On what should have been a day focused on the contributions of two dedicated warriors, the feeling that filled the McClimon Soccer Complex was one of disappointment.
The Wisconsin men's soccer team was shut-out by the talented squad from Michigan State, 1-0, on what was the final home game for seniors Watson Vaughan Pather and Erol Goknur.
\We have to play better,"" Head Coach Jeff Rohrman said.
The lone goal came in the 70th minute of the match, when the Spartan's junior midfielder John Minagawa-Webster snuck a pass to Jeffery Klass, who in turn snuck the ball by Badger junior goalie Eric Hanson.
A disheartened Hanson could not even explain the game-winning score.??
""I don't know,"" Hanson said.?? ""The ball wound up in the net. I don't know how.""
According to Rohrman, the Badgers simply did not play as well as they are capable of playing.
""Our movement wasn't as sharp,"" he said.??""We weren't recognizing things we could have.""
The Badgers had yet to make a second half substitution when the Spartans' goal was scored, and the ball had been on the Badgers half of the field for much of that period.?? Still, Rohrman insists that low energy had nothing to do with the play of the Badger defense.??
""Being fatigued should never have been an excuse,"" he said.?? ""I don't think that was the case.""
There were a couple of missed opportunities for the Badgers. The 30th minute looked positive for the Badgers, when Spartan senior midfielder Nick DeGraw picked up a yellow card, but Goknur's kick that followed sailed over the goal.?? In the 43rd minute, freshman midfielder Aaron Witchger crossed the ball to junior forward Jed Hohlbein, but Hohlbein could not push the ball past the ruthless Spartan defense.?? In the 54th minute, there were a series of headers in front of the Spartan goal, but Witchger, again involved in the action, could not poke it over Spartan senior goalie Mike Robinson's head.
Hanson played terrifically throughout the match, especially during the beginning of the first half, when the ball seemed to constantly be in Wisconsin territory.??He finished with five saves, but the Spartan defense, led by Robinson, was that much better.?? The shutout was the Spartan's fifth of the season, including their last win, a 1-0 victory against Western Michigan.
The loss brings the Badgers to an even 9-9-0, and 1-3-0 in the Big Ten, while the Spartans climb to 10-2-2 and, 3-1-2 in the conference.??
For the two graduating players, this year's Senior Day was a bittersweet ending to their collegiate soccer careers.
""Emotions were high. I mean, I enjoyed the last four years here,"" said Goknur, who was one of three Badgers who had two shots on the day. ""It was disappointing we didn't come out with a win, though.""
Goknur was surprised at the lack of intensity his team showed.
""We just didn't seem to click today and I'm surprised because it's a Big 10 game,"" said Goknur.
Pather shared very similar feelings to Goknur, and fully expressed his pleasure with his team, as a whole.
""You should approach every game the same, Senior Day or not.?? I was proud of the team,"" Pather said.??""We just didn't create anything.""
Before the game, the team honored Goknur and Pather with a short ceremony.??
Goknur, a Madison native, tallied two goals and racked up 11 assists, while Pather, a Maryland native, notched four goals and dished out three assists.
The Badgers will head to Evanston, Ill. this Sunday to face Northwestern and then, a week later, will close the season at Verona, Wisc. against Valparaiso University. ??
