Ellie Volpano scored the winning goal in a shootout Friday as the Waukesha West soccer team defeated Madison Memorial to advance to a semifinal game of the WIAA state tournament.
Volpano, a junior defender, calmly buried her shot and broke a 4-4 tie in an electrifying shootout. Her goal beat state-ranked Memorial and put the Wolverines in the Division 1 state title game on Saturday.
The teams played to a 1-1 tie through 80 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods.
The Wolverines (19-3-4) made the state tournament the last three seasons but lost in the quarterfinals the last two years. They reached the semifinals in 2000, but lost.
“We’re the first girls team to ever make it this far,” Volpano said. “It’s an amazing feeling. It feels great.”
The Wolverines struck early against the favored Spartans (20-3-4), who finished the regular season ranked fourth in the state coaches’ poll. In the sixth minute, Angie Berens had a free kick about 25 yards from the goal. Her kick glanced off the crossbar and right to Kelly Denks, who headed the ball into the right side of the goal.