Box Score

CHICAGO, Ill. (Nov. 7, 2008) - Senior Sarah Teegarden headed home the game-winning goal with 1:48 remaining in regulation to propel the No. 19 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team to a 2-1 win over Wright State Friday night in the Horizon League Semifinals at Loyola Soccer Park.

The Panthers (17-2-2), who set a school record for wins in a season, won for the eighth-straight time to advance to their 10th league title game, extending a league record. Milwaukee will take on Loyola Sunday at 1 p.m. These two teams met in the 2007 championship game and played to a 2-2 tie.

"That's always been our goal, to win the conference tournament," UWM head coach Michael Moynihan said. "That has eluded us that last two years. We are hungry for it. Loyola got the better of us during the regular season and got us on PKs during the tournament last season. They have been something of a nemesis for us. We are looking forward to playing them again."

Teegarden scored the game-winner in the league semifinals for the second-straight season and tied a school record with her 11th career game-winning goal. UWM earned back-to-back corner kicks late in the game's final minutes and sophomore Nicole Sperl sent her second corner kick to the near post where Teegarden was able to drive a header past the Raider keeper.

"We just worked on that exact play," Moynihan said. "Sperl had a great serve and found Teegs. It's kind of nice for someone like her to get the game-winner because she does so much for us that goes unheralded. If you are trying to look at a program and build something, you look at her sense of spirit and work rate and effort and that embodies what we want our program to be about."

The goal capped a second half where the Panthers dedicated to the attack to break a 1-1 tie. After a fairly even back-and-forth first half, Milwaukee was the dominant team after halftime. The team controlled possession and spent much of the frame on the attack and eventually broke through for the game winner.

"That was a battle. We knew it was going to becoming in," Moynihan said. "They are pretty athletic, they have some players that play with a lot of heart. It was every bit what we expected. There were some rough stretches during the game I felt as the game went on we started to take control in the second half and wore them out a little bit. We started to generate some better chances. It was pretty much the first time this season where we were forced to win the game in the closing minutes. It's a good feeling. They are very excited. It helps in establishing a different sense of belief."

Junior Erin Kreuser got the scoring started in the 12th minute off an assist from freshman Sarah Hagen. Hagen flicked a ball to Kreuser, who blasted a shot past the Raider keeper to make it 1-0. Kreuser scored a goal in her third-straight game, while Hagen tallied a point in her school-record eighth-straight match.

In the 29th minute, Wright State managed to tie the score off a close free kick. WSU drew a foul a few yards outside the box, giving it a free kick in the area of a corner kick. Megan Bush took the free kick and found Amber Kasmer at the near post for a header.

Milwaukee outshot the Raiders, 13-7, and held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks. UWM was also ahead in fouls, 13-10, and drew an uncharacteristic three yellow cards. The team had three over the first 20 games of the season.

Senior Erin Kane made five saves for the Panthers to preserve the win. On the other side of the field, Meghan Hackerson stopped three shots for the Raiders.