Our post season continued this weekend with the first round of NCAA Tournament. We were playing Illinois State who we had lost to 1-3 earlier in the season and we were very excited to avenge our loss. Also it was the first time in our team history that Milwaukee was hosting an NCAA game. When we found out who we were playing we were so excited that we wanted to play them right then and there. The week of practice leading up to the game was extremely intense with all of us extra focused because our main goal this season was to go far in the NCAA Tournament. By the time the game came around we were nervous but confident because we knew that we prepared well.
The game was a Friday night under the lights, aka the best place to be in Milwaukee on a Friday night! The crowd was great as always. The game started off with a furious pace, we put them under high pressure right away and we won a corner. Kiki hit a great corner and Apple went up and beat everyone to the ball and put us up 1-0. It was only three minutes into the game so we knew there was plenty of time left but we were very happy with our start. The rest of the half was back and forth so we went into half time up 1-0.
We knew that the first 10 minutes of the second half were critical because if Illinois State gets an early goal then they are back in the game. As predicted them came out hard in the second half and we had to weather a storm of corner kicks by them but we stayed strong together and were able to not give up a goal. Our defense played amazing, with Forbes coming up big in the second half. Then we got the ball down on the left side and Apple got the ball off a throw in which she took a quick shot that their goalie was able to deflect but Krissy was there to put in the rebound. There was about 15 minutes left in the game and while we were feeling really good about where we were in the game we knew that Illinois State wasn’t going to give up. Then in the 85th minute Morgan laid off a great ball and Kiki smashed home the exclamation point to our win. The game ended 3-0 and it was the first out right win of UWM women’s soccer team history in the NCAA tournament.
It was an AMAZING win with everyone playing great, our bench was awesome and the energy at Engelmann stadium was unmatched. An overall great weekend! We will play Ohio State in the second round but we are not sure where yet. (Editor's Note: Durham, N.C.)
Keep on supporting your Panthers and wish us luck in the second round of the NCAA Tournament!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
