State bound: Schultz's last-second goal propels Rice Lake girls soccer to state tournament

Playing all 80 minutes is always the goal, and it's never paid more dividends for the Rice Lake girls soccer team.

With just four seconds remaining in the game, Audriana Schultz put the ball in the net for the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Ashland in Saturday's Division 3 sectional championship.

"It’s play to 80, it’s not play to 79," coach Shawn Gilbert said. "I wasn’t sure if when Hannah [Miller] got that ball in the midfield if we were just going to boot it and go for overtime but we made a play on it. Audriana made a great run and a great touch."

Rice Lake received the No. 4 seed for state and will play No. 1 Plymouth in a semifinal match Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee. It will be the Warriors' third state appearance and first since 2018.

It was an evenly played game between Rice Lake (12-5-6) and Ashland, which were meeting up in the sectional final for the third time in the last four seasons. With regulation entering its final minute, it appeared the contest was destined for overtime. Instead, the Warriors made one final push.

Ashland (19-3-1) had a goal kick with 25 seconds remaining and Miller got possession for the Warriors just across midfield. She spun past a defender and moved the ball up to Maddie Gilbert with just 15 seconds to go. Gilbert advanced the ball as the 10-second countdown began and her pass forward got deflected by an Ashland defender. But the ball rolled toward the net with Schultz on the run and a defender to beat. With an opponent on her back and the goalkeeper running out to contest, Schultz sent a left-footed kick into the goal and the Warriors to state.

"I was just crying," Schultz said. "It was so much happiness for myself and the seniors on the team — a whole bunch of emotions."

Rice Lake has a senior class of eight, and in each of the past three years the season has ended in heartbreak with sectional final losses. The Warriors were back in the sectional championship with a familiar foe in the Oredockers, who ended the Warriors' season in both 2021 and 2023. With just seconds to spare the Warriors put the ball in the net to oust the Oredockers and punch their ticket to state.

"It was amazing," senior captain Maude Spagnolo-Salisbury said of the dramatic ending. "I think all of us almost had a heart attack. It was incredible."

Rice Lake goalkeeper Ayla Zuzek made six saves, while Ashland's Cadence Williams had four saves.

With a big senior class and an experience lineup, this year's Warriors looked poised for another deep playoff run. The season wasn't without adversity though as Rice Lake lost two starters to injury in the last three weeks. Leading scorer at the time, Julia Holthaus, suffered an injury on May 16 and in the Warriors' last playoff game against West Salem senior Addison Leaf exited in the second half and also missed Saturday's game. But others have stepped up to the challenge to get Rice Lake to state.

"These girls have worked so hard," coach Gilbert said. "I’m so happy for them — with losing two starters and our top scorer, to keep going and keep driving and not throw in the towel.

"We knew that Ashland was good, they are a phenomenal team. We played them solid the whole game. It was a very even match. So for us to squeak one in was just fantastic."