MADISON, Wis. – Two goals in the opening 13 minutes helped lead Wisconsin to a 3-0 victory over the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team on Thursday night (Sept. 4) at the McClimon Track and Soccer Complex. NIU played Wisconsin even in the second half, outshooting the Badgers, 4-3, after the intermission.

"There was a little bit of nerves or stage fright, we were a little bit apprehensive (in the first half)," said NIU head coach Michael O'Neill. "Obviously a very good team in Wisconsin, probably the best team I've seen since I've been a college coach. They put us under a lot of pressure, and I think the pace of play was quicker than had experienced in previous games and we got caught off guard with that. 

"We conceded three goals, three sloppy goals in a way, which kind of led to some frustration, but (Wisconsin) was very deserving of their lead after the first half … We were much better in the second half, much more forward thinking in our play, much more combative defensively in dealing with their physicality and athleticism and we were unlucky not to score a couple of goals."

First chance of the contest came in transition for Wisconsin in the fifth minute as the Badgers won the ball in midfield and it was played to the far post where Adee Boer couldn't direct her shot on target. 

Wisconsin (5-1-0) opened the scoring in the 10th minute through Jenna Baumann. Ashley Martinez played a ball wide to Baumann on the left wing and Baumann floated a cross that drifted over the head of NIU goalkeeper Amy Stineman (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) and into the back of the net to give the Badgers a 1-0 lead. 

The hosts added a second just three minutes later as Hailey Baumann played a long ball from the back over the Huskie defense and Brooke Allen latched onto it. Allen dribbled into the box and rounded Stineman to double the lead for Wisconsin. 

Just before the half-hour mark, Alyssa Stephenson (Oakville, Ontario/St. Ignatius of Loyola) fed a ball into the feet of Kelsi McLaughlin (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) near the top of the box but McLaughlin's shot whistled just high of the crossbar. 

Wisconsin added a third in the 39th minute as, off a free kick from about 30 yards. Maddie Poor played the ball to Anya Gulbrandsen who raced into the box from off the edge of the wall and slipped a shot past Stineman to give Wisconsin a 3-0 advantage at halftime. 

NIU's (2-3-1) first look at goal in the second half came in the 54th minute as McLaughlin's shot from outside the box sailed high. 

In the 67th minute, Stephenson slipped around a Wisconsin defender in the box and fired a low cross through the six, but the Huskies were unable to get on the end of the cross as Wisconsin cleared the danger. 

Sarah Roy (Saint-Julie, Quebec/College de Montreal) set up Jordin Kadiri (Evanston, Ill./Evanston) with a great chance in the 85th minute as Roy's low cross from the right side found Kadiri near the penalty spot but Wisconsin goalkeeper Drew Stover came up with the save to preserve the clean sheet for the Badgers. 

Stineman made three saves in the first half for the Huskies while Lauren Pearson (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) saw the first action of her collegiate career in the second half and made one save.

NIU will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 14, when the Huskies open Mid-American Conference play against Miami at home. Kickoff against the RedHawks is slated for 1 p.m.