University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Soccer Defeats Wisconsin 2-1
10/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Regina Moench scored and then assisted on the game-winning goal a minute apart in the second half as the Golden Gopher soccer team upset Wisconsin, 2-1, on Friday night in Madison, Wis. With the win, Minnesota improved to 4-8-0 on the season and 1-6-0 in the Big Ten. The Golden Gophers snapped a seven-match losing streak and a 13-match Big Ten road losing streak.
The Golden Gophers applied pressure throughout the first half, but were unable to connect on several crossing attempts. Minnesota's best opportunity in the first 45 minutes came when Moench passed up to a streaking Becky Dellaria. She was able to fire a shot from 15 yards out, but Wisconsin goalkeeper Lynn Murray made a diving save to her right in the 32nd minute.
The Badgers (8-4-1, 2-4-1) broke through with less than four minutes to play in the half. Following a Minnesota foul, Kara Kabellis scored on a free kick from the top of the 18-yard box. Wisconsin outshot Minnesota by an 8-7 margin, including a 5-1 edge in shots on goal.
Moench took over in the second half for the Golden Gophers. She scored on a header on a crossing pass from Dellaria at the 57:41 mark. Moench then led a 2-on-1 break and fed a pass across to Haley Lentsch. She slid a shot past Murray into the Badger goal for the eventual game-winner at 58:42.
Minnesota withstood a fierce Badger attack to hang on for the victory. In a flurry with five minutes to play, Wisconsin had three shots blocked, followed by Kabellis' shot that sailed just outside the right post. Minnesota goalkeeper Molly Schneider made eight saves to earn the victory.
"Our kids really deserved this one tonight," head coach Mikki Denney Wright said. "Wisconsin is one of the top teams in the Big Ten and to get a win like this with the injuries we've had says a lot about our players. With five defenders sidelined by injury, we had a lot of players step up tonight."
Moench, a three-time all-conference selection at Creighton University, transferred to play for the Golden Gophers this past offseason. A former Bloomington Jefferson High School standout, Moench now has 22 goals and 76 points in her collegiate career.
The Golden Gophers return to the field on Sunday afternoon with a non-conference matchup against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (3-6-2). The match will begin at Noon.
