Box Score |  Notes

SHOREWOOD, Wis. (Sept. 5, 2010) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team scored three first-half goals and withstood a pair of second-half scores by Michigan State to hand the Spartans a 3-2 loss Sunday afternoon at Shorewood High School.

The Panthers (2-2-1) picked up their second win of the season over a Big Ten opponent, getting goals from Sarah Hagen, Makenzie Gillaspie and Keara Thompson and a pair of assists from Helen Steinhauser.

Michigan State (3-2), which was ranked No. 2 in the Great Lakes Region and received votes in the national poll this week, did its scoring in the first eight minutes after halftime, but could not get an equalizer.

"I'm happy that we held them off," UWM head coach Michael Moynihan said. "We could not have gotten off to a better start in the first half. We held the ball, had a lot of dangerous chances and could probably have gotten a couple more. To be up 3-nil at half is a good thing. We went into halftime and talked about just surviving the first 10 minutes of the second half and didn't survive more than a minute."

Milwaukee came out of the gates on fire and controlled the pace of play throughout the opening period. Steinhauser set up Hagen's goal in the 10th minute. Her long ball over the Spartan defense sprung Hagen, who slotted a ball to the far post while finding off a defender.

In the 27th minute, it was Steinhauser's corner kick from the far side that enabled Gillaspie to make it a 2-0 game. The corner went to the post at the near side and Gillaspie headed it back across the goal mouth over the outstretched hands of the keeper.

Exactly seven minutes later, Thompson struck for what turned out to be the game-winner on another play built out of the back. Nicole Sperl took a free kick just outside her team's defensive third and sent a ball that Hagen flicked past the MSU defense. Thompson tracked down the ball and one-touched the ball to the far post and in.

For the half, Milwaukee outshot the Spartans, 10-5, and forced six corner kicks.

In the second half, however, Michigan State seized momentum and made it a 3-2 game by the 54th minute. After that second goal, the game evened out, until MSU looked to push forward and tie the game in the closing minutes. The Panther defense, however, held fast and preserved the win.

UWM finished with an 18-15 shot edge and 9-1 advantage in corner kicks. Leslie Deebach manned the nets for Milwaukee, making five wins and picking up her first win of the season. Jill Flietstra stopped six shots for the visiting Spartans.

The Panthers return to action with a pair of state rival games this week. Milwaukee plays at Marquette Wednesday and Wisconsin Sunday. Wednesday's match is set for a 7 p.m. kick off.