MENOMONIE, Wis. — UW-River Falls and Wis.-Stout battled to a 1-1 draw on Friday night in a defensive NCAA Division III matchup that saw both scholar-athletes create few clear-cut scoring opportunities. The visiting Falcons, competing without athletic scholarships like their hosts, equalized late in the second half to secure the tie on October 31.
Isak Rollins gave Wis.-Stout an early advantage in the 45th minute, assisted by Marwan Kaddah, as the Blue Devils seized control after halftime. The goal came moments after the teams emerged from the locker room, capitalizing on UW-River Falls' defensive vulnerability during the transition period.
UW-River Falls responded with determination, pushing forward through the middle stages of the second half. Josh Villanueva equalized in the 70th minute with an assist from Victor Vancauteren, restoring parity and energizing the visiting squad's conference tournament hopes.
The remainder of the match featured intense pressure from both sides, particularly UW-River Falls, which generated nine corner kicks compared to Wis.-Stout's single corner. Despite the territorial advantage, neither team could break through for a winner. Goalkeeper Jaden Mendias made a crucial save late for the Falcons, denying a low shot from Patrick Zich in the 87th minute.
Both teams finished with identical shot statistics: four shots on goal from 13 total attempts for UW-River Falls and four on goal from eight attempts for Wis.-Stout