The UW-Whitewater men's soccer team lost to host Washington University in Saint Louis in a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III championship tournament first round game Thursday night.

Photo Gallery (courtesy of Angela Kelm; all photos are for sale)

In a tale of two halves, Washington University ruled time of possession in the first 45 minutes of the game.

At 16:33 Warhawk goalie Matt Mikesell went high over a crowd on a WashU corner kick.  At 20:20 the Bears used multiple passes to move down field resulting in a shot by Zachary Query that Mikesell, again saved.  WashU's Pat McLean was positioned at the top of the box but Mikesell came out to get the ball and keep the game scoreless.  With the clock showing 41:15 Dillon Roman had a shot at the near post, but Mikesell made the diving save and 47 seconds later Roman had another chance that went wide.

UW-W had back-to-back scoring opportunities just 3:23 and 4:04 into the game but would register no more shot attempts in the half.  The Warhawks also had a header with 45 seconds left in the half, but the teams went into intermission scoreless.
 
Just 2:27 into the second half, at 47:27, Washington University took the advantage on a give-and-go with Jeremy Kirkwood on the receiving end of a Patrick McLean pass.  For the first goal of the game, McLean's sixth of the season.

Whitewater's Kevin Kron made a bid to tie the game at 54:44 from a close left angle, but Bear goalie Jonathon Jebson made the save.

Whitewater tied the game with a goal by Logan Fye, his ninth of the season. Austin Saari received a throw-in that he dribbled down the left sideline, then fed Fye on a cross into the middle of the field catching Fye in full stride.  Fye fired off a direct shot from the top of the box to tie the game 1-1 at 54:44.

A header off of a corner kick by WashU's Zachary Query  was redirected on goal by Peter Jebson who recorded his second goal of the season 21:06 remaining in the second half to give the Bears a 2-1 lead.

The Warhawks more than tripled their shot output in the second half putting constant pressure on the Bears' defense. Seven shots were registered between the two teams in the last twenty minutes alone.

Washington University had another scoring opportunity at 71:57 but Mikesell came up with the save.  Whitewater's bid to tie came on an attempt from Saari that sailed just high at 74:51.  Mikesell again came up with a spectacular save on a shot by Michael Flowers at 75:39 to keep it a one goal game.  At 77:38, the ball was again served into Mikesell who kept the Bears off the board. The Warhawks drove up the field and Elijah Newallo had a chance to tie the game at 78:19 but the shot was blocked by a defender.  With just 1:57 left in the game, Washington put another shot on goal that Mikesell denied to keep the Warhawks within one.  The final scoring chance for Whitewater came at 87:17 off the foot of Ryan Boyd that missed just wide of the net. A little confusion on the field almost led to a breakaway opportunity but Mikesell came out to meet the attacker and smother the ball. 

UW-W, making its eleventh appearance in the NCAA III tournament, advancing to the sweet sixteen four times, ends the season with a 12-8 record.

WashU, 15-3-1, will travel to Delaware, Ohio to take on sixth-ranked Ohio Wesleyan University, 18-2, in the second round of the NCAA III tournament Sunday.

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