MADISON, Wis. - DePaul falls, 3-2, in double-overtime on Saturday night. Blue Demons open regular season on Friday at Nebraska.
MADISON, Wis. – In their one exhibition match of the season, the DePaul women’s soccer team lost, 3-2, in double overtime on Saturday night against Wisconsin. The Blue Demons took a 2-0 lead in the first half, but couldn’t hang on as the Badgers knotted the game at 2-2 in the 62nd minute.
DePaul took an advantage of a Wisconsin misfortune less than two minutes after kickoff as a ball intended to be played back to the keeper found the back of the net. The own goal gave the Blue Demons the early advantage at 1:29.
Just over six minutes later, senior Shana Mills lofted a shot into the upper right corner of the goal to put the Blue Demons up 2-0 just under eight minutes into the match. Lauren Spacht earned the assist after setting up Mills for the goal.
The score remained 2-0 until the Badgers scored their first goal early in the second half. Marisa Brown connected on a header at 53:40 to put Wisconsin on the board. The home team struck again in the 62nd to tie the match as Jenny Kundert drilled a shot from 15 yards out. In the second half, the Badgers outshot the Blue Demons, 10-3.
The two teams remained tied over the final 28 minutes of regulation and the first overtime period. Finally, at 105:23, Wisconsin’s Emily Kintzer knocked a 10-yarder past DePaul keeper Lindsey Deason for the game-winner.
“Wisconsin a very good team and we showed tonight we could play with them,” said head coach John Wilson. “We felt unlucky not to win the game ourselves. This is a team that made the second round of the NCAA’s last year and lost in the Big Ten Championship. We’re still trying to figure out lineups and who works best together. It sets a good precedent for the upcoming season that we can compete with anyone in our region.”
DePaul goes on the road for two matches to open the 2003 regular season. The Blue Demons take on Nebraska on Friday in Lincoln before traveling to UW-Green Bay for a Sunday afternoon match.
The home opener at Wish Field is part of a doubleheader with the men’s team. The men’s team plays Drake at 1 p.m. on Sept. 5 followed by the women’s team at 4 p.m. against Toledo.
