The only thing possibly better than qualifying for your first-ever playoff game is playing in your second.

UW-Platteville made its NCAA Division III post-season debut successful, defeating visiting Wartburg 1-0 Thursday night in a rainy Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium.

Ben Terpening scored at 67:12, and the Pioneers posted their 11th shutout of the season to advance to the second round. The Pioneers will take their 14-4-1 record into Carleton College Sunday at 1 p.m. Wartburg, the Iowa Conference tournament champion, finished 15-7.

"It's an amazing feeling," Pioneer Coach Enzo Fuschino said. "Not only did we make it for the first time, but we got a win. I knew these guys had the desire to not stop here and keep going. And they did it. The last couple of days have been crazy with all these e-mails from Ireland and Iraq. I know we had a good alumni following. They were very proud of us. We talked strategy yesterday, but today before the game all I did was read the e-mails from the alumni, and I think that did the trick. The guys left everything on the field."

The Pioneers started strong, playing most of the first half on the Knights' side of the field. Wartburg then answered with a strong start to the second period before the Pioneers changed the momentum--and the score. Chris Brown stole a pass near mid-field, and passed to B.J. Gottschlich who ran up the right side. Gottschlich fed Terpening in the middle, who put a low shot past Knight goalkeeper Trent Michael from 12 yards out.

"It's been one of the plays we've been working on all week," Fuschino said. "We wanted to get the steals at midfield and have quick counters because we have speed at the top. We wanted to isolate our forwards and get the one-on-ones. We've been dangerous with that play all year."

Terpening credited good teamwork with the game-winner.

"I ran up the middle and saw B.J. take it outside," he said. "I knew he would get the ball to me in the middle, and all I'd have to do is put a touch on it. As soon as I hit it, I knew it was going in. It felt like the game was over. It's the greatest feeling ever."

The Pioneer defense put the clamps on the Knights, limited them to three shots on goal and not allowing very many touches by Eduardo Axcer Way, a standout freshman who has a team-high nine goals. With second-leading scorer Victor Mudzinganyama out with an injury, the Knights could not connect with Axcer Way, thanks to the UWP defenders.

"He had four goals the last two games and was really peaking at the right time," Fuschino said. "We did a good job stopping him."

Goalkeeper Kris Bosshart made three saves, denying an Axcer Way blast and a close rip by Nate Gottsacker in the first half and then a middle shot by Geoff Miller with 2:50 to play that preserved the 1-0 win.

"It means everything, especially for seniors like myself," Terpening said. "It means I have at least another game in my career. It's awesome."

Carleton defeated the Pioneers 1-0 back on Sept. 4, the Pioneers' lone home loss in the last two seasons.

"Hopefully we can get some redemption," Terpening said. "They beat us at our place, so hopefully we can go there and beat them at theirs and make it to another round."

The Pioneers out-shot Carleton 9-4, but Ryan Cammarota's first-half goal was the difference.

"Carleton is the only team to beat us here in a game we believe could have gone the other way, but they were the better team that day," Fuschino said. "Now we have a shot at them again. We're going to take it one day at a time. I have total confidence in them that they will give me everything they have, and we'll see what happens."