MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's soccer team broke open a 1-0 contest with four second-half goals in a span of just over 10 minutes of game time to record a 5-0 victory over UIC Sunday afternoon at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (12-1, 7-0 Horizon League) were in control of the match from start to finish, but put things away against the Flames (1-9-3, 1-4-2 Horizon League) with a flurry of goals starting in the 72^nd minute.
 
"I think the biggest thing is that in the first half, we were able to keep the ball," head coach Troy Fabiano said. "I think our movement was good in the first half against their low pressure. We told the team, be patient and keep moving the ball. Once we got the second goal, it created some more space, and we were able to score some good goals."
 
Up, 1-0, at the break, courtesy of a Maggy Henschler header off a Gaby Schwartz corner kick in the 26^th minute, Milwaukee got a bit lucky on goal No. 2 and then took off from there.
 
It came at the 71:43 mark, with Maggie Woods finding Mackenzie Schill down the sideline. Schill broke towards goal and fired a shot on frame, only to see it go off the UIC keeper's hands, off the left post, and then in to make it 2-0 for her league-leading eighth goal of the campaign.
 
From there, it was on, finishing a span of 10:09 on the scoreboard with four goals and five assists.
 
"Different people scoring; different people creating chances … it's always great getting three points but then we are scoring goals too," Fabiano said.
 
Rachel Phillpotts was next, making it 3-0 with a header at the far post off an endline serve from Rafferty Kugler. The goal was the fourth of the season for Phillpotts, while the assist gave Kugler her seventh of the year to move into second place in the Horizon League.
 
Just over three minutes later, Schill carried the ball across the top of the box, sending a touch to a wide-open Woods for the lofted shot to the upper-90 of the goal to make it 4-0 at the 79:52 mark.
 
Exactly two minutes later, Kayla Rollins got in on the action. Haley Steel won a 50/50 ball at midfield and advanced the ball to Woods. Woods found Rollins and she did the rest, advancing the ball a couple of touches before slotting home her second of the fall from the top of the 18.
 
The game leaned heavily in MKE's favor, finishing with a 26-to-6 advantage in shots, 13-to-2 in shots on goal, and 59 percent possession. The Flames did earn six of the nine corner kicks on the afternoon.
 
Woods paced the MKE offense with her goal and two assists, with Schill adding multiple points as well on her 1G/1A performance, while also leading the way with seven shots. Lesley Kiesling was second with five. The assist for Schwartz was her 16^th of the season, which now ties the MKE single-season mark in the category and continues to lead the NCAA.
 
In net, Elaina LaMacchia (2 saves in 78:42) and Allie Strottman (final 11:18) combined for the fifth time this season on a shutout, also the 10^th of the season overall for the team. LaMacchia did have to make one save of the impressive variety, stopping a ball from distance just 1:41 into the match that would have changed the complexion of the day.
 
Horizon League play continues with two matches next, starting with a Thursday visit to Detroit Mercy. Game time against the Titans is 12 p.m.