After a one-year absence, the Shaymus Guinn Cup has returned to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's soccer trophy case, as the Warhawks defeated UW-Platteville 2-1 on Sunday at Fiskum Field in Whitewater. This was the third straight win for UW-W as they improve to 10-4-3 this season.
 
The Shaymus Guinn Cup was a cup created to honor Guinn's son, Shaymus, who passed away in December 2012 at the age of 11 after a five-year battle against E-Wing Sarcoma and chemo-induced acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
 
This is the third time in four years that the Warhawks have won the cup.
 
The Warhawks put pressure on the Pioneers early. Taylor Ortiz (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) sent a cross into the box in the eighth minute, and after a failed clear by Platteville, Dylan Hottsmith (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) punched the ball past the keeper for a 1-0 Warhawk lead.
 
Ten minutes later, Issac Monson took the ball down the right sideline, and launched it towards the goal where it was redirected into the net by a Platteville defender to give UW-W a 2-0 lead.
 
Moments later, the Pioneers cut the lead in half on a successful penalty kick.
 
Two minutes before halftime, Pioneer midfielder Braxton Rottinghaus made an attempt at the equalizer from 25 yards out, but Chris Lucatorto (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) was there to make the save and the Warhawks led 2-1 at the half.
 
UW-W had another opportunity thwarted by Platteville when an Isaac Monson (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North) header off of a Jordan Kayser (Elkhorn, Wis./Elkhorn) corner was denied by a Platteville defender on the goal line in the 51st minute.
 
Platteville nearly tied the match in the 71st minute but a header from a corner kick glanced off the crossbar and out of play. Another opportunity in the 84th minute was saved by Lucatorto.
 
Chris Lucatorto (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) earned the win making four saves in the match.
 
At halftime of Sunday's match, the Warhawks recognized the 1986 team and the 30th anniversary of the program's first ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
 
This was the first game of a four game homestand for the Warhawks. Next up, the Warhawks will host North Park on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Fiskum Field.