Sept. 25, 2005

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

SPOKANE, Wash. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team ended the Nike Gonzaga Soccer Classic on Sunday afternoon in the same place they started, playing to a second-consecutive 1-1 tie on the weekend. This time it was against host Gonzaga University, as junior Craig Mallace scored in the 82nd minute to force overtime. The Panthers (3-1-3) finished in third place in the event with the draw against the Bulldogs (2-3-2).

"Today was a tough situation that was a mirror-image of Friday," Milwaukee head coach Louis Bennett said. "I was not happy with the tie, but under the circumstances I am probably satisfied that our guys got something positive out of the match."

After falling behind 1-0 on a penalty kick in the 78th minute, UWM struck for the equalizer quickly. The goal came on a set piece after a Gonzaga foul just 4:11 later. Mallace took the 30-yard free kick and sent it floating towards the goal. Both sophomore Steve Bode and a Bulldog defender went up for the ball in the box. Bode did not get a touch on the free kick, but it grazed off the Gonzaga player and over the outstretched hands of keeper Vito Higgins to knot it at 1-1 on the scoreboard.

Neither team generated much offense in the two overtime sessions. The Panthers had two shots in the second overtime, but neither was a quality opportunity. Their best chance in the first overtime came in the 93rd minute, when junior Steve Sperl sent a header wide on the only shot of the period. UWM's defense stiffened as the game progressed, not allowing the Bulldogs any shots in the final 33-minutes, 24-seconds of the match.

The Panthers had a couple of chances to end it in regulation. Sperl sent a header wide off a cross from sophomore Tenzin Rampa with 2:46 remaining, while Mallace cracked a 30-yard blast from the left flank that was stopped by Higgins with 5:40 left.

"To win games you have to finish chances," Bennett said. "I don't think we have a major problem, but we definitely have an issue. In both games this weekend we had a lot of chances. We created quite a few opportunities that we didn't take advantage of."

The game was scoreless for the first 77:16 before the penalty kick. The play in question occurred when Mallace was called for tripping a Bulldog player in the top of the box. Freshman goalkeeper Grant Fernstrum guessed correctly and got a piece of the ball, but Mark Stock converted to make it 1-0.

The first half of the game went back-and-forth between the squads, with the Panthers creating no real flow or tempo on offense. They struggled as well with second phase attacks.

Things improved in the second half, with Milwaukee putting together much better-looking offensive runs to start the period. The biggest threat to break the scoreless tie came in the 63rd minute, when sophomore Ken Ogorzalek finessed a perfect pass from midfield through two defenders to Sperl on the breakaway. Sperl put a well-struck ball on goal from 20-yards out, but the save was made to keep it at zeroes.

The defense did its job all day, allowing no shots on goal in the contest outside of the penalty kick. The trio of Fernstrum, sophomore Steve Bode and junior Billy Meier were the catalysts.

"The triangle of Fernstrum, Bode and Meier allows the others do to their thing," Bennett said. "They have the bulk of the defensive responsibilities and really gave us some stability this weekend. Besides the penalty kicks, Grant only had two or three quality opportunities to field."

Fernstrum - who started both games on the weekend - did not have his play in goal go unnoticed. He was named the Defensive MVP of the Tournament at the conclusion of the day.

For the second game in a row, the Panther coaching staff did not see eye-to-eye with the referee. The foul count was 24-to-13 in favor of Gonzaga and the flow of the game was being stopped constantly.

"That was the first time I have ever seen the same referee be assigned in back-to-back games in a weekend tournament," Bennett said. "The foul count, the treatment of the players, it all affected the result. Our guys really did the best they could to rise above it again today."

Milwaukee outshot their opponents for the sixth-straight game, finishing with an 11-to-7 advantage overall and a 4-to-1 edge in shots on goal. The Bulldogs had six corner kicks to three for the Panthers. Higgins finished with three saves, while Fernstrum had zero saves as part of the excellent defensive showing for UWM.

Oregon State ended up winning the tournament title with a 1-0-1 record. Jacksonville University was second with a 1-1-0 ledger while the Panthers 0-0-2 mark placed them in third. Host Gonzaga finished in fourth at 0-1-1. As noted before, Fernstrum earned Defensive MVP honors to go along with Oregon State's Brett Gardner as Offensive MVP.

UWM will open up defense of their Horizon League regular season title on Thursday, making the trip to Ohio to take on Cleveland State. The match against the Vikings is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start.