Box Score |  Notes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Oct. 26, 2008) - Freshman Sarah Hagen scored two goals to lead the 18th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team to a 3-1 win over Valparaiso, Sunday afternoon at Engelmann Field.

With their sixth-straight win, the Panthers (15-2-2, 7-1 Horizon) clinched a share of the 2008 Horizon League regular season championship alongside Loyola. The Ramblers routed Youngstown State 6-1 in Chicago to also finish the league season at 7-1.

"It's a good feeling (to win a ninth-straight league title," UWM head coach Michael Moynihan said. "It was one of the goals we set for ourselves in the beginning of the year. We have to share it, but we have one goal down and several more to achieve. I think we are in good shape to keep going."

The title is the ninth-straight regular season crown for Milwaukee, which is the second-longest active streak in the nation.

The Panthers scored two goals in the first eight minutes, taking advantage of a gusting wind to keep the ball on Valparaiso's side of the field for almost the entire half. Hagen got the scoring started in the fifth minute when the wind sent a clear attempt to the near side of the field and junior Kate Megna. Megna beat her defender to the endline and sent a cross to Hagen, who finished for a 1-0 lead.

Just 3:33 later, junior Erin Kreuser picked up her first goal of the season on a mirrored play. Senior Sarah Teegarden took the ball away from a Valpo defender and entered the box along the endline. She sent a cross towards the middle of the box where Kreuser was able to drive a header toward the near post.

UWM's two goals came on its first two shots of the game, while it generated a number of chances throughout the opening frame. Despite conceding an 11-1 shot advantage to the Panthers, Valparaiso struck for a score in the 22nd minute to make it a 2-1 game at halftime. Kendall Brown sent a ball to the outside, where Sarah Jewell got the ball, entered the box and blasted a shot to the far post just under the cross bar.

"The wind and playing conditions can wreak havoc on a game," Moynihan said. "We had a ton of chances and could have put the game away, but you have to give them credit. There goal was a really nice goal. She really smacked it upper corner."

In the second half, Milwaukee fought the wind, but was still able to control the momentum in the match and much of the possession. Valpo was able to get forward a little more, but was never in position to get the equalizer. Instead, Hagen added her second goal of the game, and 20th of the season, in the 86th minute to make it 3-1.

On that score, freshman Keara Thompson served a ball over the defense to Megna. Megna slotted a ball to Hagen, who drove it past the Crusader keeper for the score.

"If you leave them in the game, the weather conditions sometimes make it difficult to put a team away," Moynihan said. "I thought we started off really well with two goals in eight minutes and we could have piled on a few more. That is something we need to do better with when we have that opportunity."

Two days after outshooting Detroit, 24-2, the Panthers were almost just as dominant, holding a 24-3 advantage in the match Sunday. They also forced six corner kicks, compared to just one by Valpo.

In a battle of the league's top two goalkeepers, senior Erin Kane rarely touched the ball and did not need to make a save in collecting the win. Her counterpart, Mele Cabral, kept the Crusaders close with four saves, including three in the first half.

While the league has not officially announced the pairings for the upcoming league tournament, Milwaukee does know it will be the second seed and will host the No. 7 seed Nov. 2 at Engelmann Field. The game time and opponent will be released either late Sunday or Monday morning.