This isn't how Allison Sanyi wanted to score her first head coaching job. It's like winning a starting job via injury.

But here she is, a mere 23 and one of the youngest head soccer coaches in NCAA Division III. And the interim coach of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's men's and women's soccer teams is dead set on continuing the work of her mentor, Enzo Fuschino, who built the Pioneer men's soccer club into an NCAA Tournament team last year.

While Fuschino continues his recovery from an Aug. 1 heart attack, Sanyi has steered the Pioneers to a sterling early 2-0-1 start. The latest evidence of Platteville's emergence as a national player came with Wednesday night's hard-earned 1-1 draw with No. 4-ranked Loras College at the Rock Bowl.

"It's horrible circumstances," Sanyi said. "But both programs and myself are trying to make the best of it. The goal of our season is to keep what Enzo built going."

Chris Brown drove home a Dan Howard feed at 10:56 and the UW-Platteville defense snuffed out a number of fine Loras offensive set

UD women beat rival Clarke; men battle to tie The University of Dubuque soccer teams are showing no interest in tasting defeat. The Spartans' men's and women's clubs remained unbeaten Wendesday. Nick Kasper made eight saves to ensure the UD men's 1-1 two-overtime draw with Clarke at Oyen Field. Idrissa Soumaoro scored off a Nick McDonald assist at 8:45 as the Spartan men moved to 3-0-1. Matthew Carlson found the net in the 72nd minute for the Crusaders (1-2-2). In women's action, Sara Fassbinder, Ashly Hamilton and Chelsea Kittleson scored as Dubuque improved to 4-0 with a 3-1 victory over the Crusaders (1-3). Clete Campbell

pieces to play to a 110-minute stalemate with a Duhawks team coming off consecutive Final Four berths.

"We came out to make a statement and I think we did that," said Brown, a sophomore midfielder from McFarland, Wis., who has already found the net three times this season. "This will make a lot of teams aware of what we can do."

Sanyi was in the surreal, somewhat uncomfortable position of facing off against her former coach, Duhawks boss Dan Rothert. She was also facing the school she represented for four years as a standout midfielder on Loras' women's team.

"As a head coach it's always intimidating going against Rothert," Sanyi said. "He's a great coach. Now I know what it was like for teams playing against us when I was at Loras."

Sanyi is the eighth Rothert protege and assistant coach to head a collegiate program. Rothert isn't surprised Sanyi has Platteville going where it left off with Fuschino. The Pioneers drove to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament last year. Fuschino is resting and rehabilitating at home after spending more than a month in the hospital.

"Allison's got a lot of maturity for her age," Rothert said. "She was able to step into a difficult situation and get everybody on board. It's a very difficult thing to do, especially being a female coach of a men's team."

While she's a rarity in college sports, Brown said Sanyi immediately earned the respect of her club.

"She let us know she's the boss right away and I respect her for it," Brown said. "The team respects her for it. She's smart. She pushed us hard right away."

Still, Loras (2-0-1) refused to allow Platteville to get out of town with the biggest regular-season victory in program history. Chris Cornstock skipped a Miguel Bonilla pass past Kris Bosshart to the left corner of the net at 36:05 to even the match at 1. Neither team could convert a goal from there despite golden scoring chances. Energized Loras senior midfielder Matt Splittgerber -- back on the field after missing most of the 2008 season with a devastating ankle injury -- helped deny consecutive UW-P corner kicks in the 99th minute and keep the match even.

"There was a time when he didn't and I didn't know if he would make it back to where he was before," Rothert said. "But he's back. That kid's all heart."