MONROE - The Verona girls soccer team had something to play for and Monroe had something to prove.
The Wildcats picked up a 2-0 win over the Cheesemakers to assure an outright Badger South Conference title at a gusty Honey Creek Park on Tuesday night.
Last year, the Cheesemakers lost 9-1 to the Wildcats. On Tuesday, they proved they are closer to contending with the Badger Conference's elite. The loss snapped the Cheesemakers' five-game winning streak and dropped their record to 5-7-1 overall and 0-7 in the Badger South.
"I think it's very encouraging a team like ours can be competitive with a program like Verona," Monroe coach Miriam O'Neill said. "They know they are playing well. Now they feel like they can go out and be competitive with any team."
Monroe junior goalkeeper Niamh O'Neill-Culhane sparkled in net with 23 saves.
"Usually, I get nervous about a big game," O'Neill-Culhane said. "I wanted to make them glad they were leaving (the Badger South)."
Verona freshman Teighlor Tvedt scored the first goal on a cross by Sydnie Weisbrod at 25 minutes, 56 seconds.
"I took a dive, but didn't get there in time," O'Neill-Culhane said.
The Wildcats' second goal was set up on Weisbrod's second assist, which came off a long cross that deflected off O'Neill-Culhane's outstretched hands and was knocked into the net by Kaitlyn Verhelst.
"(Monroe) made Verona fight for every bit of space," O'Neill said. "Verona had to work for those goals."
Monroe junior Pam Lehman clamped down on Verona sophomore Alex Melin, the Badger South's leading scorer.
"(Lehman) always shuts down who is the biggest threat," O'Neill said.
Monroe hosts Mount Horeb on Friday in a Badger crossover match, one of two non-conference matches that wrap up the regular season.
The Wildcats picked up a 2-0 win over the Cheesemakers to assure an outright Badger South Conference title at a gusty Honey Creek Park on Tuesday night.
Last year, the Cheesemakers lost 9-1 to the Wildcats. On Tuesday, they proved they are closer to contending with the Badger Conference's elite. The loss snapped the Cheesemakers' five-game winning streak and dropped their record to 5-7-1 overall and 0-7 in the Badger South.
"I think it's very encouraging a team like ours can be competitive with a program like Verona," Monroe coach Miriam O'Neill said. "They know they are playing well. Now they feel like they can go out and be competitive with any team."
Monroe junior goalkeeper Niamh O'Neill-Culhane sparkled in net with 23 saves.
"Usually, I get nervous about a big game," O'Neill-Culhane said. "I wanted to make them glad they were leaving (the Badger South)."
Verona freshman Teighlor Tvedt scored the first goal on a cross by Sydnie Weisbrod at 25 minutes, 56 seconds.
"I took a dive, but didn't get there in time," O'Neill-Culhane said.
The Wildcats' second goal was set up on Weisbrod's second assist, which came off a long cross that deflected off O'Neill-Culhane's outstretched hands and was knocked into the net by Kaitlyn Verhelst.
"(Monroe) made Verona fight for every bit of space," O'Neill said. "Verona had to work for those goals."
Monroe junior Pam Lehman clamped down on Verona sophomore Alex Melin, the Badger South's leading scorer.
"(Lehman) always shuts down who is the biggest threat," O'Neill said.
Monroe hosts Mount Horeb on Friday in a Badger crossover match, one of two non-conference matches that wrap up the regular season.
