Wildcats Lose on Lightning's Late Goal

Monday, in a clash between contenders for the Midwest Classic Conference North crown, the visiting University  School girls soccer team relinquished a goal in the 78th minute and lost 1-0 to the Lake Country Lutheran/University Lake School co-op team.

The Wildcats marked their opponents like they were branding cattle in the first half.  USM's defenders, seniors Ellie Wigdale, Emily Hendrickson, Margot Peterson, Erika Hurth, Maggie Schroeder, and Sally James, junior Caity Prewitt, and sophomores Julia Hanson and Catherine Jacobus covered for each other and stepped up to meet the onrushing Lightning.  Their clearing kicks got the ball forward, and the game had a feeling of ebb and as each team tested the fortitude of the other. In the half, each side took four shots.  USM's freshman goalkeeper Merrill Read and the Lightning's senior stopper Kelly Swofford made two saves apiece.

At halftime USM coach Patrick Flanagan made adjustments to the defense. He and Wigdale, a team captain, also exhorted the Wildcats to take their shots more quickly.

The Wildcats took more shots in the second half, but they worked too hard to get deep into the Lake Country Lutheran zone before taking those shots.  Eventually the Wildcats tired, and the Lightning struck.  On a throw-in, senior Jamie Schnuck heaved the ball into space ahead of sophomore Ellen Tyler.  Tyler raced to the ball, took several speedy steps, then she lined a shot into the USM net to give the Lightning the win.

In the game Swofford made 7 saves, and Read made 7 saves.

Lake Country Lutheran is now 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the conference.  The loss was USM's first of the season.  The Wildcats' record is now 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the conference.  They have another tough test on the horizon.  Wednesday they travel to Brookfield Academy for a conference game at 7:00 p.m.

(Thanks to Linday Teisl for her standout statistic-taking in preparing this report).