|
 The University of Wisconsin women's soccer team couldn't have asked for a tougher challenge to open the season.
Which is why despite the short-handed Badgers dropping a 2-0 decision to top-ranked and defending national champion Notre Dame on Friday in South Bend, Ind., UW coach Paula Wilkins saw plenty to build on.
"I saw some real positive things and obviously some things that we need to fix," Wilkins said. "Obviously you never like to see a loss, but Notre Dame is a very good team and Melissa Henderson is definitely one of the best forwards that I've seen in my 20 years of coaching in the college game."
Henderson, a consensus first-team All-American last season, had a hand in both goals for the Fighting Irish.
She got the assist on sophomore Adriana Leon's opener in the 43rd minute, a sequence that included Leon's backheel pass to Henderson. Two UW defenders blocked Henderson's path to goal, but the senior stayed with the ball and knocked it free, and Leon ripped a 15-yard strike past Badgers senior goalkeeper Michele Dalton low inside the left post.
Henderson doubled the lead in the 61st, heading a cross from fellow senior Molly Campbell from the right flank past Dalton for her 53rd career goal.
Despite allowing the goals, Dalton picked up right where she left off last season, turning in an impressive 10-save performance.
"I think that's what we expect from Michele," Wilkins said of Dalton, a second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection last fall. "She had a very good performance tonight. Obviously she gave up two goals, but she faced and stopped some other difficult shots.
"In the second half we limited those, so that was a positive. I think being a leader as a senior, she rose to the occasion, and she's going to be called upon throughout the season to do that. She sets a good tone for the defense, knowing that she's back there and they can be confident."
UW had several chances, including two shots that ended up hitting the crossbar. Senior midfielder Leigh Williams' speculative 30-yard shot almost paid off in the 31st, but glanced off the crossbar. And Irish keeper Maddie Fox, making her first collegiate start, tipped freshman Julia Roddar's looping header up off the crossbar and into her arms in the 80th. Fox also parried a shot by senior forward Laurie Nosbusch (Mequon Homestead) over the bar in the 41st.
"They ... got a couple of looks in the second half that I could have done without, but all in all, it was a good start and and a solid win against a Top 25-caliber team that's going to be a contender in the Big Ten," Notre Dame coach Randy Waldrum said.
The Badgers were without four potential starters: midfielder Kodee Williams, forward Paige Adams and defender Alexandra Heller are coming back from injuries, while second-team All-Big Ten Conference midfielder Alev Kelter was attending the USA Hockey Women's National Festival. Senior midfielder Erin Jacobsen, another second-team all-conference pick last year, also didn't play.
"Getting those players back will give us more depth," Wilkins said. "Notre Dame was so quick and we didn't have composure on the ball. We were much better in the second half. We need more connecting pieces and we need to connect some more passes. We had some quality chances and I was happy with that, but creating some more of those with numbers getting forward will be key."
Roddar was one of three freshmen in the starting XI for the Badgers, joining forward Cara Walls (Wauwatosa East) and defender Lauren Reid. Two more freshmen, midfielder Krissy Many and forward Nikki Greenhalgh, came off the bench and made their collegiate debuts.
|
