By Adam Knoll
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
The Lady Whippet soccer team continued on its path for big things this season in recent key games against Big Foot and East Troy. Both games proved challenging but nothing Whitewater couldn’t handle.
In hosting Big Foot, the Whippets expected a run for their money but were able to put that concern to bed early with an early scoring strike. In the fourth minute, Milena Maroske drove the ball past the colossal paw of the opponent’s goalkeeper to record the first score of the game.
Not backing down, Whitewater continued to sneak the ball past the defense and scored again in the 19th minute when Alyson Quass, avoiding the vast number of hooves on her heals, delivered a prime pass to Autumn Bultman, who put the ball in the net.
The remainder of the first half was under the control of the Whippets who kept the Chiefs at bay and refused to allow any chances at scoring.
Coming out of the half, some might have expected Big Foot to find its feet so to speak, but Whitewater continued to dominate. The second verse was much like the first as the Whippets scored six minutes in, this time on a penalty kick from Megan Reynolds.
With the game at 3-0, the Whippets could easily have relied on their back line but in the very next minute, Big Foot came roaring back with a goal off of a corner kick. The ball got lost among the mosh pit in front of the goal and ended up sneaking past the Whitewater goalkeeper.
The score by the Chiefs did little to rattle Whitewater. The team regained control of the tempo, and the ball, and proceeded to grind the game away, until the 62nd minute when Bultman returned the favor from the first half and sent a nice pass to Quass who was able to take it home and give Whitewater a 4-1 lead.
With the game in hand, coach Rene Menager pulled the starters in the 83rd minute and put some fresh legs on the field. Big Foot managed to score again but the final ended at 4-2 in Whitewater’s favor.
“(I’m) very happy with how the girls handled themselves against a very physical, high pressure team like Big Foot. The defensive and midfield play was dominant and the transition game was really in sync,” Menager said.
Allison Sedmark was credited with five saves in the game, single-handedly keeping the game in the Whippets favor.
Rematch with East Troy
The Lady Whippets traveled to East Troy May 14 for an important late-season matchup.
Somewhat out of their normal vibe, the Whippets were sluggish out of the gate while East Troy came out quite aggressive.
Though most of the game was held to battles in the midfield, the Lady Trojans were able to find pay dirt in the 16th minute to put the Whippets on notice.
The back-and-forth play continued, understandably with both teams playing solid this season and neither backing down in the least in the recent matchup.
In the 45th minute, East Troy was whistled for a foul leading to a Whippet direct kick that Rebekah Schumacher capitalized on by sending the 25-yard strike topside to tie the game at 1-1.
In the second half, Whitewater returned to playing its usual style, gaining more substantial possessions and moving East Troy backwards. That effort finally paid off though it took some time to develop.
In the 81st minute, Holly Hough was able to play a ball to Schumacher, who scored her second goal of the game.
Just seven minutes later Bultman brought some insurance, sinking the dagger for a 3-1 final.
“This was an essential win to keep conference championship hopes alive,” Menager said after the game. “The girls were not playing up to their ability in the first half but showed their real talent in the second.”
Sedmark again came through big time in defense with four saves in the net, helping Whitewater improve its record to 11-2-2.
