Photo Gallery

Records

Upper Iowa (8-2, 6-1 NSIC) || Minnesota State University Moorhead (0-9, 0-7 NSIC)

Recap

What a difference a year has made for Aimee Wronski.

As a sophomore at Illinois State last season, her on-field play was impeccable – much like it has been this year. Yet, her team didn't show her any kind of support, which led Aimee to want to transfer. Her sister Corinne Wronski was the first to offer a spot on the Upper Iowa Women's Soccer team.

Reunited with her sister once again, this time at the collegiate level, the Wronski sisters have led the Peacocks to a 5-1 start in NSIC play entering Sunday's matchup with Minnesota State University Moorhead. After a near collapse which saw MSUM post back-to-back goals to tie the game with less than 20 minutes left, Aimee Wronski delivered in the final minute of play.

On a through-ball from her sister, Aimee split the defense and rocketed the ball to the back of the net with just 40 seconds on the clock. The goal would stand as the game-winner as the Peacocks defeated the Dragons on Pattison Field, 4-3.

The win propels UIU out to a 6-1 conference record and to an 8-2 start overall.

With momentum on their side, the Peacocks wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Madie Edwards netted the first goal of the game in the seventh minute of action as she cleaned up a deflection from six yards out.

The Peacocks then got a big offensive boost from an unexpected source. Freshman Mackenzie Taldone entered the game and made her presence felt immediately. She netted her first collegiate goal in the first half, and then added her second goal as a Peacock in the final period of play. Taldone gave UIU a 2-0 lead in the 29th minute as she scored on a header off a corner kick from Aimee Wronski.

The Dragons found the back of the net in the 35th minute, but the Peacocks still led 2-1 at halftime.

Taldone and company went back to work right away in the second half. A little over two minutes into the final period, Edwards was pressuring the Dragon's goalkeeper again. Yet as her shot was blocked, Taldone was there to clean it up. Taldone got the goal from one yard out to give UIU a 3-1 advantage.

With a big lead, the Peacocks started to let off the gas. The Dragons capitalized on that mistake.

Jessica Johnson and Erin Nyberg both found the back of the net in a span of four minutes, tying the game at three goals apiece with 19 minutes and change left. 

That's when the rain started to pour down. Both teams were soaked as regulation wound down. Yet just as it looked as if overtime was eminent, Aimee Wronski exposed the MSUM defense once again.

Her sister Corinne Wronski found her with a long pass up the middle fo the field andAimee took care of the rest. Her goal was the eventual game-winner and it puts her atop the entire conference with 10 goals this season. The Dragons had nothing left as UIU sealed the 4-3 win at home.

After the loss, the Dragons will remain winless this year with a 0-9 overall record.

One last thing remains certain - Aimee seems to have the complete support of her teammates and coaches.

Stat of the Game

With a goal on Saturday, Aimee Wronski is now just two goals away from tying Liz Kaluzinski for the most goals in a single season since UIU moved up to Division II play before the 2006 season.

SOUNDING OFF

Head Coach Brian Diaz…

On the Win… "We saw two sides of our team. We saw an attack that was ferocious – we had tremendous ball movement and got behind them a number of times. We scored four goals, which when you normally score four goals it's a comfortable win, but that wasn't the case today. That was the disappointing part. It wasn't just our backline, but our entire defensive unit gave up three sloppy goals. Kudos to MSU Moorhead for finishing those opportunities, but we really felt like we created those on our own. That's where we were most disappointed – we created our own damage."

Did Injuries Impact the Game… "We're deep enough to overcome any injuries. We don't have any major injuries right now – everyone was cleared to play today. Our job as a staff is to look at the big picture and rest some players if need be, but I think we have the depth to continue playing at a high level no matter who is in the game. We didn't do that today – we need to tighten some things up."

Was the Rain a Factor… "It didn't start until the second half, but it certainly changed the game a little bit. It put us on edge because they tried to get the ball up ahead to number seven and get her loose. She's a good player and if she does get loose, she's going to finish opportunities. It added a little bit of danger, but it wasn't a big factor in the game."

On Mackenzie Taldone… "Mackenzie Taldone hands down, was the best player that we had today. Even without the goals, the work that she put in defensively and offensively was fantastic. She was up and down the field - she was just a machine. She really played a fantastic game. We talk about these opportunities – for players to get an opportunity to take over a game and that's what she did today. That's huge coming from a freshman, so we're very pleased with her performance."

On the Week Ahead… "I think we still have to clean up the little things to move forward. We have a tough weekend ahead. Southwest and Sioux Falls are two formidable opponents, but if we want to be the best in this league we have to beat the best. We're in a good position, but we have to go take care of business this weekend – we have to play better than we played today."

Up Next

The Peacocks will look to keep their five-game win streak alive as they hit the road to take on Southwest Minnesota State in Marshall, Minnesota and the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota this next weekend.