The UW-Whitewater men’s soccer team had a busy week, defeating Beloit College 2-0 on Tuesday before falling 2-1 in heartbreaking fashion to No. 7 North Park University on Friday, Sept. 19 at Robert Fiskum Field.
The Warhawks struck early against Beloit on the road, with senior forward Cooper Re scoring in the 27th minute off assists from freshman defender Alex Nelson and sophomore forward Luka Breslin. Later in the match, junior defender Matt White delivered the sealing goal in the 73rd minute.
The game against North Park, however, proved to be a much tougher test. A top-10 team nationally, the Vikings controlled much of the first half, spending extended time in Whitewater’s defensive zone. Still, the Warhawks held strong, with freshman midfielder Mitchell Tackney anchoring the defense.
“It’s exciting, but you just got to put the work in,” Tackney said on the opportunity to play as a freshman.
Flying up and down the field, Tackney consistently pressured the Vikings and disrupted their attacks.
“He’s like an energizer bunny, some like to say, because you look around and he’s just kind of everywhere,” Re said.
The second half was a different story for Whitewater, which came out aggressive offensively. In the 58th minute, the Warhawks appeared to score off a throw-in near the penalty box, but the referee waved it off, ruling that Adam Kaup stepped onto the field during the throw. Eighteen minutes later, the Warhawks earned a nearly identical throw-in, and this time Kaup kept his feet planted. Re capitalized, scoring his team-leading fifth goal of the season.
“It’s the people around me to be honest, I couldn’t do it without any of them,” Re said. “I’m just the one who’s putting them in the back of the net. That’s just how it works out.”
The Warhawks’ defense largely shut down North Park’s attack until the final 15 minutes. In the 77th minute, the Vikings broke through to tie the match, then added the game-winner in the 87th-minute from close range. The sudden swing of momentum stunned the Warhawks and silenced what had been an energetic home crowd.
“Losing sucks,” head coach Tony Guinn said, visibly frustrated.
“This game lets us know we can compete, but it was not the outcome we were looking for,” Tackney said.
Despite the loss, Warhawk players said they were prepared for the physicality of the match.
“We kind of planned it like we wanted to get physical with them… that was kind of the game plan, we talked about it before the game,” junior forward Hayden Saul said. “We knew it would be a physical battle.”
Re agreed, and both players credited freshman goalkeeper Austin Waite for his composure and strong play. Waite held North Park scoreless until the late flurry of goals, making several diving saves that kept the Warhawks in front for much of the second half.
“He’s very mature and very strong, and came in and played very well… he’s a big asset to the team,” Saul said.
The Warhawks now sit at 4-2 overall and will look to bounce back at home against Wartburg University on Sept. 24 at Fiskum Field. The matchup will mark Whitewater’s third-straight contest against a tough non-conference opponent.
