Box Score |  Notes

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Sept. 19, 2008) - Freshman Sarah Hagen and junior Kate Megna each scored goals in the second half to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team to a 2-0 win over Boston University Friday evening on the first day of the Minnesota Gold Classic.

The Panthers (7-1-1) and Terriers (4-4) were each receiving votes in the NSCAA national poll, but it was UWM that came out on top after BU handed it a 1-0 defeat the Wisconsin Soccer Classic last season in Madison.

Hagen tallied her 10th goal of the season, and fourth game-winner, in the 57th minute off a corner kick from sophomore Nicole Sperl. The play actually stemmed from a penalty kick attempt set up by Hagen, who was taken down in the box.

Sperl stepped up to the spot, but Janie Reilly guessed right and pushed the ball out of bounds for a corner kick. On the ensuing corner kick, Sperl sent a ball to the far post where Hagen headed the ball home.

Milwaukee, which had come out of halftime in a 3-5-1, gained an advantage in ball control in the second half before its first goal. After that, the team took the momentum and ran with it, leading to a second score.

"At halftime, we put three in the back because they had just one forward," UWM head coach Michael Moynihan said. "Then we had five in the midfield to match their numbers and they didn't have the speed to deal with that. After we scored, we went to a 4-5-1. Our midfielders were making runs and being dangerous. We have been in a few games with a lead and couldn't get the pressure on the ball. We did that and they didn't have anything dangerous."

Senior Beth Steuer and junior Erin Kreuser utilized the corner well, leading to Milwaukee's second goal in the 85th minute. Steuer made a second-straight run at the endline and sent a cross to the middle of the box where Megna volleyed the ball into the goal to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

The first half was played back and forth with each team gaining small spurts in the attacking third. The Terriers held a 6-1 shot advantage, but the Panthers had the half's lone corner kick.

"We were not effective in the first half except for a couple of spurts," Moynihan said. "They were flooding the midfield and we didn't deal with it. Boston did a good job of being diverse in their attacks from the midfield."

Senior keeper Erin Kane was only challenged once in the half, when Elizabeth Speck tried for the far post from 10 yards out, but Kane got her fingers on the ball and kept it out of the ball. BU also had one shot hit the post in the final minutes of the frame.

"They're making progress," Moynihan said of his back line. "We got Kenzie (Gillaspie) back from an injury. She missed four games and in that time Helena (Zbilut), Drea (Wisniewski) and Mary (Wandolowski) each got more experience and now they are on the same page."

For the game, Milwaukee conceded a 11-7 shot advantage, but took two more corner kicks (4-2). Kane finished with three saves for her fourth shutout of the season and the 40th of her career. Reilly, meanwhile, stooped two of the four UWM shots on goal.

The Panthers continue their weekend at the Minnesota Gold Classic Sunday, taking on Brown University at 10:30 a.m.