Baron, Lansverk, Stang, George
Named to All-WIAC Teams

Nov. 11, 2009

Janae Baron (Fr., Hermantown, Minn.), Eryn Lansverk (So., White Bear Lake, Minn.), Cassie Stang (Fr., Stillwater, Minn.) and Kristen George (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.) have all been named to 2009 All-WIAC soccer teams.

Baron, Lansverk and Stang were all named to the first team while George was named to the All-Sportsmanship team.

Lansverk, a midfielder, led the Falcons in scoring with 11 goals and 26 points. She was second in shots (58) and second in shots on goal (35). She also led the team with four game-winning goals. In her career she has scored 18 goals, seven assists and 43 points. She was named the team's Player of the Week four times this year and the WIAC Player of the week once.

"Eryn has had another great season for the Falcons. Eryn's four game-winning goals led the team and was also a leader for the WIAC. Her work ethic and unselfish play have helped lead our team this year," said Falcon Coach Sean McKuras.

Baron, a forward, finished second in scoring with 10 goals and 25 points. She led the Falcons in shots (66) and shots on goal (39)., She scored three game-winning goals. She was named the team's Player of the Week twice this year.

"Janae is off to a great start as a Falcon," said McKuras. "She has been a threat on offense because she has such good pace and a great work rate. I am excited to have Janae as a part of our team."

Stang, a defender, finished fourth in scoring for the Falcons with three goals and nine points. She was third on the team with 50 shots and 24 shots on goal. She was named the team's and WIAC's Player of the Week once this year.

"Cassie has been a great addition to our defense. Cassie takes all of our restart plays and gives us great consistency in everything that she does. Cassie is always composed and will continue to organize our team," said McKuras.

George, a defender, was named to the All-Sportsmanship team. She played in 11 games this year and had one goal and three points. The All-Sportsmanship team is made up of players that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school as selected by that school.

"Kristen has been a four-year player and senior captain for the Falcons. Kristen brings intensity and a strong work ethic to every training session and game. She puts team needs and sportsmanship ideals above all else," said McKuras.

The Falcons advanced to the WIAC semifinals and finished 9-10-2 overall.

2009 Schedule

2009 Falcon Statistics

WIAC Soccer Page

Falcons Lose WIAC Semifinal Playoff Match at UWEC

Nov. 5, 2009

The Falcon soccer team lost 4-0 at UW-Eau Claire in a WIAC semifinal match on Thursday afternoon to close the season.

The Blugolds struck quickly to open the match. Katie Richter scored on the first shot of the game at 2:10 to stake EC the early advantage. Shyla Gilbertson assisted on the play.

Before the Falcons could record a shot in the game, the Blugolds added to their lead. Alli Kishaba scored an unassisted goal at 13:02 to extend the EC lead.

The ball would not bounce in the Falcons favor as the third Blugold goal came at 29:10 on an own goal. The ball was kicked by EC's Richelle Shannon and headed into the Falcon goal by a Falcon defender.

After attempting only two shots in the first half, the Falcons came out firing in the second half. RF rattled off three shots on goal and two corner kicks in the opening 10 minutes of the half.

The Blugolds added a fourth goal at 57:26 to round out the scoring in the game when Gilbertson scored, assisted by Kishaba.

Rachel Thompson played the first 22 minutes in goal for the Falcons and made two saves. Megan Rasmussen played the final 68 minutes and made four saves. Janae Baron led the Falcon offense with three shots, two on goal.

EC led the game in shots 20-6 and corner kicks 8-4. RF was called for eight fouls and EC committed seven.

The Falcons finish the season with a 9-10-2 record overall and a 5-3 record and a third place finish in the WIAC.

Match Box
2009 Schedule
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Falcons Win OT Shootout, Advance to WIAC Tournament Semifinals

Nov. 3, 2009
The Falcons topped UW-Stout in a shootout in the opening round of the WIAC Tournament Tuesday afternoon at Ramer Field. The game ended in a 1-1 tie after two overtime periods to force the shootout. RF won the shootout 4-3 to advance to the semifinals of the WIAC Tournament on Thursday at 2 p.m. at UW-Eau Claire.

Senior Kayla Scott put the Falcons in the lead at 14:27 in the first half with an unassisted goal, her third of the season. Scott got a clean look and sent a left footed stinger into the back of the net after the ball ricocheted around in front of the goal. (click here for video)

The Falcons had another good opportunity at 36:30 in the first half. Carlin Bunting sent a ball into the box from the left side. Eryn Lansverk attempted a header shot off the pass, but the shot was high and wide of the net. (click here for video)

The Blue Devils tied the game minutes later when Cassie Palokangas scored her first goal of the season at 39:48. Palokangas beat her defender on the left side of the field and lifted the ball past Falcon keeper Rachel Thompson to tie the game 1-1.

The RF defense kept the Blue Devil attack off balance for the majority of the first half and maintained possession for the bulk of the period. UWS responded in the second half of a very physical game to take a 7-1 second half shot advantage, but neither team could finish their scoring opportunities.

Falcon senior Jessi Larson thwarted the best Blue Devil scoring opportunity in the second half. At 48:10 Falcon keeper Thompson ran forward to meet the play. Blue Devil Palokangas challenged Thompson and managed to flip the ball toward the net. Larson saved the goal, however, when she slid in behind the play at the last moment to clear the ball before it trickled into the net.

Both teams had a shot off the post at the tail end of regulation. Lansverk hit the top post on a bending shot from twenty yards out on the right side at 70:30 while Blue Devil Krista Van Aartsen hit the top post on a straight away shot at 85:33.

RF picked up the offensive pressure in the two overtime periods. The Falcons got off two shots in the first overtime and four shots in the second overtime. The best scoring opportunity came at 104:37 when Megan Church gathered the ball in the box and sent a shot to the right side of the goal. But Blue Devil keeper Kaitlin Arjes moved to her left and pushed the ball off the post to maintain the tie score and force the shootout.

Arjes opened the shootout for the Blue Devils with a low shot to the right side for a goal. Cassie Stang followed for the Falcons with a goal high and to the right to even the score 1-1. Jessica Price sent the next Blue Devil shot wide left to open the door for the Falcons. Lansverk ripped a shot high and right past a diving Arjes for a 2-1 shootout lead. Blue Devil Grace Salwasser evened the score with a shot to the right side past Thompson. Megan Church responded by beating Arjes low and to the right to lift RF to a 3-2 shootout lead. Falcon keeper Thompson came up with a huge save on the next UWS attempt by Andrea Greer to give the Falcons the advantage. Baron took the next RF shot and sent it wide left to leave the door open for UWS. Blue Devil Katie Ness took advantage and scored low and left to tie the shootout score 3-3 and force a final attempt by the Falcons. Freshman Carlin Bunting stepped forward and calmly nailed her shot low and left past a diving Arjes to give the Falcons a 4-3 shootout win and advance to the WIAC semifinal game Thursday at UW-Eau Claire. (click here for video)

“We really fought for 110 minutes as a team today,” said head coach Sean McKuras. “Everyone came together and really battled as a team.”

Thompson finished the game with four saves for the Falcons while Arjes made six saves for the Blue Devils.

The Falcons finished the game with a 15-14 shot advantage, including a 6-1 advantage in the two overtime periods. The Blue Devils led the game in corner kicks 6-2. UWS picked up two yellow cards in the second half and committed 13 fouls in the game while RF was whistled for 11 fouls.

UWS beat RF, 2-1, in OT earlier in the season on Sept. 30 in RF. In 1996 UWS won a WIAC playoff game over RF in a shootout (4-3) after a 1-1 score in regulation.

The Falcons, (9-9-2), finished the regular season alone in third place in the WIAC standings to earn the tourney's No. 3 seed.

In the other first round game, No. 4 seeded Oshkosh will host No. 5 seeded Whitewater on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.

The WIAC semifinals will be on Thursday, Nov. 5. Stevens Point will host the winner of the Oshkosh/Whitewater match and Eau Claire will host the Falcons. The games start at 2 p.m.

The championship game will be played on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the site of the highest remaining seeded team. Starting time is 1 p.m. The tournament winner receives the WIAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Div. III Championships.

Match Box
2009 Schedule
2009 Falcon Roster

Falcons Lose Regular Season Finale

Oct. 25, 2009

St. Norbert College topped the Falcon soccer team 3-1 on Senior Day at Ramer Field.

Eryn Lansverk had a pair of shots on goal in the first half while Megan Rasmussen had a shot bounce off the post to keep the pressure on the Green Knights. (click here for video)

SN got on the board first when Jessica Schadrie scored for the Green Knights at 37:47 in the first half. Ann Maki was credited with the assist.

The Falcons finished the first half with a 9-7 shot advantage, but trailed by a goal at the intermission.

The Falcons picked up the offensive pressure in the second half.

Carlin Bunting sent a through ball ahead for Janae Baron and she sent it home to tie the score at 69:42 in the second half. The goal was Baron’s tenth of the season. Bunting picked up the assist on the play, her second of the season.

The Green Knights responded just over a minute later, however, when Maki scored on a scramble in front of the net to regain the lead.

With the Falcons down a goal, keeper Rachel Thompson came up big to keep RF in the game. SN was allowed a penalty kick at 75:15, but Thomson lunged to her right to make the save.

The Falcons had a number of chances in the second half, including some great corner kick chances from Cassie Stang, but could not put home the score.

Maki scored the final goal of the game for SN at 83:11 from 25 feet out to close out the scoring.

The Falcons ended the game with a 25-15 shot advantage and an 8-2 corner kick advantatge. The Green Knight goalkeeper Molly Schroeder made nine saves for the win, while Falcon keeper Thompson finished the match with four saves.

The Falcons, (9-9-1, 5-3 WIAC), finish the season alone in third place in the WIAC standings and open the WIAC Playoffs on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m., at Ramer Field. The Falcons are the tourney’s No. 3 seed and will face UW-Stout, the No. 6 seed, in the first round.

In the other first round game, No. 4 seeded Oshkosh will host No. 5 seeded Whitewater on Nov. 3 at 2 p.m.

The WIAC semifinals will be on Thursday, Nov. 5. Stevens Point will host the lowest remaining seeded team and Eau Claire will host the highest remaining seeded team. The games will start at 2 p.m.

The championship game will be played on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the site of the highest remaining seeded team. Starting time is 1 p.m. The tournament winner receives the WIAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Div. III Championships.

Match Box
2009 Schedule
2009 Falcon Roster

Falcons Will Host Stout in WIAC Playoff Game on Nov. 3

Oct. 25, 2009

The Falcon soccer team has earned a home game in the first round of the WIAC Tournament and will play Stout on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m., at Ramer Field.

The Falcons finished 5-3 in WIAC play after winning a 1-0 overtime game at UW-Platteville on Saturday night.

The Falcons are the tourney’s No. 3 seed and Stout is the No. 6 seed.

One of the team’s three WIAC losses this year is to the Blue Devils. UWS took a 2-1 overtime win over UWRF at Ramer Field on Sept. 30. The other WIAC losses were to the No. 1 seed, Stevens Point (1-0) on Sept. 12 at Ramer Field, and No. 2 seed Eau Claire (5-2) on Sept. 19 in Eau Claire.

In the other first round game, No. 4 seeded Oshkosh will host No. 5 seeded Whitewater on Nov. 3 at 2 p.m.

The WIAC semifinals will be on Thursday, Nov. 5. Stevens Point will host the lowest remaining seeded team and Eau Claire will host the highest remaining seeded team. The games will start at 2 p.m.

The championship game will be played on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the site of the highest remaining seeded team. Starting time is 1 p.m. The tournament winner receives the WIAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Div. III Championships.
2009 Schedule
2009 Falcon Roster

Lansverk's Overtime Goal Helps Falcons to Win at UWP

Oct. 23, 2009

Eryn Lansverk scored in the second overtime to help lift the Falcons to a 1-0 win at UW-Platteville on Saturday night.

With the win the Falcons finished third in the WIAC standings and will host a first round conference playoff game on Nov. 3. The opponent and game time are both to be determined.

Lansverk scored at 101:37 off a centering pass from Janae Baron. It was Lansverk's 11th goal and her fourth game-winning goal of the season. The assist was Baron's fifth of the year.

The Falcons finished with a 13-8 advantage in shots in the game, including a 3-0 advantage in overtime. UWRF also led in corners, 5-0.

Goalie Rachel Thompson recorded her fifth shutout of the year and made three saves to get the win. She is now 8-8-1 this year. UWP goalie, Kaitlyn Wiedeman, also made three saves.

The Falcons (9-8-1, 5-3 WIAC) will host St. Norbert on Sunday at 2 p.m., at Ramer Field in the Senior Day game.

Match Box
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2009 Falcon Roster

Falcons Lose, 2-0, at Augsburg

Oct. 21, 2009

The Falcon soccer team fell, 2-0, on Wednesday night in a non-conference matchup at Augsburg College.

RF did not record a shot in the match until after the 15-minute mark in the first half as the Auggies pressured the Falcon defense.

Just before the end of the first half, at 41:59, Auggie Emily Sell scored her first goal of the season to open the scoring when she scored off of a shot blocked by the Falcon defense.

AC took the 1-0 lead into halftime after the Auggie keeper saved a header shot by Falcon Megan Rasmussen at 42:48.

The Falcons only managed five shots in the first half while AC tallied eight.

AC turned up the pressure in the second half with 15 shots. The final goal of the game came at 88:42 when Becca Erickson scored her first goal of the season in front off of a 30-yard free kick to make the score 2-0.

The Falcons were outshot 23-10 in the match. AC also led in corner kicks, 7-2.

Janae Baron and Cassie Stang each recorded three shots for the Falcons in the loss.

Goalkeeper Rachel Thompson made six saves and played the entire 90 minutes.

The Falcons (8-8-1, 4-3 WIAC) close out the conference schedule on Saturday with a road match at UW-Platteville (7-8-2, 2-4-1 WIAC) at 6 p.m. The final home match of the regular season is Sunday at 2 p.m., when they host St. Norbert on Senior Day at Ramer Field.

Match Box
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Oct. 20, 2009

Defender Britta Elkin (Fr., Davenport, Iowa Central HS) was one of the team's top defensive players in UWRF's two shutout wins last week and has been named the WIAC Defensive Player of the Week according to league Sports Information Director Matt Stanek.

Elkin, 5-8, helped the Falcons to a 2-0 win at Northwestern and a 3-0 WIAC win over Oshkosh on Saturday at Ramer Field. The Falcons allowed just one shot on goal in the Northwestern game and three in the Oshkosh contest. UWO was riding a five-game winning streak entering Saturday's game.

Elkin has registered three assists this year. She has had four shots and two shots on goal for the Falcons.

The Falcons have a busy week with three games. On Wednesday they play a non-conference game at Augsburg at 5 p.m. On Saturday they play their final WIAC game of the season at UW-Platteville. That game starts at 6 p.m. Then on Sunday the Falcons end their regular season hosting St. Norbert at 2 p.m., at Ramer Field.

Falcons Shut Out Oshkosh

Oct. 17, 2009

The Falcon soccer team notched a second consecutive shutout on Saturday afternoon at Ramer Field when they topped UW-Oshkosh 3-0.

Janae Baron scored her ninth goal of the season in the first half to give the Falcons the early lead at 8:29. Baron took a beautiful pass up the center of the field, beat the Titan defenders to the ball, and slipped a shot past the keeper for the goal.

Megan Church kept the pressure on UWO at the 17-minute mark when she made a strong run down the left side of the field. Church beat her defender and sent a centering pass in the direction of Baron in front of the net that was cleared nicely by the Titan defense. (see video at Soccer.video.php)

The Falcons added to their lead at 27:55 with beautiful teamwork. Baron started the play by beating two Titan defenders in the right corner and sending the ball into the box. Carlin Bunting headed the pass to the left side of the goal where Megan Church settled the ball and went high at a difficult angle to complete the play. The goal was Church’s third of the season. Baron and Bunting each were credited with an assist on the play. (see video at Soccer.video.php)

Keeper Rachel Thompson made a diving save at 37:00 in the first half to maintain the RF lead. A corner kick floated into the box where a Titan player redirected the ball toward the net. Thompson made the save by diving to her right and scooping up the shot.

RF only led the Titans 6-5 in shots for the first half, but held a commanding 2-0 lead on the scoreboard.

Eryn Lansverk added a goal for the Falcons at 74:07 in the second half to finish the scoring. Lansverk and the Titan keeper both raced out for a ball sent forward by Falcon defender Jessi Larson. Lansverk beat the keeper to the ball, flipped it forward, and calmly sank the ball into the net for her team-leading tenth goal of the season. Larson earned her second assist of the season on the play.

The second half was dominated by the Falcons defense. UWO only managed one shot in the period as the Falcons secured the WIAC victory.

"We beat a really good team today," said head coach Sean McKuras. "We had a great week of practice this week and the girls have taken ownership of the season. It's fun to watch."

The Falcons finished the game with a 16-6 advantage in shots. UWO led the match in corner kicks, 5-4. RF was called for seven fouls and UWO was whistled six times.

Baron recorded her fourth three-point game of the year and her third game-winning goal of the season in the win.

Rachel Thompson made three saves and played the entire game in goal for the Falcons to record the shutout.

The Falcons, now 8-7-1 overall and 4-3 in the WIAC, will travel to Augsburg on Wednesday for a non-conference matchup. Game starts at 5 p.m.

Match Box
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2009 Falcon Roster

Two First Half Goals Lead Falcons to 2-0 Win at Northwestern

Oct. 14, 2009

The Falcon soccer team scored two first half goals and went on to a 2-0 win at Northwestern College on Wednesday afternoon.

Janae Baron was involved in both Falcon goals. She scored her eighth goal of the season to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead at 28:26. Eryn Lansverk picked up the assist - it was her fourth of the season. Carlin Bunting gave the Falcons a cushion with a goal at 38:12. It was her fifth goal of the year. Baron picked up the assist; it was her third of the season.

The Falcons dominated the first half and held an 8-2 advantage in shots. They finished with a 14-4 lead in shots for the game. UWRF had a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks. The Falcons were called for nine fouls and the Eagles six.

The goal was Baron's second game winner of the season. It was her third three-point game of the year. She also scored three points in a 7-1 win at UW-Superior on Sept. 16. The goal was Baron's first since a 3-1 win at UW-La Crosse on Sept. 26.

For the first time this year, someone other than Rachel Thompson started in goal. Megan Rasmussen got the call and made one save in the game to get the win. Thompson played the second half but the Falcon defense kept the ball away from the goal and she did not have to make a save. The shutout was the team's fourth of the year.

The Falcons snapped a three-game losing streak with Wednesday's win. UWRF had lost three straight one-goal games.

The Falcons, now 7-7-1 overall and 3-3 in the WIAC, will host UW-Oshkosh in a conference game on Saturday at Ramer Field. Action starts at 2 p.m.

Match Box
2009 Schedule
2009 Falcon Roster

Falcons Shutout For Just Second Time; Lose at St. Mary's, 1-0

Oct. 11, 2009

The Falcon soccer team was shutout for just the second time this season in a 1-0 loss at St. Mary's on Sunday afternoon.

After a scoreless first half, SMU scored what proved to be the only goal of the game at 60:42 when Stephanie Marnocha netter her first goal of the season. Caitlyn Cole was credited with the assist.

The Cardinals held a 12-6 advantage in shots. Erin Genin, Jessi Larson, Megan Church, Carlin Bunting, Eryn Lansverk and Megan Rasmussen each had one shot each for the Falcons. UWRF finished with five shots on goal while the Cardinals had nine.  

SMU held a 7-2 advantage in shots in the scoreless first half. The Falcons finished with a 6-5 lead in corner kicks, including a 5-1 advantage in the second half. The Cardinals committed seven fouls and the Falcons six.  

Rachel Thompson started in goal for the Falcons and allowed the one goal. She made seven saves. She was replaced, after playing 66:37, by Rasmussen who finished the game and made one save. Thompson had played every minute in goal this season before being placed by Rasmussen.

SMU goalie, Mariana Sanchez, made five saves to get the win.

The Falcons, now 6-7-1 overall, will play a non-conference game at Northwestern on Wednesday with action starting at 3 p.m.

Match Box
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Falcons Lose at Macalester, 2-1

Oct. 9, 2009

The Falcon soccer team could not come back from a two-goal deficit and lost 2-1 at Macalester on Friday night.

RF opened the game with a pair of shots in the opening three minutes of the game. The first was blocked by the defense and the second was saved by Macalester keeper Tressa Versteeg. The Falcons were credited with three more shots in the first half but none after 22:13.

Macalester put pressure on the Falcons late in the first half and got on the scoreboard first with a late goal by Rose Holdorf at 43:20.

Emily Bardwell extended the Macalester lead with an early second period goal. She made it 2-0 when she shot high from 15 yards out and found the net at 61:13.

Falcon freshman Carlin Bunting responded less than three minutes later when she scored on a defensive breakdown after a block to trim the Macalester lead to 2-1. The goal was the fourth this season for Bunting.

The Falcons only managed a pair of shots after the Bunting goal and both sailed wide of the mark.

Macalester led the game in shots, 12-11, corner kicks, 2-1, and fouls, 5-4. Bunting led the RF attack with three shots in the game. Rachel Thompson made five saves for the Falcons.

The Falcons (6-6-1, 3-3 WIAC) will next take the field in another road non-conference match at St. Mary's on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Match Box
2009 Schedule
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Oct. 6, 2009

Midfielder Eryn Lansverk (So., White Bear Lake, Minn.) played a key role in helping the Falcons to a split in two WIAC games last week and has been named the WIAC offensive Player of the Week according to league Sports Information Director, Matt Stanek.

Lansverk scored the team's goal in a 2-1 overtime loss to UW-Stout on Wednesday at Ramer Field. She scored in the 32nd minute to give UWRF a 1-0 lead at the time.

On Saturday against UW-Whitewater, she scored the game's only goal to help the Falcons to a 1-0 win over the Warhawks at Ramer Field. She scored, beating two Whitewater players up the middle of the field, with just under eight minutes left in the contest.

Lansverk, 5-4, leads the Falcons in scoring with nine goals and 21 points. She has had 39 shots and is tied for the team lead with 26 shots on goal. Lansverk also leads the team with three game-winning goals.

Tuesday the Falcons play a non-conference game at Bethel with action starting at 4 p.m. On Friday the Falcons go to Macalester for a game against the Scots that starts at 7:30 p.m.

Falcons Lose 2-1 Game at Bethel

Oct. 6, 2009

The Falcon soccer team came up a goal short in a 2-1 loss at Bethel University on Tuesday afternoon.

Bethel had a great opportunity to put the first score on the board when Breanna Posey had a penalty kick. But her attempt went wide, and the game remained scorelss.

About 11 minutes later the Falcons got their chance to get the first goal of the game. Carlin Bunting had a penalty kick that she missed wide.

About a minute later Posey made up for her miss when she scored her first goal of the season with an assist to Leah Hardle. BU led 1-0 at the half.

The Royals went ahead, 2-0, at 55:54 when Krista Polding scored with Lydia Bergeson getting the assist.

The Falcons kept putting pressure on the BU goal and it paid off. The Falcons were awarded a corner kick and Cassie Stang scored at 67:15 to make it a 2-1 game. It was Stang's third goal of the season.

The Falcons had two more shots on goal after that, but couldn't net another score.

Eryn Lansverk led the Falcons with five shots and four were on goal. Stang had three shots and two were on goal. The Falcons led in shots, 13-11, and shots on goal, 8-6.

Falcon goalie Rachel Thompson, who is now 6-5-1 this year, made four saves. BU goalie, Alyssa Riggs, made seven saves.

The Falcons led in corner kicks, 11-4 and Bethel had seven fouls and the Falcons six.

The Falcons (6-5-1, 3-3-0 WIAC) will next play another non-conference match against a MIAC opponent, Macalester, on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The game is at the Scots home field..

Match Box
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Falcons Shut Out Warhawks

Oct. 3, 2009
Sophomores Rachel Thompson and Eryn Lansverk starred for the Falcons as they defeated UW-Whitewater 1-0 at Ramer Field on a cool Saturday afternoon. Lansverk scored the game-winner with 7:15 remaining in regulation and Thompson made 10 saves in goal for the shutout win.

The Falcons struggled to find an offensive push through the first half, but were able to keep the game scoreless with aggressive defense and great goaltending.

Thompson played strong in net for the Falcons. She made 3 saves in the first half including a gem at 37:25. WW found an open player on the left side inside the box with a low pass that slid along the wet grass. Only Thompson remained between the WW player and the lead. Thompson stood her ground, made the save, and recovered the bouncing ball in front to keep the game scoreless.

The first half of soccer was largely controlled by the Warhawk offense. WW led the first half in shots, 5-0, and corner kicks, 6-1.

The game picked up in the second half.

At 57:25 Thompson made a diving save moving to her left. WW sent a low line drive shot on goal that skidded into Thompson’s stretched out arms to maintain the scoreless tie.

The Falcons caught a break at 72:15 when a WW shot skipped through the defense and bounced off the left post.

At about 82:00 the Falcons had an excellent scoring opportunity. Lansverk sent a pass forward to Janae Baron who beat the WW defense up the middle of the field. The WW keeper came forward as Baron dribbled towards goal and slid into the shot as it came off Baron’s foot to make the save.

The Falcons took the lead at 82:45 in the second half. Erin Genin played the ball forward to Lansverk who beat a pair of WW defenders to the ball up the middle. Lansverk took a dribble with defenders chasing and sent a shot to the right side. The WW keeper got a fingertip on the ball but could not keep the shot from the goal. The goal was Lansverk’s team-leading ninth of the season. Genin scored the assist on the play.

At 86:35 the Warhawks sent an offensive rush at the Falcons that nearly tied the score. Thompson again made the save as she got two hands on the ball and pushed the ball over the top bar by the slimmest of margins.

“This was definitely the best game Rachel has played in her collegiate career,” said Falcon head coach Sean McKuras.

When asked after the game about the game-winning goal McKuras responded, “What can I say, Lansverk is clutch.”

The Warhawks finished the game leading the Falcons in shots, 20-9, corner kicks, 15-2, and fouls 10-8. WW was also issued the only yellow card of the match.

For video clips of the game, please (click here).

The Falcons (6-4-1, 3-3-0 WIAC) will next take the field at Bethel College (4-5-0) for a non-conference matchup on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Match Box
2009 Schedule
2009 Falcon Roster

Falcons Fall In Overtime

Sept. 30, 2009
The Falcon soccer team lost 2-1 in overtime against WIAC foe UW-Stout at Ramer Field on Wednesday night.

Eryn Lansverk gave the Falcons the early lead when she connected from 30 feet out at 32:13 in the first period. It was the team-leading eighth goal of the season for Lansverk. Britta Elkin assisted on the play.

UWS responded quickly, however, as Emily Stanke scored her first goal of the season just 30 seconds later to tie the score.

The score remained tied 1-1 at the break despite RF’s 11-4 shot advantage in the first half. There were many chances for the Falcons, including a Janae Baron shot that bounced off the post. (click here to see shot)

With about seven minutes remaining in regulation Baron came free on a breakaway for a great scoring opportunity. The Blue Devils keeper Bridget LaVallee made a great save on Baron’s shot to keep the game tied.

The first overtime period did not last long. UWS’s Ali Sonsteby found the net just 2:08 into the overtime when she got a foot on a bouncing ball in the box and sealed the victory for the Blue Devils.

The Falcons are now 0-2-1 in overtime matches this season.

RF led UWS in shots, 21-9, corner kicks, 7-2, and fouls 15-9. Falcon keeper Rachel Thompson made three saves in the match.

The Falcons (5-4-1, 2-3-0 WIAC) will next take the pitch when they host UW-Whitewater (5-4-0, 1-1-0 WIAC) on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Ramer Field.

Match Box
2009 Schedule
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Soccer Team Gets Come From Behind Win at La Crosse

Sept. 26, 2009

The Falcon soccer team scored three second-half goals to record a WIAC win at UW-La Crosse on Saturday. The Falcons improve to 5-3-1 overall and 2-2 in conference play.

The Eagles took an early 1-0 lead in the first half at 25:17 when Lindsay Wilde scored. The Falcons outshot the Eagles 9-8 in the first half, but were unable to find the net.

At 71:35 in the second half, the Falcons tied the score. Freshman Carlin Bunting scored her third goal of the season and fellow freshman Heidi Yanzer recorded the assist on the play.

Janae Baron, another Falcon freshman, gave RF the lead minutes later on an unassisted goal at 73:21 with her seventh goal of the season. Junior Kayla Scott added an additional goal for the Falcons at 77:34 to push the RF lead to 3-1.

UWRF goalie Rachel Thompson made five saves for the Falcons in the win.

RF led the game in shots, 23-13, and corner kicks, 6-3. The Falcons were called for four fouls and UWL committed eight fouls in the game.

The Falcons (5-3-1, 2-2 WIAC) next take the field against WIAC foe UW-Stout (1-7, 1-2 WIAC) on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Ramer Field.

Match Box
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Soccer Team Shuts Out Ripon

Sept. 20, 2009

The Falcons scored a 6-0 shutout of Ripon College on Sunday afternoon at Ramer Field. Six different Falcons scored goals in the game, including senior captain Kristen George’s first career goal and junior Jaclyn Rehmke’s first career goal.

The Falcons got on the board very early in the first half. Just 24 seconds into the game, Kayla Scott crushed a shot at the Ripon keeper. The keeper got a finger on the ball but could not handle Scott’s hot shot to give the Falcons the early 1-0 lead. Jessi Larson scored the assist on the play.

The second Falcon goal came at 15:14 in the first half. Tracey Boyle flipped the ball ahead to Janae Baron who streaked down the right-center of the field and crossed a shot past the keeper for her sixth goal of the season. (click here to see goal) Boyle scored her team-leading fourth assist of the season on the play.

RF came close on a couple of chances in the first half. At 16:19 Lansverk fed Baron, this time down the left side. Baron gathered the ball and missed a low shot just wide right of the net. At 29:33 Anna Gutknecht found Jackie Rosenholm down the left side of the field. Rosenholm sent a strong shot on goal forcing the Red Hawk keeper to handle the save.

Falcon goalie Rachel Thompson made her lone save of the game at 34:00. A Red Hawk offensive player had broken through the defense, but Thompson came out of net to challenge, cut off the angle, and smothered the shot.

Senior captain George scored her first career goal at 40:59 in the first half to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead. Lansverk collected the corner kick and passed it back to George for the assist on the play. George got the pass and flipped a shot over the keeper and into the net.

The Falcons spent the majority of the first half on the attack. The second half proved to be more of the same.

Cassie Stang scored the first goal of the second half at 55:34 to extend the Falcon lead. Stang hammered a beautiful free kick from 40 feet out that bent into the top left corner of the goal for the Falcons.

At 68:07 Stang sent a corner kick into the box. Britta Elkin got the ball to Lansverk who gathered the ball and put it into the back of the net. The goal was Lansverk’s seventh on the season. Stang and Elkin were credited with an assist on the play.

The final goal of the match came when Jaclyn Rehmke took a clean pass from Andrea Scanlan, moved forward a step with the ball, and finished low past the approaching keeper. It was the first goal of Rehmke’s Falcon career, and Scanlan recorded an assist on the play.

The Falcons held RC without a shot in the second half and dominated the game in shots 35-1. RF also led the game in corner kicks, 10-0, and fouls, 11-7. Falcon keeper Thompson made one save to record her second shutout of the season.

Last year Lansverk led the Falcons with seven goals in 16 games. She has reached seven goals this season in only her eighth game, while also adding three assists.

The Falcons (4-3-1, 1-2-0 WIAC) next take the field Saturday when they travel to UW-La Crosse (2-3-1, 1-2-0 WIAC) for a WIAC match at 4 p.m.

Match Box
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Soccer Team Loses WIAC Match at UWEC

Sept. 19, 2009

The UWRF soccer team lost, 5-2, in a WIAC matchup at UW-Eau Claire on Saturday at Bollinger Fields. Janae Baron and Megan Church each scored a goal for the Falcons in the loss.

EC came out strong in the first half and put the Falcons in an early hole. Blugold Shyla Gilbertson found the net at 5:03 to open the scoring. Three minutes later Katie Richter put EC up by a pair of goals. Just before half, at 37:12, Blugold Emily Alsheskie scored for her team to push the lead at halftime over the Falcons to 3-0.
The Falcons trailed EC in shots for the first half 12-3 and earned four fewer corner kicks in the half, 5-1.

The second half started much the same as the first when EC’s Alli Kishaba pushed the lead to 4-0 with a goal less than five minutes into the second half at 49:59. But the Falcons would not go quietly.

Falcon Eryn Lansverk assisted on Janae Baron’s goal at 53:41 to cut into the Blugold lead. It was Baron’s fifth goal of her freshman season and Lansverk’s second assist on the year.

Just over five minutes later, Falcon Megan Church put in her second goal of the season to make the score 4-2 with 31:04 remaining in the match. Tracey Boyle recorded the assist on the play. It was Boyle’s team-leading third assist on the season.

Unfortunately, the Falcons would not find the net again in the match and the Blugolds pulled away for the victory. EC picked up a late goal for a final score of 5-2 in the WIAC matchup.

EC was ranked No. 15 in the country in a preseason National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll.
The Blugolds led the game in shots, 17-11, corner kicks, 7-3, and fouls 13-5.

Rachel Thompson played the entire 90 minutes in goal and recorded five saves for the Falcons.

The Falcons (3-3-1, 1-2 WIAC) next take the field on Sunday at Ramer Field when they host Ripon College (0-4) in a non-conference matchup at 2 p.m.

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Soccer Team Rips Superior, 7-1; Bunting, Scanlan Each Score Twice

Sept. 16, 2009

Ten different Falcons notched a goal or assist at UW-Superior on Wednesday night to lead UWRF to a 7-1 WIAC win.

Carlin Bunting and Andrea Scanlan each scored a pair of goals to lead the Falcon offense. The goals were the first of their collegiate careers.

Janae Baron and Eryn Lansverk each tallied a goal and assist while Megan Church also picked up a goal in the game. Erin Genin, Tracey Boyle, Britta Elkin, Hannah Danke, and Kristen George made an assist in the match. Genin, Elkin, George and Danke all picked up their first assists, and points, of the season.

RF opened a two-goal lead with 19 minutes remaining before halftime, but UWS answered with a goal of its own to cut the lead in half at 34:45. With just 30 seconds remaining in the first half Bunting scored her second goal of the half to push the lead back to a pair at 3-1.

The second half was all Falcons as they put up four more goals in the final 45 minutes to secure the first conference win of the season.

Baron led the Falcons with eight shots and Bunting added seven - both players had six shots on goal to lead UWRF.

UWRF goalie Rachel Thompson made one save and UWS's Felicia Bibeau made 17 saves.

The Falcons led the game in shots, 28-3, corner kicks, 7-1, and fouls, 6-4.

The Falcons (3-2-1, 1-1 WIAC) will play on Saturday at UW-Eau Claire (2-2-1, 1-0 WIAC), the pre-season WIAC favorite, at noon.

Match Box
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Soccer Team Nipped By Pointers, 1-0

Sept. 12, 2009

The Falcon soccer team lost its WIAC opener in a closely contested 1-0 decision against UW-Stevens Point at Ramer Field on Saturday afternoon. UWSP is the defending WIAC champion and was ranked No. 14 in the 2009 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) pre-season poll.

UWSP had the first good scoring opportunity of the game at 16:20, but the shot sailed high and to the right.

The Falcons responded at 20:30. Freshman Cassie Stang forced a corner when her penalty kick was sent past the end line by the UWSP defense. Junior Megan Church took the corner and sent an arcing shot through the box, but the Falcons were not able to find the ball.

At 36:35 UWSP clanged a blistering shot off the top post. A Pointer got control of the rebound and sent another shot on goal, but the Falcon keeper, sophomore Rachel Thompson, denied the attempt with a diving save.

The Falcons applied more offensive pressure on the Pointers as the first half wound down. With just over two minutes remaining in the half, junior Tracey Boyle hammered two consecutive shots from the top of the box that were deflected back by Pointer defenders. Sophomore Erin Genin gathered the loose ball and struck a shot on goal that forced the UWSP keeper to make the save.

The first 45 minutes ended in a scoreless tie. UWSP applied relentless ball pressure while the Falcons frustrated the Pointers with strong defense and speed.

The Falcons dodged a bullet early in the second when UWSP narrowly missed a scoring opportunity. The Pointers sent an awkward, spinning shot that landed on the inside of the left post but bounced just clear of the goal. UWSP broke the stalemate moments later, however, when Pointer freshman Kirsti Nickels found the net at 55:08. UWSP sent a crossing shot off the right post that rebounded back into the field of play. Nickels gathered the ball and fired another shot that glanced off the RF keeper and rattled into the goal.

The Falcons managed some excellent chances down the stretch. At 67:20 senior Kayla Scott beat her defender and got free in the right corner. Scott sent a beautiful ball into the box, but the header attempt missed just right of the goal. Then, at 74:10, junior Megan Church took a penalty kick from the right corner of the Pointer box that flew just over the top bar.

Perhaps the best chance for the Falcons came when Baron got loose at 84:35. She beat her defender down the right side of the field and centered the ball toward the goal. The ball came loose when it slipped through the UWSP keeper’s hands, but the converging Falcons could not get a good foot on the ball and the Pointers were able to clear the zone.

With less than two minutes remaining, Falcon freshman Carlin Bunting headed a shot off a Genin throw-in that was grabbed by the Pointer keeper. UWSP was able to maintain possession from that point on to close out the hard-fought victory.

UWSP let the game in fouls, 12-8, shots, 15-6, and corner kicks,
4-3. Thompson led the Falcons with five saves in the match.

Falcon head coach Sean McKuras praised current WIAC Defensive Player of the Week Cassie Stang and Genin after the game for their strong play.

Although disappointed with the loss, McKuras is encouraged by his team’s play this year. “In the span of a year, I know we can play with anyone in the country,” he said.

The Falcons (2-2-1, 0-1-0 WIAC) will next take the field on Wednesday when they travel to WIAC foe UW-Superior (0-3-0,
0-1-0 WIAC). Play starts at 4 p.m.

Match Box
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Lansverk Scores Three In Soccer Win

Sept. 9, 2009

Junior Eryn Lansverk scored three goals in the first half to carry the Falcons past Hamline, 3-1, on Wednesday night at Ramer Field.

The Falcon offense came out of the gate with a lot of energy and put the pressure on Hamline in the first half. RF outshot Hamline 11-2 in the first 45 minutes and set the tone for the match.

Lansverk netted the three Falcon goals at 14:14, 30:31, and 43:38 in the first half to complete the team’s scoring. Freshman Janae Baron recorded her first assist of the season on the first goal, freshman Heidi Yanzer and junior Megan Rasmussen both assisted on the second goal, and freshman Cassie Stang, the current WIAC Defensive Player of the Week, assisted on the third goal.

Falcon goalkeeper Rachel Thompson made two saves in the game.

RF led Hamline in shots, 15-7, and corner kicks, 7-2. Hamline topped RF in fouls, 10-6, and in saves 7-2. There was one yellow card issued in the match to Falcon Erin Genin.

Lansverk, the Falcon’s leading goal scorer from last season, has five goals in only eight shots on goal this season, including two game winners.

“This is what we train for,” said head coach Sean McKuras. “We play a good non-conference schedule to get to this point, and we are excited to get after the WIAC season.”

RF (2-1-1) opens WIAC play on Saturday when they host defending WIAC champion UW-Stevens Point (2-1-0) at Ramer Field at 2 p.m.

Match Box
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Sept. 9, 2009

Falcon soccer player Cassie Stang (Fr., Stillwater, Minn. Mahtomedi HS) has been named the WIAC Defensive Player of the Week according to league Sports Information Director, Matt Stanek.

Stang has had a strong start to her collegiate career with three starts. Stang, 5-7 ½, scored her first collegiate goal in the team's 3-3 overtime tie against Northland on Saturday at Ramer Field. She also picked up an assist on the team's first goal in a 2-0 win over Simpson on Tuesday at Ramer Field. Her three points is third on the team. She has recorded 16 shots and eight have been on goal. She is tied for the team lead in shots on goal with eight. "Cassie has started all three games and has played every minute in every game," said Falcon Coach Sean McKuras.

Today the Falcons host Hamline at 5 p.m., at Ramer Field. On Saturday the Falcons open WIAC play when they host UW-Stevens Point at 2 p.m., at Ramer Field. UWSP is the defending WIAC regular season and playoff champion.

Falcons Lose in Overtime at St. Scholastica

Sept. 5, 2009

The Falcon soccer team lost 2-1 in the first overtime of a physical road matchup against the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth on Sunday.

It was the second game in two days to head into overtime for the Falcons.

Falcon freshman Jenea Baron scored the first goal of the game at 16:26. Baron beat her defender on the right side of the field and found the net on a crossing shot to open a one-goal lead for the Falcons. Fellow Falcon freshman Leah Hagen recorded the assist.

At 25:47 RF keeper Rachel Thompson turned away a shot on the right side by CSS's Megan Stingle, but the ball rebounded toward the middle of the field. The Saints Jen Krokum gathered the loose ball and lofted a shot into the net to tie the game 1-1.

Thompson kept the game tied moments later at 27:36 when she made a nice save on a strong shot by CSS's Stingle.

The Saints went into halftime with a 9-8 shot advantage over the Falcons.

RF spent much of the opening 20 minutes of the second half defending the CSS offensive attack. The Falcons dodged a pair of bullets in the opening minutes of the second half. At 48:07 Saint Melisa Entinger's shot hit the right post after a nice crossing pass. Thompson then made a beautiful diving save to her left at 50:34 to keep the game tied.

The Saints outshot the Falcons, 7-1, in the second half, but neither team was able to find the net.

The overtime period would not last long, however, as CSS's Stingle split the Falcons defense up the middle of the field and beat the RF keeper to the right. The goal came at 94:55 and sealed the victory for the Saints.

CSS led the Falcons for the game in shots, 18-9, corner kicks, 7-5, and fouls, 11-8. Each team was called offside twice in the game. One yellow card was issued to a CSS player in the match.

Baron's first period goal was her third of the season. Baron has scored a goal in each of her first three games this season.

The Falcons (1-1-1) will look to rebound when they host Hamline University (1-2) at Ramer Field at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. RF opens WIAC play on Saturday when they host UW-Stevens Point at Ramer Field at 2 p.m.

Match Box
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Falcons Rally From Two-Goal Deficit to Earn Tie

Sept. 5, 2009

The Falcons earned a tough 3-3 tie after two overtimes on Saturday afternoon against Northland College at Ramer Field.

After a number of shots by the Falcons and strong saves by the NC keeper Katie Mahoney early in the first half, the NC attack brought the ball up the far right side of the field and crossed the ball to the middle. Melanie Rasor took the pass and managed a shot into the top left corner of the goal to give NC a 1-0 lead with 38:54 left in the first half.

River Falls did not tally a goal in the first 45 minutes, however the Falcons played the majority of the half on the offensive end of the field. Falcon Anna Gutknecht spent much of the first half winning and controlling 50-50’s to keep RF in control of the ball.

"Gutknect is playing as solid as anyone right now," said Falcon head coach Sean McKuras. "She is in such great shape that she can play at the same high level in the first minute as the 110th minute."

Janae Baron got the Falcons on the board in the second half with her second goal of the season. Tracey Boyle sent a slick pass down the right side of the field to Baron. Baron cut to the middle of the field and stung a bending shot to the top, left corner of the goal to tie the game 1-1.

It did not take long for NC to respond, however, as Sarah Strobino headed home a shot less than five minutes later to regain the lead, 2-1.

The NC keeper made a brilliant save with 35:05 left in the half to maintain the Jill lead. Megan Church for the Falcons struck a nice corner kick into the zone that found the head of Cassie Stang. Stang’s shot was pushed just over the top bar by the NC keeper to keep the score 2-1.

With 29:55 remaining in regulation, Church broke free up the middle of the field. Her shot went past the advancing NC goalie, but struck the right post and bounced back into play. RF regained possession of the rebound and found the net, however an offsides call nullified the score.

Strobino extended the Jill lead to 3-1 with her second goal of the game at 16:21 remaining in the match. Strobino slipped the ball past a diving Rachel Thompson at keeper for the Falcons to open a two-goal advantage.

RF kept up the pressure. With 15:30 remaining in regulation Stang rocketed a shot from the left side off the far post. Then, with 14:15 left Stang took a penalty kick for the Falcons and drove it home low and left to make it a one-goal game. This was the first goal of the season for Stang.

"Stang was calm, cool, and collected today," said McKuras. "It was impressive to see a freshman step in and nail that penalty kick."

NC keeper Mahoney made another great save to maintain the Jill lead with 9:19 to play. Again it was Stang for the Falcons who got a shot on goal that was pushed just over the top bar by a leaping Mahoney.

The Falcons continued the attack. With 6:30 remaining Eryn Lansverk headed the ball past the NC keeper to tie the game. It was her second goal of the season.

The Falcons had a couple chances to close out the comeback in regulation but could not get the bounce they needed. The best chance came with 4:50 remaining when Church crossed the ball in for Boyle, but her header went just wide left.

The overtime periods were again dominated by the Falcon offense. The majority of the time was spent with the Falcons attacking the NC zone. Baron sent a well paced shot on goal with 7:50 remaining in the second overtime only to be denied by a nice save by the NC keeper. Moments later, with 7:20 left, Baron beat her defender down the right side, cut to the center and drove a shot that bounced off the top bar.

"Northland really did a great job of taking advantage of their chances today," said McKuras. "We need to clean up some of our offense, but we played a good, hard game."

RF finished the draw with a 40-8 shot advantage over NC, including 8-0 in the two overtime periods. The Falcons also managed a 9-1 advantage in corner kicks for the game.

NC topped RF in fouls, 12-5, and saves, 18-2.

The Falcons (1-0-1) play again Sunday at St. Scholastica (1-1-0) at 2:30 p.m.

Match Box
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Falcons Win Opener 2-0

Sept. 1, 2009

The Falcon Soccer team opened the 2009 season with a 2-0 win over Simpson College on a beautiful, clear Tuesday night in front of 110 fans at Ramer Field.

The Falcons flashed some defense early in the game. At 18:00 in the first half, Simpson curved a strong corner kick into the box from the left side. RF keeper Rachel Thompson worked through traffic and snatched the ball out of the air to make the save.

Just a minute later at 19:00 Eryn Lansverk notched the first goal of the season for the Falcons to take a 1-0 lead. Britta Elkin lofted a beautiful corner kick into the Simpson zone to start the action. Cassie Stang tallied the assist as she moved the ball over to Lansverk who knocked home the score.

RF withstood a couple rushes by Simpson and took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

The Falcons kept the pressure on in the second half. Just 30 seconds into the new period Erin Genin rolled a shot inches left of the goal on a nice pass into the zone from Heidi Yanzer.

Three minutes later freshman Janae Baron gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead with her first collegiate goal. Megan Church got the assist as she led Baron up the right side with a well-placed ball. Baron beat her defender and then cut a tight angle to find the net and widen the Falcon lead.

Anna Gutknecht and Jessi Larson anchored a solid defensive performance for the Falcons. Each controlled the ball well and cleared the zone to help goalkeeper Racel Thompson record the shutout.

"Everybody contributed," said head coach Sean McKuras. "We got everyone in and made a good effort tonight."

RF keeper Thompson recorded six saves in the game. RF led Simpson in shots 18-11 for the game. Simpson led the match in fouls, 8-5, and corner kicks, 4-2.

The Falcons (1-0-0) will next take the field on Saturday when they host Northland at 1 p.m. at Ramer Field.

Match Box
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Falcons Open Season on Tuesday Hosting
Simpson College

Aug. 28, 2009

By Peter Larson
UWRF Sports Information

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls soccer team will look to improve on a tough 2008 season when they open 2009 with a pair of home matches the first week of September.

The 2008 Falcon soccer team finished with a 5-13 overall record. UW-Whitewater defeated UWRF, 2-0, in the first round of the WIAC Tournament to end the 2008 season. While the overall record was disappointing, the effort was strong. The 2008 Falcons were 2-7 in one-goal games and played a typically tough schedule. In fact, UWRF played seven teams in 2008 that made the 64-team national tournament. (There are 421 teams in the country).

“We are always looking to play the strongest teams the Midwest has to offer,” said Falcon Head Coach Sean McKuras. “The experience of having gone through those close matches last year should help us. We learned from each and every one of the close matches.”

McKuras enters his eighth season as head coach of the Falcons. He has a 71-54-11 record with UWRF and one WIAC Championship in 2003.

The two top goal scorers from 2008 return for a young, athletic Falcon squad. Sophomore Eryn Lansverk (White Bear Lake, Minn.) tallied seven goals and three assists last year to lead the Falcons. Junior Megan Church (White Bear Lake, Minn.), who was a 2008 All-WIAC team selection, returns after a six-goal campaign.
Sophomore Rachel Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa) will start at goalkeeper for the Falcons in 2009. Thompson had a 2-1 record in seven games played last year with a team-leading .767 save percentage.

Senior Jessi Larson (Winona, Minn.) will anchor the defense for the 2009 Falcons. Larson has not missed a game in her college career and provides a sturdy, experienced defensive presence. She has started all 56 matches in her Falcon career.

Larson, senior Kayla Scott (Kiel, Wis.), and senior Kristen George (Minnetonka, Minn.) are the three captains for the 2009 Falcons and will look to help the team take the next step.

McKuras also noted the incoming freshman class as one of the strongest that RF has had.

“We haven’t gotten over the hump yet. We need to get the sense of winning back,” McKuras said. “But I think that one strength this year is that we have a very fit team. Everyone worked really hard in the offseason and the first year players are in great shape.”

McKuras pointed to traditional WIAC frontrunners, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Eau Claire, as tough teams coming into the 2009 season. He indicated that making the WIAC Tournament is a goal for his squad. The top six finishers in the conference make the tournament this year, a change from the top eight finishers in the past.

“We start off with two home games to open the season and would love to get some fans out to the matches and open the season strong,” said McKuras.

The Falcons host Simpson at 5 p.m., on Tuesday and Northland at 1 p.m., on Saturday in the opening week of the season. Both matches will be played at Ramer Field.

The Falcons open WIAC play on Saturday, Sept. 12 when they host UW-Stevens Point at Ramer Field. That match starts at 2 p.m. UWSP was picked to finish second in this year’s WIAC poll. The Pointers won last year’s regular season title and finished 19-4 overall. The Pointers are ranked No. 14 nationally and own a WIAC-best 12 conference titles.

2009 Schedule
2008 Final Statistics
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