Oct. 30, 2010

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Freshman Jordan Record scored the game-winner in the second minute and sophomore John Shakon recorded a four-save shutout to give the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team a 1-0 decision over Wright State University Saturday night at Engelmann Field. With the victory, the Panthers (6-8-2, 4-4-0 Horizon) extend the Raiders (4-11-1, 0-6-1) winless streak to 12 games and also secure a spot in the upcoming Horizon League Tournament.

Record scored the quickest goal to start a contest since 2007, recording his third game-winner of the year just 74 seconds into the match. He slotted home a short centering pass from sophomore Andrew Wiedabach after sophomore Cody Banks found Wiedabach at the corner of the penalty area.

"As a team, we haven't started well of late, but have had very good second halves," UWM head coach Chris Whalley said. "So, we really focused on having a good first half and pressing Wright State early. We changed it up a bit tactically and, obviously, it worked when we got the early goal. I think it gave us a bit of confidence in the first half."

The Panthers looked to make it a route early, but Banks diving header was saved nicely at the post in the 10th minute and Wiedabach's shot from the flank in the 13th minute hit the post to keep it at 1-0.

"To be fair to Wright State, they hung in there, they fought and they scrapped," Whalley said. "They played their way into the game. We missed a couple of good chances. What we need to learn is that when you are in the ascendency, you need to take your chances and put the game beyond somebody and we didn't do that tonight. But what we did do was show real good character and belief in each other and fought through a second half when we played pretty average. It's nice to win when you don't play as well as you can."

Shakon recorded his fifth shutout of the season with four saves, making a few routine ones before a critical stop late. In the 79th minute, Jordan Haggit rifled a shot through traffic on a run to the goal, but Shakon's save at the post kept it from any possible overtime.

The win was a big one for UWM, securing a spot in the Horizon League Tournament with the decision. The victory improves the team to 12 points (4-4-0), bumping them up to a tie for third with two other teams for the time being. Loyola, which lost, 2-1, to Green Bay tonight, has 10 points (3-3-1) and UIC currently has six with two games to play. If UIC wins out, they bump Loyola for the sixth spot; if Loyola wins its last game, the lowest Milwaukee could finish is sixth.

"From the way the results look, it appears that we are in the tournament," Whalley said. "It gives us confidence. It's another win; it's another clean sheet; that gives us six wins now. I don't see any reason why we can't pick up another couple of wins against the next teams we play, so let's go into the postseason full of confidence. There is not a team in the league that we need to be afraid of; we have played with everybody."

Milwaukee had a couple of chances to extend the lead in the second half, but freshman Robbie Boyd's header off a long serve from freshman Kevin Ferron was saved at the far post in the 70th minute. In addition, Ferron also had a crack at a long free kick from freshman James Ashcroft, but couldn't quite get enough on a short try in the 76th minute.

The Panthers outshot the Raiders by a count of 19-to-8 in the match, including 8-to-3 after intermission. In fact, Wright State did not record a single shot in the second half until the 74th minute. WSU did have four of the six corners and was whistled for 15 of the 29 fouls in the game.

Record finished with a game-high six shots, with Boyd attempting three and three other teammates finishing with a pair each. Haggit led WSU with four shots and Corey Whisenhunt made six saves in defeat.

The final week of the regular season will arrive, with Milwaukee playing two non-conference games the first week of November. First will be the battle for the LeWang Trophy, when UWM welcomes Northern Illinois to Engelmann Field, set for Thursday at 7 p.m.