Sept. 4, 2009

Box Score |  Quotes (Video)

MADISON, Wis. - Junior Greg Rosenthal played a prominent role on offense and on defense to help the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to a 1-0 victory over Western Illinois University Friday night at the McClimon Soccer Complex. Rosenthal scored the only goal of the match and contributed with a key team save on the other end, backing freshman goalkeeper John Shakon's first career shutout. The Panthers (1-1-0) top the Leathernecks (0-2-0) for their first victory of the 2009 season in what was the opening game of the Middleton Sports & Fitness Invitational.

"It is definitely good to get that tally in the win column," UWM head coach Jon Coleman said. "It wasn't pretty today, but it was a gutty performance. But it's not always going to be easy. I give the guys a lot of credit and am really proud of them. I think they really worked hard and gutted it out. We had the opportunity to finish, we hung on to the lead and the best thing is that we got the shutout."

Rosenthal netted the game-winner early, scoring in the 10th minute. Shakon made two other saves to preserve the clean sheet for the Panthers.

After a foul in the run of play, junior Peter Sanger set up for a 25-yard free kick from the right flank. His shot over the wall was deflected slightly by the WIU keeper, enough to send it off the post. The ball took the odd angle and bounced right back to the middle of the goal box, where Rosenthal was waiting all by himself to clean up for the goal at the 9:44 mark.

The Leathernecks did have two quality chances for the equalizer in the first, but UWM did not allow them to capitalize on either. A free kick went off the crossbar in the 14th minute before Rosenthal played hero defensively in the 30th minute.

Shakon charged off his line to pick up a ball that was dumped into the box, meeting a WIU player at the same time. The ball squirted away, but Oskar Gasecki's eight-yard liner was stopped at the goal line by Rosenthal.

The second half did not feature many scoring chances for either side. Shakon was called on for a save in the 70th minute and WIU failed to threaten until just about 30 seconds remained in the game, but a 20-yard shot from the top of the box went wide left. The Milwaukee defense was solid all game, allowing just three of 14 Western shots on target.

The Panthers had a good opportunity to make it 2-0 early in the second half, but keeper Stephen Paterson punched a breakaway header from junior Robert Refai wide of the goal on a dive to the post at the 48 minute mark.

In addition, Rosenthal, who sent the long serve to Refai on that play, was carted off the field with a leg injury in the 53rd minute after a hard foul which drew a yellow card.

Milwaukee was credited with eight first half shots and Western Illinois nine. UWM's other real quality chance came in the 23rd minute, but freshman Cody Banks sent a close-range header just high off a nice lead pass from Refai. Shakon made a nice diving save on a 10-yard shot about two minutes before the half to keep it at 1-0 at intermission.

For the game, Western edged UWM , 14-to-11 in shots, but trailed 5-to-3 in shots on goal. Milwaukee was whistled for 19 of the 29 fouls and forced five of the seven corner kicks in the match. Senior Nicholas Gerard-Larson led the team with three shots.

Milwaukee closes out the weekend at the Middleton Sports & Fitness Invitational Sunday, taking on Virginia Tech with a start time of 11:30 a.m.