UW's Lavelle, McNicoll ousted from Under-20 Women's World Cup

The University of Wisconsin women's team will get two of its top players back a little earlier than they had hoped.

Midfielders Rose Lavelle and Kinley McNicoll saw their teams' runs at the FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup come to an end in quarterfinal matches Saturday in Canada.

Lavelle played all 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of extra time in a 1-1 draw against North Korea in Toronto. Goalkeeper Kim Chol Ok saved the Americans' first three shots from the spot -- the last one by Lavelle – as North Korea advanced 3-1 on penalty kicks and earned a semifinal matchup against Nigeria on Wednesday.

McNicoll, meanwhile, logged the full 90 minutes as the host Canadians fell to Germany 2-0 in Edmonton – the Germans, who lost to the U.S. in the tournament's 2012 final, will take on France in the other semifinal Wednesday.

Both Lavelle and McNicoll played every minute at the tournament. Here's McNicoll, who wore the captain's armband for Canada, discussing her team's performance.

It's not clear when Lavelle and McNicoll will join the Badgers, who open the regular season at home this weekend against Oregon on Friday night and Tennessee on Sunday afternoon at the McClimon Complex.