Oct. 12, 2003

Box Score

The game of soccer is all about taking care of scoring opportunities. Unfortunately for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team, the ability to finish quality chances eluded them en route to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Oakland University here Sunday (Oct. 12). The contest, which featured two teams on impressive winning streaks, was clinched when OU scored in the game's 88th minute. The loss drops UWM to 6-6-1 on the season while ending its six-match winning streak. Meanwhile, the win was the seventh consecutive for the Golden Grizzlies who improved to 9-3-1 on the season.

"This is a disappointing loss to take because we played so well," UWM head coach Michael Moynihan said. "I thought we did everything right except for the two goals we gave up. This is probably the most dangerous we've been offensively in recent games but we just couldn't capitalize on our scoring chances."

Milwaukee controlled much of the tempo early on, however, Oakland ended up denting the scoreboard first thanks to a UWM defensive miscue. The Panther's Janice McGann's clearing attempt was stolen by Oakland's Silje Peltopera who then fed teammate Shelly Piccirillo. Piccirillo, OU's leading scorer, took the pass and beat UWM goalkeeper Kerri St. Aubin in a one-on-one situation. The goal, which came at the 16:28 mark, gave the Grizzlies a 1-0 lead.

The Panthers continued to press forward in the first half and eventually scored the equalizer in the 36th minute. Ginny Graczyk took one of five UWM first half corner kicks and played the ball to the far post. Junior midfielder Melissa Ricter was there to receive the pass and her header snuck by OU keeper Sarah Buckland, tying the game at one. The goal was the first of the season for Ricter while the assist was Graczyk's team leading fifth of the year.

The two teams played even soccer in the second half with both teams controlling portions of the match. Milwaukee missed two different chances to take the lead when Val Cooper's shot hit the cross bar while forward Erin Shaughnessy missed on a one-on-one situation with Buckland. With overtime looming, Oakland was able to notch the game-winner in the 88th minute. The Grizzlies Beth Howson stole a UWM thrown in and launched a long ball to near midfield. The ball found the feet of Piccirillo who served another long pass towards the UWM goal. There, the ball sailed over the UWM defense where an awaiting Marianne Samdal took the pass, and slipped a shot past Panther keeper Molly Schneider.

"This is a very dejected group right now," added Moynihan. "We had a few defensive miscues, and, to Oakland's credit, they took advantage of that. This was a game of two very good teams and we felt like we could have come away with a victory. We just gave up a couple tough goals and that ended up costing us."

UWM will return to action next Friday (Oct. 17) in a Horizon League showdown at in-state rival UW-Green Bay. The contest is set to begin at 7 p.m. at Phoenix Soccer Field. With a win, Milwaukee will clinch the Horizon League regular season title for the fourth consecutive season.