FORT WAYNE, Ind. – It was a challenging day for the Milwaukee women's soccer team, who played Purdue Fort Wayne to a 0-0 draw despite dominating play for much of the afternoon.
 
The Panthers (5-3-3, 2-1-2 Horizon League) held commanding statistical advantages over the Mastodons (6-2-4, 2-0-2 Horizon League) after the day was done, but still had to settle for the scoreless decision after being unable to find the back of the net.
 
In the end, the MKE offense posted decided advantages of 16-2 in shots (including 6-0 in the second half) and 6-1 in shots on goal, as well as earning nine of the 11 corner kicks on the afternoon.
 
"We had a few objectives," head coach Kevin Boyd said about the match. "One was getting three points on the road in a conference game, which we have not managed to get. The second was to make sure we got a shutout and not give up anything on set pieces. We defended the set pieces very well in the first half but gave up too many. In the second half, we completely dominated – we were in their half the whole time and they couldn't get out, which is what we were trying to do. The takeaway is we defended well, we got a shutout, we only gave up two chances the entire day, and we didn't give up anything on set pieces."
 
The Purdue Fort Wayne defense bent all match but did not break. Reigning Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week Samantha Castaneda continued her solid play, turning in her fifth shutout of the campaign with six saves, including a spectacular diving stop when she denied Kayla Rollins a goal in the 61^st minute by getting just enough of her hand on the strike to push it away.
 
"On the other side of it, we are trying to create more chances," Boyd said. "Their goalkeeper was very good on plays that would have been goals on another keeper. So hat's off to their keeper, I thought she was very good on the day. We just have to keep creating more and more chances and make them as dangerous as we can. That's kind of where we are right now."
 
The closing minute saw one chance both ways to try and decide a winner. MKE's final attempt produced an easy save from distance, while the home team sent its last free kick over the crossbar just in front of the final horn.
 
"It's not a lot, but only one point on the road when we wanted three," Boyd finished.
 
The Panthers came out on the front foot for a good portion of the start of the contest, posting 10 shots prior to the first Mastodon shot as well as forcing five of the first six corner kicks in what turned into a 30-plus minute span of heavy possession.
 
The MKE offense put together a few decent first-half looks, including a near-miss from Senya Meurer, who had her 20-yard free kick deflected just wide of the left post in the 27^th minute.
 
Kendall Edwards picked up her first career shutout in net, making the only save she was called upon for late in the first half. Lainey Higgins paced the offense with five shots; Natalie Auble was second with four shots, putting three on goal.
 
Up next, Horizon League play rolls on with a home match, welcoming IUPUI to Engelmann Stadium October 6, set for a 5 p.m. start.