Nov. 6, 2007

Box Score

DeKALB, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team caught a bad break Tuesday afternoon against Northern Illinois, as an own goal late in the contest was the only score in a 1-0 loss. The Huskies (6-8-4) maintain possession of the LeWang Cup with the victory over the Panthers (5-11-3) in what was the final regular season match for both teams.

Scoreless well into the second half, the Panthers caught a break in the 70th minute when NIU's Luis De La Cerda missed a penalty kick after a foul was called on a Milwaukee defender in the box. UWM looked to use that momentum, but the tide turned on the decisive play just eight minutes later.

"To get a penalty kick called on us and an own goal, we were a bit unfortunate," UWM head coach Jon Coleman said. "But, today was a tune-up for the league tournament and it just shows that we have to take better care of the ball and we have to take better care of details going into the tournament so we don't get into a situation where we give the opposition an easy opportunity even though we play well and control the game."

A foul was called just prior to the goal, setting up a 25-yard free kick for Northern Illinois. De La Cerda took the free kick, floating one in front of the goal box. The ball went off freshman Raphael Martinez in the opposite direction of where junior goalkeeper Grant Fernstrum was, deflecting into the back of the net.

"Northern Illinois is a team that lives on set pieces," Coleman said. "We went into the game not wanting to give away any silly fouls or easy set pieces. We did, we lost track of our guy and the ball went off (Raphael) Martinez and into the back of the net."

Milwaukee had a couple of chances in the final 10 minutes, but could not break through for the equalizer. Junior Colin Baker got free behind the defense with just over two minutes left, but his 15-yard shot was saved.

Martinez was also on the end of a close call, sending a header off a free kick just high in the 79th minute.

Despite playing into a stiff wind in the first half, the Panthers outshot the Huskies, 5-to-2, and had the more-dangerous chances as well.

Senior Travis Phillips had two shots before the half, including the closest either team came towards putting one into the back of the net. He nearly caught NIU keeper Brian Van Buren off guard in the 28th minute, sending a low, hard shot on target from about 40 yards away. Van Buren got just enough of it at the far post to push it wide and keep it scoreless.

Fernstrum was called on to make just one save before the half, coming on a slow shot from the top of the box early on. He did, however, stop numerous opportunities in the first 45 minutes by coming up with the ball on crosses and corner kicks and also stopping a breakaway threat. The defense did the rest, allowing Northern Illinois just two shots in the period.

Fernstrum ended up with four saves in the game, including a brilliant stop of a shot in the 66th minute where he came off his line to stop a close-range shot after Juan Hoyas snuck through the defense on a run to the goal. Van Buren was credited with three stops and the win.

For the game, UWM outshot NIU, 10-to-9, and also held the edge in corner kicks by a 7-to-3 count. The Huskies were whistled for 21 of the game's 37 fouls.

The Panthers will have the next nine days off and the opportunity to watch the first two rounds of the Horizon League Tournament this weekend, courtesy of the bye into the semifinals they received as the second seed in the tournament. Milwaukee will open play in the semifinals next Friday in Chicago (at Loyola), Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m. against UIC, Wright State or Valparaiso.