Women’s Soccer
Monday, September 27, 2010
Matt Marheine/cardinal file photo
Keeper Michele Dalton has not allowed a score in her last five matches in goal. On the season, the senior has saved 37 shots while allowing just three goals, good enough for a .925 save percentage.
UW extends shutout streak to six games with tie and victory the daily cardinal
The Badgers’ women’s soccer team opened up Big Ten play on the road this weekend and continued their run of defensive dominance to earn a tie against Purdue Friday night and a 1-0 win over Indiana Sunday. Wisconsin (4-3-3, 1-0-1 Big Ten) ran its streak of shutouts to six games and has not allowed a goal since Sept. 5. The six-game streak is the longest in the program since UW matched it on two separate occasions in 1991. Friday night in West Lafayette, Ind., the Badgers generated scoring chances early and outshot the Boilermakers 12-10, but could not capitalize on the opportunities. Sophomore midfielder Alev Kelter led the Badgers with five shots—three of which were on frame—and had a chance to win the game late, but saw a shot go just high. Senior captain and forward Laurie Nosbusch, who leads the team so far with three goals, also contributed two shots. The play of senior goaltender Michele Dalton and the rest of Wisconsin’s defense saved the day.
Dalton stopped all three shots on goal from the Boilermakers and turned in her fourth consecutive shutout. Dalton turned in another clean sheet on Sunday in Bloomington, Ind., as the Badgers used a goal in extra time to earn a 1-0 victory. “Every enviroment poses a challenge, and to not give up a goal this weekend, gives us confidence.” Paula Wilkins head coach UW Women’s Soccer
This time, it took Dalton five saves to keep the Hoosiers off the board. The Badgers matched Indiana with five shots on frame, but managed to sneak one by Hoosiers goaltender Shannon Flower in the 91st minute. The goal came from sophomore midfielder Monica Lam-Feist and was assisted by junior Lauren Cochlin, who crossed the ball into the box. The goal capped off a productive
night for Lam-Feist, who led the team with three shots on goal. It was her first goal of the season and just the second of her career. Again, Dalton and the defense made sure that a single goal would hold up. The Badgers allowed just four shots—two on goal—in the second half and overtime en route to the shutout. Dalton recorded her fifth consecutive shutout against the Hoosiers and bolstered her already impressive stat line for the season. She has allowed just three goals in eight starts, which translates to a miniscule .35 goals per game and has stopped 92.5 percent (34-37) shots on goal. The wins also continued a trend of success on the road for Wisconsin. The Badgers remained unbeaten away from Madison, improving their road record to 3-0-2. “I think that every environment poses a challenge, and to not give up a goal and get a win this weekend gives us confidence heading into the rest of the season.” head coach Paula Wilkins said. —uwbadgers.com contributed to this report.
Men’s Soccer
Badgers fail to find net on road as team falls to Creighton Blue Jays in overtime defeat By Jack Doyle the Daily Cardinal
The Wisconsin men’s soccer team was shut out for the third straight match and fell to No. 16 Creighton (6-1-0) 1-0 in overtime at Morrison Stadium in Omaha, Neb. on Friday night. Senior goalkeeper Ryan Vint did his best to staive off the Blue Jays’ attack and made a career-high eight saves, but Creighton’s 18 shots proved too much to handle. Overall, Creighton outshot Wisconsin 18 to 5, including a 10-1 advantage in shots on goal. After 90 minutes of scoreless play, the Blue Jays broke through the stingy Wisconsin defense and capitalized on a failed clearance by the Badgers in the 96th minute. Wisconsin looked as though they had safely cleared the ball from a Creighton corner kick, but the Blue
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As baseball season comes to a close, MVP races heat up Ryan evans If only I had a flat top oming down the stretch of this year’s Major League Baseball season, we are watching some great races as teams battle for the opportunity to be the last one standing after October. However, some of the year’s most interesting races may take place in the race for the most valuable player awards in each league. In the National League, it looks to be a three-headed race between St. Louis’ Albert Pujols, Cincinnati’s Joey Votto and Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez. While in the American League, Texas’ Josh Hamilton, Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera and the Yankees’ Robinson Cano are battling it out for the award. Each of these players has had a season to remember, which is sure to make voting difficult for the Baseball Writers of America when it comes time to determine the winner. Seeing as I do not have a vote in these proceedings (yet), the best I can do is offer my opinions on which players I think should win the awards. I’ll start in the NL with Pujols, who has once again put together one of the monster seasons that he makes look routine year after year. Currently, he boasts a .312 average to go along with 41 home runs and 113 runs batted in—numbers that are certainly worthy of MVP consideration. However, the problem with Pujols’ candidacy is not about his numbers— it’s the performance of his team this season. The Cardinals currently sit 6.5 games behind the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Central and 7.5 back in the wild card race. It has always been my opinion that, unless some player has an absolutely amazing season statistically, the MVP shouldn’t go to a player who didn’t get his team to the playoffs. I mean, how valuable can a player really be if he’s playing golf in October when other candidates are trying to deliver their team a title? This same logic applies to Rockies’ outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. “Car-Go” has put up numbers this year that are something you would expect out of a Playstation game: a .342 average, 33 home runs and 114 RBI’s. My opinion on Gonzalez’s candidacy could quickly change if the Rockies complete their recent run to the top
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By Parker Gabriel
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Jays regained possession at the top of the 18-yard box. Creighton played another ball into the box, where Kris Clark flicked it to teammate Ethan Finlay. To the delight of the 2,862 fans in attendance, Finlay’s low-flying shot deflected off a player in the six-yard box and into the goal. With just three minutes to play, junior Austin Spohn posted Wisconsin’s only shot on goal of the match. Creighton goalkeeper Brian Holt secured the ball for his lone save of the night, and recorded his fifth shutout of the season with the 1-0 win. Holt has a 0.71 goals against average through seven matches this season. While Vint and the Wisconsin defense have given up only eight goals in seven games — good for a 1.14 goals-against average — the offense has been slow to take shots and score goals. The Badgers have
been outshot in all seven matches this year and have not scored in over half of them. Only one player, senior midfielder Aaron Nichols, has tallied more than one goal on the year. If Wisconsin is to get a win, their offense must start clicking. The Badgers will look to change their fortune when they face in-state rival Marquette (2-3-2) Tuesday SPOHN in Milwaukee. The Golden Eagles opened their Big East season with a 1-0 victory over Rutgers and hope to avenge a 2-0 loss to Wisconsin in Madison last year —uwbadgers.com contributed to this report.
efficiency from page 8 White’s highlight play of the game was a 66-yard dash to the end zone in the second quarter that extended the score to 21-3. White said he knew he had a defender on him at the end of the run, but was able to burst through with just enough speed to score. “I know coach is counting on me, so I have to hold on to the
volleyball from page 8 However, the Badgers had to go up against senior All-American middle hitter Blair Brown, who led both teams with 14 kills and a remarkable .480 hitting percentage. The closest set in the match was the third, in which the Badgers opened with their first lead of the afternoon, until the Nittany Lions tied up the set at 7-7. The two teams rallied back and forth, but Penn
of the NL wild-card standings. If that happens, then there is no doubt in my mind that he is the NL MVP. But until that happens, my pick is Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto. The Reds seemingly haven’t competed for a playoff spot since Joe Morgan was still actually playing, and not just talking about it in the ESPN booth. I love a good turnaround story, and Votto has turned the Reds around by slugging to the tune of a .323 AVG, 36 HR and 108 RBI this year. Playing gold glove-caliber defense at first base this year, he put the Reds well out in front in the NL Central and gave them legitimate hope in October for the first time in 20 years. In the American League, the race is a bit murkier, with the candidates a little less defined. First off, you have Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, who is one of my favorite players to watch in all of baseball. This season, he has finally put together all of the talent that scouts have been raving about since his arrival in the majors. His stat line is impressive: a .317 AVG, 28 HRs and 104 RBI, and his Yankees are well on their way to yet another postseason appearance. However, I only see one thing working against him: the lineup he plays in. In a lineup riddled with all-stars, voters are going to argue he has never had to carry his team like the other candidates. In Detroit, Miguel Cabrera has done just that. His .329/37/124 line is the only reason the Tigers are even a little bit relevant. But with Detroit finishing 13 games back of the division champion Minnesota Twins, I have to disregard Cabrera as a candidate for the same reason as Pujols— how valuable are you if you can’t get your team to the playoffs? The Texas Rangers are going to play in October, and that’s largely because of the work outfielder Josh Hamilton has done this year. He’s mashed this year to a line of .361/31/97, all while missing most of this month with a rib injury. Hamilton is the most vital player to Texas’s lineup and has carried the Rangers on his back this year, making them a very real threat come playoff time; and that is why he is my pick for the American League MVP this season. Think Craig Counsell actually deserves the MVP? E-mail Ryan at rmevans@wisc.edu. football and just do my job, and more carries may come my way,” White said. In a game that Austin Peay head coach Rick Crishtophel called a “good old fashion butt whooping,” the Badgers showed that they could not only put an offensive and defensive beat-down, but do so with accuracy and efficiency, which definitely should translate into great things as the team enters Big Ten play. State pulled ahead 17-13 behind their offensive strengths of Brown and freshman outside hitter Deja McClendon. The Badgers fought back and pulled within two (2220), but the Nittany Lions finished the set strong with kills from Brown and blocks from McClendon. The Badgers will finish their Big Ten homestand this week with Illinois on Wednesday night and Northwestern on Friday at the Field House.