Oct. 22, 2002

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Often times rivalry games aren't pretty. Emotions get involved. Play can get rough and any outcome is possible. However, the No. 10 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team was able to put all the "extras" aside in defeating crosstown rival Marquette University 2-0 in non-conference action here Tuesday (October 22). Adding to the hoopla of the game, Milwaukee was shooting for, and got, its 12th straight win on the season, a streak that is now tied for best in school-history and sits as the second-longest current streak in the nation. With the win, UWM improved to 12-1-1 on the year while the Golden Eagles fell to 6-7-0.

With the Milwaukee Cup, a traveling trophy given to the winning team in each year's game, and the winning streak on the line, the Panthers remained cool and composed throughout the physical and hotly-contested battle. Milwaukee was able to assert control of the game, score early on, and force Marquette into playing from behind. The high-flying Milwaukee offense scored one goal in each half while the underappreciated UWM defense posted its sixth shutout of the season behind senior goalkeeper Chris Dadaian.

"It wasn't really pretty out there but we were able to persevere and win the game," UWM head coach Louis Bennett said. "This was a workmanlike performance by our team. We played well enough to win today and we did just that. Anytime you play a game like this with emotions and rivalries it will be tough. Plus, Marquette is a very good team."

UWM's top-two scorers provided all the damage offensively for the Panthers as B.J. Blake and Antou Jallow each found the back of the net. Blake put Milwaukee on the board first when he volleyed home a nine-yard shot from the far post off a crossing feed from Tighe Dombrowski. Junior forward Kyle Lance was also awarded an assist on the play. The goal, which came at the 26:48 mark, was the sixth of the season for Blake.

Down a goal heading into the second half, Marquette pressured the Panther defense early in the stanza and missed chances at the equalizing goal numerous times. However, with the Golden Eagles pressing hard for the game-tying goal UWM was able to stretch its lead to 2-0 with a counterattack score midway through the stanza. In the 72nd minute, senior defender Chad Dombrowski launched a pass towards the penalty box where brother Tighe Dombrowski then headed it towards the net. With the ball looming dangerously close to the goalline, UWM's Johnny On The Spot, Antou Jallow, headed it into the net for the game-clinching tally.

With the marker, Jallow has now scored sixteen goals on the season, good for third best in the country. The sophomore from Sweden has scored in three straight games and all Horizon League players with 37 points. Meanwhile, with two assists on the night, the fiesty and active Tighe Dombrowski improved his season's assist and point totals to four and eight, respectively.

"Every one of our wins during this streak has been well deserved," Bennett added. "This team has worked hard and this is quite an accomplishment. I don't think some people realize how tough of an accomplishment it really is. Winning that many games in a row is very hard to do, especially when you play tough teams and play half of your games on the road."

The 2002 Panthers will look to stand alone in the record book's with 13 straight victories with another "rivalry" game when the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay comes to town on Friday (Oct. 25). The Horizon League contest is set to begin at 3 p.m. at Engelmann Field.