UW-Platteville’s women’s soccer team split the last two games of the regular season with a loss to the UW-Eau Claire Blugolds and a win against the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors.

The Pioneers were shut out 0-7 in a devastating loss to the Blugolds on Oct. 22 at the Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium. Although the Pioneers were shut out, they put up a strong effort with goalkeeper Tori Dolley snatching up four saves.

Members of the team attributed the loss both to the caliber of the Blugolds’ team, as well as the loss of one of Pioneer’s top players, junior forward Kim Schneckloth, to injury. As of the Nov. 4 National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll, the Blugolds are ranked 15th nationally in Division III.

Schneckloth broke her toe in Oct. 21 game against the Ashford University Saints.

“I felt like most of the [women] had given most of what they had the night before in the game against Ashford,” head coach Enzo Fuschino said.

The Pioneers came back from the loss with a 3-0 win over the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors on Oct. 24. Sophomore midfielder Sarah Miller, junior forward Allie Metcalfe and sophomore midfielder Caitlin Freeman scored goals for the Pioneers. Junior midfielder Sarah Gengler provided two assists.

After the win, the Pioneers advanced to the first round of the playoffs to face the UW-Stevens Point Pointers.

Having over a week between their last regular season game and their first playoff game, the team had time to reflect on their performance over the season.

“We definitely had some upsets, some games we should have won but didn’t,” said Schneckloth.

While the season had it’s rough patches, most of the team is pleased with their performance this season.

“I think [the season] was a success because all the goals we set preseason, we met,” said Fuschino.

“We have a lot of new faces and they brought a lot to the team,” sophomore defender Larissa Fraley said. “We had great team chemistry, which really brought a lot to the field.”

Fuschino said the team won three times as many games as they did last year, beat their rival UW-Whitewater and remained competitive throughout the season.

The women were hoping the season’s positive momentum would help them prepare for the playoff game against UW-SP, a team the Pioneers lost to, 0-6, earlier in the season, but they had no such luck. The Pioneers were shutout again 0-4 Nov. 1 in Stevens Point.

The Pioneers showed tremendous improvement, ending the season at 9-9-2 with six more wins than last season.