Box Score |  Notes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Aug. 27, 2006) - Freshman Ilana Bar-Av had four saves for her second-straight shutout and three different players scored goals as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team defeated Bowling Green, 3-0, Sunday afternoon at Engelmann Field.

UWM begins the year 2-0 for the first time since 1997, while the Falcons fall to 0-2.

"It's good to start off the season with two wins," UWM head coach Michael Moynihan said. "I like the progress we made throughout the weekend. Our mentality got better and today we looked more assertive. I'd like us to shoot more and we continue to take a step in the right direction."

The match concluded the 2006 Milwaukee Cup, with the Panthers and Marquette each posting 2-0 records. The Golden Eagles won the cup on a tiebreaker after beating Sacred Heart, 9-0, earlier in the day.

Freshman Erin Kreuser scored the game-winner in the 29th minute, blasting a shot from 25 yards out just under the crossbar. Kreuser dribbled around three defenders, losing the ball and regaining possession, before launching her shot.

Milwaukee was in control throughout the match, holding BGSU to just four shots and generating a number of opportunities on 20 attempts of its own. The Panthers outshot the Falcons, 14-3, in the second half, scoring a pair of goals to put the game out of reach.

"Erin had a very nice goal for us to get our scoring started," Moynihan said. "We put some nice shots on goal and made their keeper make some nice saves. Beth Steuer was also striking the ball well for us."

Junior Taylor Powell picked up her first score of the season on a corner kick in the 54th minute. Junior Amanda Winn sent a corner far post, where the ball rattled around. Freshman Kayla DeJardin got her foot on the ball and Powell redirected the shot into the net.

The Panthers' lead was pushed to 3-0 when freshman Louise Vraney tallied her third goal of the young season. Winn volleyed a long ball past the BGSU defense and keeper from the mid-line circle. Vraney ran onto the ball and put it in the open goal.

On the other side of the field, Bar-Av came up big for UWM, collecting four acrobatic saves in the match. Her counterpart, Tiffany Hansen, made five stops for Bowling Green in just over 82 minutes.

"We were really happy with Ilana's play for us in goal this weekend," Moynihan said. "She had a couple of really good saves. She gives us three quality keepers on the roster and that is a good position to be in."

The Falcons best opportunity came in the 18th minute, when Stacey Lucas had a breakaway attempt. Bar-Av came off her line and snuffed out the play before Lucas could take a shot. Junior Ginny Graczyk cleared the loose ball before BGSU could get another shot off.

Bar-Av, Vraney, Kreuser and Winn were named to the Milwaukee Cup All-Tournament team following the match. Joining the UWM quartet was Bowling Green's Karie Sahly and Brianne Eisenhard, Britney Dupee from Sacred Heart and Meghan Connelly, Christy Zwolski, Lauren Weber and Allison Mallams from Marquette. Mallams was named tournament MVP after finishing with four goals and three assists on the weekend, including two goals and three assists Sunday.

Milwaukee returns to action Sept. 1-3 in Seattle, Wash., at the Husky Invitational. The Panthers open the tournament with defending national champion Portland Friday at 6:30 p.m.