By Josh Sinclair

Sept. 30, 2015

The UW-Whitewater women’s soccer team defeated a pair of important opponents this week to leave its record at 7-2 as the team gets into the conference season.

In the first matchup of the week, the ’Hawks faced off against Division III’s 21st ranked team, according to D3soccer.com.

“This was a big game for the program,” head coach Ryan Quamme said. “But was an even bigger game for this team because we let one slip away the week before.”

The first half was scoreless, but not uneventful. Augustana College put some early pressure on the Warhawk defense and tested Erin Doody with a shot on goal in the 12th minute.

Sophomore midfielder Jordan Jackson put a shot on the net in the 34th minute, but Meredith Chew, the Vikings’ goalie, made the save.

Both teams had opportunities to score, but each came up empty and went into halftime tied at zero.

“Defensively I think is where we have had our most improvement,” Quamme said. “Our ball pressure is better and we are dictating pace much more. There is still room to grow, but I like the way we are playing.”

The Warhawks earned a corner kick in the 53rd minute. Freshman defender Carina Krausert sent the ball into the box and connected with another freshman, forward Mackenzie Serbousek, who headed it in for a 1-0 lead.

Just three minutes later, Serbousek found herself the right spot again. Senior midfielder Jenna Woodson played a ball into the box that senior forward Carly Pottle gathered and shot, but the ball hit the post and came right back to Serbousek, who put a foot on it and gave the ’Hawks the 2-0 lead.

Augustana retaliated with a goal in the 72nd minute to make it 2-1. But Jackson struck a free kick to the lower right corner of the goal and sealed the win for the Warhawks.

“Scoring my first goal in college was so exciting,” Serbousek said. “But beating a team as respected as Augustana is, is a much better feeling.”

Whitewater was able to secure their 30th consecutive WIAC regular season victory in Stevens Point. The last time the Whitewater Women’s soccer team lost a regular season conference game was 2011.

“All the girls on the team are really close,” Serbousek said. “I think that will help us as we get into the more important games.”

The ‘Hawks started the game strong. Junior forward Brianna Reid put one into the back of the net just four minutes into the game.

After a goal by Marie Lesperance in the 11th minute, Reid was at it again. Reid scored her team leading eleventh goal of the season in the 14th minute off a pass from Lesperance.

In the second half both forward freshman Karina Rosales and junior defender Kara Jahn knocked one in.

The Warhawks will play next at 5 p.m. on Sept. 30 against Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.