The decisive goal came in the 107th minute, when a long throw from the Warhawks led to a contested possession in Washington University’s box. A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater player was able to secure the ball and fire it into the net for the game winner.
The Bears were kept on the defensive throughout the first half, as the Warhawks outshot the Red and Green 13 to 3 through the first 45 minutes. In total, the Bears allowed a season-high 20 shots, compared to just 14 from Wash. U.’s own offense—just the second time all season the Red and Green have been outshot. This forced senior Nick Tannenbaum to make five saves in goal. Sophomore forward Ryan Sproule lead what little offense the Bears could muster with a team-high four shots, all on target.
After a rough first half of October, the Red and Green have seen their national stock plummet. In two weeks, the Bears have fallen 14 spots, to No. 22 in the country. This most recent loss, to an unranked Whitewater team, may push the Bears out of the top 25 entirely. With the playoffs fast approaching and an automatic bid via conference championship statistically unlikely, the Bears will have to rely on an at-large bid—determined by national competitiveness—for a spot in the first round.
The Bears return to conference play with two games next weekend, at Carnegie Mellon University and Case Western Reserve University.