Central Michigan soccer loses to No. 16 Wisconsin
'It's a free hit. So nothing really matters.'
Central Michigan University sophomore midfielder Kylee Weed races with the ball at the soccer game at the Soccer/Lacrosse Complex on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. Weed had two attempted shots, one goal and one assist. (CM Life | Jasmine Brookins)
Just two minutes into the match, the ball went out of bounds off a Central Michigan University soccer player, which awarded the 16th-ranked University of Wisconsin Badgers a corner kick. The ball was crossed into the middle, where a Badger let it through their legs, sending it straight to Kiara Gilmore, who slotted the ball into the back of the net.
“If you give them a little sniff, they're going to take advantage of them,” head coach James Decosemo said. “They ran a really good routine that we weren't ready for.”
For the Chippewas, the early goal reflected what would happen for the rest of the game. The Badgers led 3-0, 20 minutes into the match.
CMU went on to lose its last home nonconference game of the year, 6-2.
“They are number 16 in the country for a reason,” Decosemo said. “But I'd say, looking at the big picture, a big step forward again, because I think 40 minutes of the game there, we would say we competed with them."
“It's a free hit. So nothing really matters.”
The difference was clear in the set pieces.
Senior goalkeeper Jadia Kershaw pointed out where she and the team fell short.
“We weren't focused, and a lot of those goals came from just us not focusing in those moments,” Kershaw said. “We worked so much on marking in the box this week, and it just didn't come through in the game. Half of those goals, at least, were just marking the box. I mean, girls were wide open. So, that's on me for organization, but also on them, they got to stay with their marks.”
Kershaw said the problems were fixable and she hopes the team can learn and move forward.
Among the bright spots was sophomore midfielder Kylee Weed, who contributed to both Chippewa goals with a goal and an assist.
For her assist, Weed said the Badgers gave her space on the side, so she crossed the ball in, leading to junior forward Ella Betzold's goal.
“Ultimately, my forward was making great runs in the box,” Weed said. “So all I had to do was put it there, and they finished it for me.”
Decosemo said Catherine Hoff was a player who positively affected the game in ways that wouldn’t show up on the stat sheet.
“I thought Kathy [Catherine] did a really good job when she came into midfield, which is not a position that she's played,” he said. “I told her she had 10 to 15 minutes to watch it in the first half, and she came on, and she really did help shift the game.”
Despite the loss, Decosemo said that the team’s goals haven’t changed and hopes to bounce back from the loss.
The Chippewas head to Indianapolis next to face Butler University on Sept. 13 before entering into conference play.
