he University of Wisconsin-Platteville men’s soccer team dropped a 3-2 decision to No. 19 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Oct. 6, allowing the game-winning goal with just one second remaining in the match.
Corner kicks and free kicks were a key in this matchup and were a focal point for the Pioneers’ preparations for this game, head coach Enzo Fuschino said.
“I felt confident going into the game because we had a good week at practice,” Fuschino said.
UW-Platteville scored two first-half goals to jump up to a lead over the nationally-ranked Warhawks.
The first goal, scored by senior midfielder Michael Prudisch, came after the Warhawk goalkeeper misplayed a free kick and Prudisch bounced it in.
“To be honest, I didn’t realize I got credit for the goal until after the game. I was just happy we managed to get the first goal because it was a big momentum boost for us, which eventually led to our second goal,” Prudisch said.
That second goal was scored when sophomore forward William Pretto played a ball past the goalie off a throw-in by sophomore defender Jordan Williams.
UW-Whitewater got a goal late in the first-half when the Pioneers could not clear a Warhawk free kick and UW-Whitewater’s Eduardo Gutierrez knocked the ball past Pioneer senior goalkeeper Ian Christensen.
“During halftime, coach reminded us that we still had the lead and we should have our heads up. All of the pressure was still on them to get an equalizer, so we just had to keep playing our game,” Prudisch said.
UW-Whitewater found that equalizer with just less than four minutes remaining in a defense-dominate second-half, when the Warhawk’s Bob Shone scored from 20-yards out.
With ten seconds left on the clock, UW-Whitewater took a corner kick and Sam Novak put a header past Christensen, leaving just one second remaining and sealing the Warhawk win.
The Pioneers play their next three games on the road, starting Wednesday at Milwaukee School of Engineering and then Sunday at Grinnell, followed by Wheaton (Ill.) on Oct. 16.
