September 23, 2015 By Josh Sinclair
The ’Hawks started this week on a high note, moving up to No. 16 in the D3soccer.com Top 25. UW-Whitewater was previously ranked 20th in the poll.
After starting out the season 4-1 and outscoring the competition by a score of 17-2, the Warhawks were on the opposite side of the equation.
Then on Sept. 16, the Warhawks headed to Mequon, Wisconsin to take on Concordia.
Concordia snapped the Warhawks four-game winning streak, handing the Warhawks their second loss of the season. Concordia defeated the ’Hawks 5-1 to drop the Warhawks to 4-2 on the season.
“Credit to Concordia for executing their game plan against us,” head coach Ryan Quamme said. “Concordia has a great mix of experience and talent and they played with a great deal of intensity and energy as a team. It was a great learning moment for us as a team, and we are continuing to work on bettering our players to prevent a similar result.”
The Concordia Falcons scored just four minutes into the game. The ’Hawks retaliated with five unanswered shots over the course of the next 17 minutes, but were unable to connect on the equalizer.
In the 39th minute, the Warhawks were able to get on the board. Karina Rosales found Brianna Greefkes for her first goal. The goal evened the game, but not for long.
Just a minute and 10 seconds later the Falcons got on the board again.
Just before the half, Falcon Kayla Schlosser broke free and scored on a breakaway.
In the second half, Concordia was able to tack on two more scores to put the game away.
“I think it was more about how we came into the game,” junior forward Brianna Reid said. “We needed to come in a little bit more focused.”
The Warhawks avenged the loss with a resounding 4-1 win over Wittenberg University (Ohio). The Warhawks started the game out strong when Reid converted a pass from Jenna Woodson in the 8th minute to give the ’Hawks the early lead.
Just six minutes later, Woodson found midfielder Carly Pottle on a cross, that Pottle netted for her fourth goal of the season.
Woodson wasn’t done finding her teammates yet. She again found Pottle, this time in the 62nd minute, for another goal to give the Warhawks a 3-0 advantage.
Reid got free on a breakaway in the 70th minute and tacked on the last goal for the Warhawks.
“I came in thinking that I just need to let the game come to me,” Reid said. “My teammates and I really had that same mindset, we didn’t force much and played our game.”
The Tigers found the back of the net in the 73rd minute to tarnish the Whitewater shutout.
Even though freshman keeper Erin Doody allowed that goal, she was able to pick up the win, her fifth of the season and moved to 5-2.
UW-Whitewater has its last non-conference game at 7 p.m. on Sept. 23 at Fiskum Field against Augustana (Illinois), which is ranked No. 22 by D3soccer.com.
