SOC Falls to Wisconsin, 2-0

Sunday, August 21

Waco, TX

5 PM

Baylor

0-1-1, 0-0-0

Wisconsin

1-0-1, 0-0-0

Wisconsin

Baylor

SOC Falls to Wisconsin, 2-0

8/21/2022 8:42:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score Box Score

Bears record 10 shots on goal

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Making the most of fewer chances, Wisconsin scored twice in a span of 35 seconds in the second half to hand Baylor soccer a 2-0 loss Sunday night at Betty Lou Mays Field.
            A defensive lapse led to the Badgers' first goal, when Adee Boar took a cross from Izzy Verdugo and kicked it into the left side of the net as goalkeeper Madison Martin wasn't able to get back in time.
            "We were making some poor decisions in some critical moments and turning the ball over in the middle of the field, and they get a goal," Baylor head coach Michelle Lenard said. "I think in that moment, we responded with a little bit of immaturity. We needed to respond with a little bit more confidence, a little bit more urgency, to try to get a goal immediately."
            Instead, the Badgers (1-0-1) struck again, scoring 35 seconds later when Emma Jaskaniec scored on a penalty kick after Martin was called for a foul on a tackle of Wisconsin midfielder Aryssa Mahrt inside the box.
            "They finished when they got their opportunities," Lenard said. "They capitalized, so credit to them. But, we made errors leading up to those opportunities. That's soccer, that's sports in general. The momentum swings back and forth constantly. If one team is able to gain the lead in that moment, the next five minutes are really critical. If we get one, now it's 1-1, but you go down 2-0 and now you've got a steep hill to climb."
            Baylor (0-1-1) had its chances in the first half, putting five of its six shots on goal. But Wisconsin goalkeeper Erin McKinney, who recorded her second-straight shutout, saved back-to-back point-blank shots in front of the goal by Dallas Baptist transfer Ashley Merrill.
            The Bears, already down a pair of potential starters with Taylor Moon and Mackenzie Anthony both out with injuries, suffered another blow late in the first half when fifth-year senior defender Kayley Ables got sick and had to sit out the rest of the game
            "It was just really terrible timing," Lenard said. "That, obviously, hurt us. We wanted to get (sophomore Kate Zimmerman) some minutes regardless of that, but would've preferred not to take Kayley out, especially for the entirety of the second and even part of the first half. She should be fine in a couple of days, just bad timing."
            After starting junior Lauren Traywick in Thursday's 1-1 draw with Minnesota, Lenard went with Texas Tech transfer Martin in goal. She had four second-half saves to keep the Bears in the game.
            "It's part of seeing what we've got," Lenard said. "I don't prefer to change goalkeepers at half as much, so now we're looking for opportunities to give them each a game and see. She's a little bit more comfortable with her feet, though we've challenged LT. . . . I think if we get LT back in goal, we'll see improvements in that area from her."
            Baylor's best second-half chance came with about three minutes left, when Olivia Mack, Haven Terry and Maddie Algya peppered three-straight shots that McKinney saved.
            "Credit to their goalkeeper," Lenard said. "She made two-consecutive saves in the first half and two, maybe three-consecutive saves down on this end to keep the lead there. Those are game-changing moments. We did not make those sorts of game-changing plays and they did."
            Next up for the Bears is a trip down I-35 to face Florida (1-1-0) and 10^th-ranked North Carolina (2-0-0) in neutral-site games on Thursday and Sunday, respectively, at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas – Baylor soccer fell to Wisconsin, 2-0, Sunday night at Betty Lou Mays Field after holding the Badgers scoreless through the first half.

In a battle from the beginning, neither team gave up a goal in the first half as the defenses were on high alert. Baylor put up four shots on goal in the first half, including a back-to-back chance from Ashley Merrill where the Wisconsin goalkeeper had to make two saves.

With Madison Martin starting in goal for the Bears, she came up big in the second half, recording four saves to stop the Badgers from any more goals.

Wisconsin scored both of its goals in a span of just 35 seconds, the second one coming on a penalty kick.

Baylor had its best chance of the second half in the 87^th minute, as Olivia Mack, Haven Terry and Maddie Algya all put shots on goal, resulting in three-consecutive saves by the Badgers.

Although Baylor wasn't able to capitalize, the Bears finished with a 14-12 edge in shots, including 10 on goal.

HIGHLIGHTS

Olivia Mack recorded three shots on goal
Maddie Algya and Ashley Merrill each had two shots on goal
Haven Terry, Skye Leach, and Gabby Mueller each added one shot on goal
Madison Martin and Hallie Augustyn played all 90 minutes of the game
Haven Terry made her third-career start
Three Baylor newcomers got their first start in green and gold: Trinity Egerton, Kylie Finney and Madison Martin

TOP QUOTES
Michelle Lenard on the game …
"Obviously not the result we were hoping for, but we knew going into the season that we're a team who's searching for our identity. How are we going to play and what type of team are we going to be? We've had a lot of changes and a lot of injuries, so we expected some growing pains and today was an example of some growing pains. Really, we had some good moments in that game. In the first half, we had some chances that could have turned into a goal. Also, credit to their goalkeeper, she made two consecutive saves in the first half and then two, maybe three consecutive saves in the second half to keep the lead there. What I told the team is we're in a learning curve right now. We're trying players in different things. We've played different goalkeepers two games in a row. We've really got to see what we've got going into the next couple weeks, so that we'll be ready for Big 12 play. Obviously not thrilled with a loss, but I think the amount that we can take away and learn today is really important."

- BaylorBears.com -