MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee men's soccer team scored a goal in both halves in claiming a 2-0 victory over Cardinal Stritch in the 2019 exhibition opener Friday night at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers asserted themselves against the Wolves after scoring a 34^th-minute goal and were in control the rest of the way.
 
"Everybody was excited for tonight – players, coaches – it's the first game of the season," head coach Kris Kelderman said. "But it's just the third day of the preseason, guys were coming into the game fatigued, which is what we expected and understand. We had the opportunity to play everybody tonight and we were very pleased. A lot of excitement and energy out there."
 
Evan Conway found the back of the net at the 33:20 mark, slotting home a close-range centering pass off the head of Josh Kaye. Vuk Latinovich set up the scoring play with a pass to the far post that found Kaye.
 
"We didn't have time to go over a whole lot tactically before the game," Kelderman said. "This really was getting familiar with everyone, improving our fitness and learning each other's tendencies."
 
It was Latinovich in the second half for the other goal, sending a 22-yard free kick into the bottom right corner of the net for the 2-0 advantage at the 49:43 mark.
 
Following a slow opening stretch where both teams were getting a feel for getting back on the field for the first time in 2019, the Panthers started to connect on passes in the offensive third.
 
Matthew Cahill made his presence known in his MKE debut, putting a pair of shots on target – including a near-goal in the 16^th minute that was pushed just wide with an impressive save by the Stritch keeper.
 
The first goal came off a corner kick opportunity. Latinovich was on the end of the first pass, sending the ball to the far post for Kaye. Kaye sent it back in the front of goal off his head, where a charging Conway was there to send it into the back of the net and break up the scoreless battle.
 
Theo Campbell almost sent the home team into the locker room up 2-0, but his crack from just outside of the box went thundering off the right post in the 44^th minute.
 
After allowing five first-half shots, the defense really settled in during the final 45 minutes. The unit allowed just two attempts in the period, with a fantastic save from newcomer Nick Chiappa keeping the shutout intact in the 72^nd minute.
 
Chiappa played 31:32 in relief of starter Freddy Lorenzen, who was called upon for three saves in the opening 58-plus minutes for the combined clean sheet. One final impressive scoring opportunity saw Henrik Fennefoss get sprung by Alex Sykes, sending the slight breakaway chance whizzing past the left post at the 81:35 mark.
 
For the game, the Panthers posted a 12-to-7 advantage in shots (5-4 in shots in goal) and earned seven of the 12 corner kicks. Latinovich paced the offense with three of the shots, while Fennefoss and Cahill each had a pair. The Wolves were whistled for 16 of the 23 fouls on the night.
 
Milwaukee has the rest of the weekend off before returning to exhibition play Tuesday at Loyola Chicago. Game time against the Ramblers is set for 6 p.m.