Titans Host Blugolds In WIAC Semifinal
A spot in the title game of the WIAC Women's Soccer Championship will be on the line when UW-Oshkosh hosts UW-Eau Claire at 6 p.m. on Thursday (Nov. 6) at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
The semifinal winner between the second-seed Titans (10-7-1) and the third-seed Blugolds (8-9-2) either hosts fourth-seed UW-River Falls (12-5-3) or visits top-seed UW-Whitewater (17-2) on Saturday (Nov. 8) in the championship match. The winner of the six-team WIAC Championship receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.
WIAC postseason action began on Tuesday (Nov. 4) as UW-Eau Claire defeated UW-Stout and UW-River Falls ousted UW-La Crosse by 1-0 scores. The contest between UW-River Falls and UW-Stout went to overtime.
UW-Oshkosh finished second in the WIAC's regular-season standings with a 6-2 record. The only goals allowed by the Titans during their eight league matches were in 1-0 defeats to UW-Whitewater on Oct. 15 and UW-Platteville in their last outing on Nov. 1.
UW-Oshkosh has won three of its last four matches and seven of its last 11. The Titans need one victory to reach 11 wins for the fourth consecutive season. UW-Oshkosh owns 10 shutouts on the year while outscoring its opponents, 23-11.
UW-Eau Claire took third place in the WIAC's regular-season standings with a 5-3 record. The Blugolds earned the finish by defeating UW-Platteville, UW-Stout and UW-River Falls in their last three league contests.
UW-Eau Claire extended its overall winning streak to four games with Tuesday's victory over UW-Stout. The contest's only goal came on a kick by the Blugolds' Sami Matuszak during the 28th minute of play. The shutout was UW-Eau Claire's fifth of the season.
Thursday's matchup is the 31st between the teams. The Titans have won the last two meetings, including a 1-0 decision on Oct. 18 in Eau Claire, to cut their deficit in the series to 6-22-3.
UW-Oshkosh lost a 1-0 decision to UW-Whitewater in last year's title match of the WIAC Championship.