MILWAUKEE – Paolo Gratton scored in the 86^th minute to send the Milwaukee men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Robert Morris in quarterfinal action of the Horizon League Tournament Sunday afternoon at Engelmann Stadium.
 
"I am proud of the guys and I was pleased with the way we played," head coach Kris Kelderman said. "We went unto halftime and I thought we had control of the game and the tempo and had the majority of the possession – we just needed to be a little sharper in front of the attacking goal. That was the one thing that was missing."
 
On a beautiful fall day with temperatures in the 60's, the Panthers (9-7-1) got the goal from Gratton and a shutout in net from Gijs Van Schouten to advance past the Colonials (5-11-1) and into the semifinals of the postseason next week in Michigan.
 
"The last three games, we have been taking our time scoring a goal [MKE has scored in the 86^th/90^th/86^th the last 3], but I give the guys credit," Kelderman said, "They are persistent, stay the course, and keep working. If it means getting the winning goal later in the game, then that is the way it works. Good effort from start to finish and it's off to Oakland we go."
 
Getting late in a match in which it owned the majority of play, Milwaukee finally broke through at the 85:17 mark. Gratton headed in a perfect serve from Adi Vaknin for his sixth goal of the fall, with Logan Farrington also picking up an assist on the winner by starting the play.
 
"Very nice goal," Kelderman said. "It is very much like Paolo to step up and score a big goal when we need one."
 
It marked the third-straight game-winner Gratton has scored in the Horizon League Tournament dating back to last season as well as the fourth-consecutive such contest he has found the back of the net.
 
It gave the Panthers the result they thoroughly deserved, after playing well all afternoon but unable to find that finishing touch that Kelderman mentioned.
 
A few close calls kept it scoreless, including a shot off the post in the 80^th minute from Vaknin.
 
It was a first half that featured the Panthers with near-60 percent possession and a 9-to-5 shots advantage, but nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. MKE had a couple of quality looks, starting with a soaring save in the 27^th minute keeping Hugo Espejo from a goal when he attempted to chip the goalkeeper from inside the 18.
 
The other came just before halftime, with Vaknin heading a pretty pass from Raul Medina into the back of the net, only to have it called back due to an offsides call in the 43^rd minute.
 
For the match, MKE owned advantages of 17-to-11 in shots, 8-to-4 in shots on goal, 6-to-3 in corner kicks, as well as 61 percent of possession. Vaknin, Gratton, Espejo, and Farrington each had a team-high three shots. Van Schouten was credited with four saves in posting his first clean sheet of the season.
 
The victory advances Milwaukee to the semifinals, where the Panthers will play second-seeded Cleveland State Thursday, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. CST. The semis and championship will be played at Oakland, winner of the regular-season title.