Nov. 15, 2002

Box Score | Horizon League Men's Soccer Tournament Page

MILWAUKEE - Antou Jallow scored twice in the second half to help the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to a 3-1 win over Butler in the semifinals of the Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship at Engelmann Field.

The Panthers (17-1-1), ranked eighth nationally and the regular season champions in the league, will face Cleveland State (10-10) Sunday at noon for the league's post-season crown and an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings beat UIC, 5-3, in the first semifinal earlier Friday.

"We played reasonably well, I thought," UWM head coach Louis Bennett said. "We didn't take care of some chances in the first half but we also didn't give away any chances. People come to Engelmann Field expecting a lot of goals but soccer just isn't like that."

UWM actually broke into the scoring column in the first minute of the match. Tighe Dombrowski was taken down in the box and senior Evan Richardson converted the ensuing penalty kick to give the Panthers a 1-0 edge just 49 seconds in. UWM continued to press the attack and control much of the play in the half, but with Butler goalkeeper Grant Barrie making six saves in the first 45 minutes, the Panthers carried just a 1-0 lead into intermission.

The Panthers appeared to then take control of the match early in the second half when Jallow, the League Player of the Year, made it 2-0, converting in the 53rd minute from just three yards out following some nifty passing from Kyle Lance and Chad Dombrowski.

But the Bulldogs rallied, pulling within a goal in the 69th minute on a strike from the left side of the penalty box by Scott Olsen. His shot came off the rebound of a Nick Pantazi shot that hit the post. Butler then nearly tied the match moments later, but Michael Mariscalco was stoned in front of the goal by Panther netminder Chris Dadaian, one of his four saves on the day, to preserve the one-goal lead.

Then, in the 79th minute, Jallow's 22nd goal of the season provided insurance for the Panthers, as he took a pass from Chad Dombrowski and converted under Barrie from 14 yards out.

The win, in which UWM outshot Butler, 24-11, is the Panthers' 17th-straight, the longest winning streak in the nation.

"Butler is a good team and a proud team with some nice players," Bennett said. "They weren't just going to roll over. We have a very nice, positive rivalry going with them. It's nice to get a victory and move on."

The Panthers will now be playing in the Horizon League Championship Final for the second-straight year. UWM lost to Butler in last year's league final and has never won the league tournament. The winner Sunday will receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament field of 48, which will be announced Monday. The Panthers will likely be in the tournament win or lose on Sunday, but are also playing in the hopes of earning either a home game in the first round of the tournament or a bye during the first round and a home game during the second round.