Sept. 28, 2003

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team certainly wasn't short on drama this week. Four days after beating crosstown rival Marquette in overtime, the clutch Panther squad struck again, this time using a second overtime goal from Erin Shaughnessy to defeat Wright State University 3-2 in Horizon League play. UWM has now won three straight contests and improves to 3-5-1 and 2-0-0 in the Horizon League. Meanwhile, the tough-luck Raiders fall to 3-7-1 and 0-2-0 in league play.

"Games don't get much more exciting than that although I wish it didn't have to be that way," UWM head coach Michael Moynihan said. "We certainly dug ourselves a bit of a hole in the first half by giving up those two goals. But, we made some adjustments and really came at them in waves in the second half. Our depth, which has been a strength for us in league play, certainly helped us today."

Milwaukee appeared to be in control of the game early on and actually took a 1-0 lead at the 15:19 mark. Ginny Graczyk served a long ball to Elizabeth Chudy, who played it to Lisa Bengtsson. The senior then took two dribbles to her right and beat WSU keeper Steph Comisar to the far post. The goal was the first of the season for the 2002 Horizon League Tournament MVP.

Wright State wasted little time in mounting a comeback, as they scored just 41 seconds later. Jen Hansen flicked in a shot right in front of the net after corraling a baseline cross from Michelle Sarmiento. WSU made good in just their second shot of the game just over four minutes later when Mary Beth Young gave the Raiders a 2-1 lead. Jodie Shoaf fed Young who hammered a 18-yard shot over the head of Panther goalkeeper Kerri St. Aubin.

UWM turned things up a notch in the second half while trying to score the equalizing goal and keep its 18-match Horizon League unbeaten streak in tact. Milwaukee continued to press the Raider defense and looked to have the game tied in the 75th minute. However, Katie Campion's header drilled the cross bar and bounced away.

Things got interesting in the closing minutes of the first half and UWM's chances of victory looked bleak. Panther goalkeeper Molly Schneider was ejected from the game at the 86:03 mark when she handled a ball outside of the penalty area. The Panthers, now playing a man down, were still able to tie the match less than two minutes later. Ginny Graczyk sent a corner kick into the box where fellow freshman Taylor Powell headed it past Comisar for the tying goal with just 2:11 remaining on the clock.

Milwaukee headed into its second consecutive overtime, although this time taking the field a man down. Both teams took a shot apiece in the first overtime but were unable to muster any real scoring opportunties. UWM pressured Wright State in the second OT but the match was seemingly headed for a tie. However, a Wright State foul with forty seconds remaing gave the Panthers a free kick. Graczyk, UWM's best long range weapon, launched a forty-yard kick into a group of players towards the goal. The ball bounced once before Shaughnessy beat everyone and headed a shot home from three yards away. The walk-off goal was the first of the season for the senior and the third of her four-year career.

"We have a young team and I challenged them before the game and at halftime to step up to the challenge," added Moynihan. "I think in the second half they really showed some maturity in battling back. Ginny Graczyk really helped us out with her ability to drive long balls to our dangerous players. It's certainly a nice weapon to have."

The Panthers outshot Wright State 18-6 on the game and took six corner kicks to WSU's zero. Graczyk assisted on all three UWM goals, becoming the first play since Amy Oechsner on Sept. 9, 2001 to tally three helpers in a game.

UWM will take its three-game winning streak on the road for a Friday (Oct. 3) 6:00 p.m. contest at Cincinnati. The Panthers will then return home for a Sunday (Oct. 5) Horizon League tilt versus Loyola.