MILWAUKEE – A fourth-minute goal from Haley Johnson jumpstarted an impressive first half, as the Milwaukee women's soccer team went on to record a 3-1 victory over Northern Illinois Sunday night at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (2-0) raced out to a 3-0 halftime lead against the Huskies (0-1) and cruised through the second half, with a late penalty kick denying the shutout in the home opener.
 
"I thought we came out really well," head coach Troy Fabiano said. "Home opener … emotions are high … you get a start like that and everyone is riding high. We were buzzing around and moving the ball like we should. Second half, I felt like they maybe had the better of play. I thought maybe we took our foot off the gas too much."
 
Milwaukee rattled off 11 first-half shots, finding the back of the net on the first of the evening. Rachel Phillpotts played a ball out wide to Rafferty Kugler, taking a touch to clear space. Kugler's serve to the box was headed in impressively by Johnson, who netted her second goal of the young season at the 3:36 mark.
 
In the 19^th minute it was another header, this time by Mackenzie Schill. McKaela Schmelzer brought the ball into the attacking third, laying off for Johnson on the left side. Johnson sent her touch far post, where Schill was able to redirect it back and make it 2-0 at the 18:53 mark.
 
The Panthers nearly tacked on a couple in the 39^th minute, with Brooke Parnello sending a blast off the crossbar and Taylor Hattori nearly getting one of her own – only to have an impressive leap by the NIU keeper knock the ball off the crossbar as well.
 
Rafferty Kugler did make it 3-0 in the 41^st minute, volleying a cross from Morgan Koerber inside the post for the final tally of the evening.
 
The second half did see the Huskies with a much better run of play, seeing MKE outshoot the visitors by a 9-to-5 total after intermission following a dominant 11-to-1 count in the first half. Northern Illinois did find a goal in the 79^th minute on a penalty kick, but that was as close as the score would get.
 
"Northern's movement was pretty good and we had some issues with it," Fabiano said of the second half. "It gave us a lesson on what to work on moving forward."
 
The Panthers ended the evening with a 20-to-6 advantage in shots, with a 6-to-3 edge in shots on goal. Hattori and Johnson paced the offense with three shots each. In net, Allie Strottman got the start once again, recording a pair of saves in her 85:24 of scoreless action. Olivia Davies-McDaniel came on to make her 2019 debut as well.
 
Johnson and Kugler tallied a goal and assist each.
 
Up next for the squad is a trip to Indiana State Friday, kicking off against the Sycamores at 6 p.m. CST.