity. Gunderson's goal was her fourth of the season.
UW-Oshkosh (16-2-2) appeared to have the match in control, but a mishandled defensive attempt to secure the ball in front of its goal accidentally went into the net for an own goal with 14:43 (75:37) to play.
Wheaton College, which had won eight of its nine prior meetings (8-0-1 record) with UW-Oshkosh, then tied the score to force overtime on Lipke's 19-yard kick with 6:43 (83:17) remaining. Lipke's first goal of the season followed a pass from Audrey Sexson.
UW-Oshkosh closed regulation with shots by Jackson in the 84th minute and Mallory Knight in the 88th and 90th that were saved by Wheaton College goalkeeper Lauren Ketchum, the 2021 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Year.
Following a relatively quiet first overtime session, the second overtime period had plenty of activity as eight shots were launched. UW-Oshkosh had a great chance to score in the third minute of the second overtime, but all three of its shots from within three yards were blocked or saved in a span of eight seconds. Wheaton College closed the period with three unanswered shots, including a strike that was stopped by UW-Oshkosh goalkeeper Erin Toomey with 3:28 left.
UW-Oshkosh attempted 23 shots in the match, including four by Knight and three apiece from Kaufmann and Stein. The Titans launched nine of their shots in the second half.
Wheaton College tallied 13 shots, with two each from McNally, Sexson, Sara Bakke and Myah Schoolman.
UW-Oshkosh's Toomey saved seven shots while Wheaton College's Ketchum stopped 13. The Thunder also had a team save.
UW-Oshkosh, which was picked to finish fifth in this year's WIAC standings by league head coaches and sports information directors, registered a program record 16 victories this season. The Titans entered Friday's contest with nine straight wins since playing to a 1-1 tie with Lawrence University on Sept. 27. UW-Oshkosh recorded nine shutouts during its 28th season of competition while posting advantages of 52-15 in goals, 360-185 in shots and 203-78 in shots on goal over its opponents.
2021 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship Bracket
2021 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship Program
Photo by Terri Cole