Some Surprises Happen Off the Field

Admittedly, this was my first opportunity to take in Engelmann Field, a plot of grass surrounded on three sides by academic buildings on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Knowing this going in, I wasn't expecting it to serve as a very inviting atmosphere...but it became clear fairly quick that my assumptions were off.

There's just one section of bleachers, essentially built into the side of a building, which puts the fans right on top of the action. Not to mention, the team benches are located on the same side of the field, so spectators can hear coaches shouting instructions, or bartering with a referee. Even a small group can sound like several thousand thanks to the surrounding buildings, as cheers bounce off the walls and raise the volume level. All of these things make for a great fan experience...and some good footy doesn't hurt either.

We had good footy on Friday night at the semifinal round of Horizon League Women's Soccer Championship. Most, including myself, were looking forward to the second match of the night which featured #1 Milwaukee taking on #4 Loyola. It was the night's first match, however, which provided the surprises we so often see this time of year, as #2 Wright State took on #3 Valparaiso.

It didn't take long for the Crusaders to make their presence known, as a corner kick in the 29th-minute from Trisha Wladecki allowed Brooke Henderson an opportunity for a header, which she capitalized on, putting her team in front 1-0. Following intermission, Valpo quickly made life miserable once again for Wright State goalkeeper, Meghan Hackerson. Less than three minutes into the 2nd period, Jessie White was in the right place at the right time. Her goal gave Valpo a 2-nil lead, and put the favored Raiders in a deep, deep hole.

Hearing White talk about her team's focus coming out of the locker room, makes me wonder if she might have a future in coaching. They had a plan, and executed it...FAST.


Wright State's Nicole Amador managed to find the back of the net later in the 2nd half, but the Raiders had few opportunities for the equalizer, and the Crusaders moved on with a 2-1 victory. During the regular season, this matchup was a 3-0 decision for Wright State. So, after the match I had to ask Valpo head coach John Marovich what the difference was between then and now:


The Crusaders have now won seven straight, and they appear to be a different team from what they were in August and September. Brooke Henderson had some thoughts on that topic:

With only four seniors on the roster, I think I agree.

With one surprise down, I had figured the rest of the evening would proceed as planned. Again...I was wrong, but this time it had nothing to do with what was happening on the field.

I was making my way through anxious Loyola and Milwaukee fans, when I spotted someone who had clearly spotted me. The woman was very complimentary of the Horizon League Network, talked about the tough year her daughter had been having, and how she just keeps asking for "one more match." The latter topics verified what I believed to be true...that I was actually speaking with Catalina Ariza, the mother of Loyola women's soccer star Cynthia Morote-Ariza. I love these kinds of encounters, because it reinforces the idea that we're doing things via HLN that people care about. It doesn't matter to me if it's one person or 1,000, so long as someone cares...that's good enough for me. Little did I know, this wouldn't be my only parent encounter of the night.

Getting back to the action, most people reading this probably already know that Milwaukee defeated Loyola 2-0. If you didn't...now you do. There wasn't anything spectacular about the match, the Panthers basically controlled the action from start to finish. They did a fantastic job of neutralizing Morote-Ariza, as her opportunities were few and far between during the entire 90 minutes. Milwaukee's first goal came from Makenzie Gillaspie, and the second goal game from...no surprise here...Sarah Hagen. It was Hagen's 20th goal of the season. Let that sink in for a bit.

Hagen was on the receiving end of some very physical play throughout the match. She received a lot of attention on the field because of the gaudy numbers she's put up, and also because she's such an imposing figure. After the match, I asked her about the physical play and how she deals with it:


See that smile on her face? I think she likes it, and almost invites it, because she's still going to make plays no matter what. Safe to say, I was impressed.

Perhaps more impressive than Hagen's effort Friday night, to me anyway, was the play of Kate Megna. As easy as it is for any fan to keep their eyes glued to what Hagen is doing on the field, try watching Megna for extended periods of time. I could be wrong, but on Friday it seemed as though Megna was almost allowing her defender to dictate the action...and then outperforming her opponent. If she got caught out of position, she'd make a play to regain control of the ball. And when she has the ball in her possession, there just seems to be a striking calm in the way she moves. Her confidence is what makes her great. Almost every time she served a ball into the box Friday night, I thought to myself, "Milwaukee is going to score." The Panthers' head coach, Michael Moynihan, agreed:


"Oooooooooooh!" Yes, coach, that's definitely the best way to describe it.

Following the match, I had yet another encounter with a player's family. I was asked if my name was "Adam"...as in, my counterpart here on HLN, Adam Coppinger. Obviously, I was quick to correct him! Anyway, the person asking was none other than Charlie Hagen, and I was soon introduced to Michelle. I saw a resemblance right away, but wasn't quite sure it was them until I asked a second time what their names were. Lucky for me, Charlie disclosed his last name, or I wouldn't have known for certain. As tall as Sarah is, (listed at 5'11") I was expecting either mother or father to be a towering figure...but this isn't the case. So the question remains...where's Sarah get all that height from? Regardless, it was fun to talk about the season with them...and I appreciated the suggestion that Adam and I need to talk less about basketball on HLN. I'm not sure our basketball fans would agree though, Mrs. H.

So, our championship match is set for Sunday afternoon. What surprises remain? We won't know until tomorrow, but you can watch for yourself as #1 Milwaukee takes on #3 Valparaiso at 2pm ET / 1pm CT, live on HLN!