Nov. 2, 2003

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - It was an emotional day at Engelmann Field as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee honored eight seniors in their last home game and endured a competitive match against Northwestern University Sunday Afternoon. With emotions and team energy riding high, the Panthers (9-8-1) overcame an early 1-0 deficit to defeat the Wildcats (7-10-1) by a final score of 2-1.

The Panthers fell behind to the Wildcats in the 11th minute of play when NU's leading scorer, Aileen Guiney, scored her fourth goal of the year to put NU up 1-0. Playing on a rainy, cold day, Northwestern took the lead in shots 10-0. The Panthers withstood the barrage of shots and raindrops and remained consistent in the defensive plan and patient in their offensive chances.

Using that poise, UWM made sure to make the most of its first shot. Sophomore Elizabeth Chudy found a tipped ball from Jenny Graczyk and turned it into a game-tying goal with under two minutes remaining in the first half. Chudy and the Panther entered halftime with a tie game and a newfound sense of confidence.

The Panthers returned to the second half of the match to stifle Northwestern's offensive attack with a steady dose of team defense. Relying on patience, the UWM offense again made the most of its chances. Entering the 64th minute, the Panther offense found itself inside the Northwestern goal box with an opportunity to take the lead. Amidst the flurry of players attacking for the ball, Erin Shaughnessy found Elizabeth Chudy who sent home her second goal of the game and the game-winner. Moments later, the Panthers found themselves with another great offensive chance as Shaughnessy flew past the Northwestern defenders before getting tripped up from behind. Looking for a call for the penalty kick from the referee, the Panthers appeared to be sparked by the no call.

"When 'Shawno' got tripped up, I definitely thought we would be awarded a penalty kick," Moynihan said. "The fact that the call wasn't made seemed to step up the emotional level of our play and we really came through."

The 2-1 victory over Northwestern ensured the Panthers of a winning record against Big Ten teams (2-1). It was also uplifting because the day was centered around eight Panther seniors who started and played their final game at Engelmann Field. Evann Franklin, Erin Shaughnessy, Megan Mann, Jeney Walter, Sommer Rouse, Jamie Goller, Alexa Torres and Lisa Bengtsson were all honored before the start of Sunday's game and were all in the starting lineup.

"Our seniors have done a great job for us this season," Moynihan added. "They all worked very hard from the first time they stepped on campus and I know that the entire team wanted to pull this game out for them. We wanted to end on a high note by winning at home, but winning at home for the seniors really made this game special. There was an energy about the team today that just made the entire game tremendous."

The Panthers will ride the victory over Northwestern to a week of training as they will prepare for the start of the 2003 Horizon League Tournament. The tournament is set to start Thursday, November 6. The Panthers are the No. 1 seeded team and will receive a first-round bye. They will play the winner of Wright State vs. Detroit on Friday, November 7 at 5:00 p.m. at Loyola Soccer Park.