By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The Stoughton High School girls soccer team stole a postseason victory from the Elkhorn Area High School girls soccer team June 4 in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal at Elkhorn.
The Vikings beat the Elks 1-0 and advanced to play Waterford June 6 in a regional final, which. Waterford won 3-0.
The Elks, seeded third in the regional bracket, finished the season with an overall record of 10-6-1 and 5-3-1 in the Southern Lakes Conference.
“We didn’t play very well, but we were the better soccer team, and we should have won,” Elks coach BZ Kayser said. “To be honest with you, I’ve been on the other end, where we steal games like that,”
Kayser also coaches the Elkhorn Area High School boys soccer team.
Kayser said Stoughton (4-14-1), seeded sixth in the regional, scored on what he called a floater from about 40 yards out.
“They kind of got a cheap one on us,” Kayser said. “A floater from about 40 yards out that went over the head of our keeper.”
Stoughton scored in the 65th minute of regulation. The Elks outshot Stoughton 10-2, and also finished with more possession than the Vikings.
“We had a lot of possession,” Kayser said. “We had the ball in our offensive third in the last 10 minutes 80 percent of the time.”
Kayser said the Elks could not get the right combinations of passing and player movement working in their offensive third for the duration of the match.
“We never really put any solid shots on frame,” Kayser said. “We hit the ball wide or over the top.”
The Elks lose two seniors – Natasha Viruetta and Elise Gorecki. Kayser said “99 percent of the team” is returning next season, with the benefit of offseason training in which to hone their craft.
“Hopefully we’ll put a good offseason together, and everyone will buy into that offseason program,” Kayser said. “Hopefully, they buy-in and we improve.”
Kayser took over as coach of the girls’ team less than three weeks before the start of the regular season.
“We had a lot of nice things that happened to us this year,” Kayser said. “I told the girls we built the foundation this year.”
