Sept. 28, 2008

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team overcame another two-goal deficit Sunday afternoon, but could not complete the comeback against Butler University, falling 4-3 in Horizon League action at Engelmann Field. The Panthers (3-3-3, 0-1-1 Horizon) scored late to pull within one, but could not find a way to dig themselves out of an early 2-0 hole against the Bulldogs (6-1-2, 1-0-1 Horizon).

"We have to do a better job of starting out and taking care of details early," UWM head coach Jon Coleman said. "I thought we learned our lesson on Friday [down 2-0 early to Valparaiso], but we dug ourselves too big of a hole today against a good team. We got back in the game, but everything that could have gone wrong in the first half went wrong."

Down 2-0 less than nine minutes into the match, Milwaukee responded with goals by sophomore Peter Sanger at the 15-minute mark and then another by freshman Eric Frazier in the 29th minute to draw even.

Butler would surge ahead after that, regaining the lead in the 33rd minute and then making it 4-2 on a goal by Frank Patano just before halftime.

Sophomore Ross Van Osdol tallied in the 86th minute, but UWM could not find the equalizer. Sanger had the team's best chance in the final minutes, but his close-range shot was saved by Butler keeper Nick Hegeman in the 88th minute.

"It was disappointing [giving up four goals], but the guys showed a lot of heart and determination to get back in the game," Coleman said. "We were not on top of our game. We definitely showed some inexperience today and we can't afford to do that."

After an offensive display in the first, both teams came out strong defensively in the second. Senior goalkeeper Grant Fernstrum made several spectacular saves to keep the Bulldogs potent offense off the scoreboard after halftime. That included one in the 67th minute where he came off his line to challenge Boris Gatzky on a one-on-one breakaway and another in the 55th minute when he punched Patano's close-range header up and over the cross bar when it appeared headed for the back of the net.

Butler scored the two early goals off a free kick and a give-and-go along the end line before UWM found its scoring touch.

Sophomore Robert Refai dribbled down the right side line and sent a long cross into the 18-yard box. The pass threaded its way through the back line to Sanger at the far post. Sanger then beat Hegeman to the ball for an easy tap in for his second goal of the season.

Refai created the second chance as well. He saved the ball from going over the end line at the far side of the box, made a move around a defender and sent a centering pass to Frazier coming in from the top of the 18-yard box. The keeper never had a chance on his 15-yard blast which tied the game at two at the 28:57 mark.

Butler regained control of the game with two more goals before the half. Milwaukee would push forward in the final portion of the game and came within one on Van Osdol's second goal of the season. He worked a nice give-and-go with junior Nicholas Gerard-Larson, with his blast getting slightly redirected by a BU defender on its way into the net.

For the match, the Panthers were outshot, 21-to-12, including an 11-to-7 tally on goal. Fernstrum ended with seven saves in defeat and Hegeman added four. Refai had a season and career-best two assists to lead the Panthers, while Kyle Pateros had two goals and Eduardo Garcia three assists to pace the winners.

Next up, the team faces its first league weekend away from home, traveling to Michigan and Ohio for Horizon League matches against Detroit Friday and Cleveland State Sunday.