MILWAUKEE – Despite a sizable shot advantage and the run of play nearly all match long, the Milwaukee men's soccer team ended up settling for a 0-0 draw against Oakland Saturday afternoon at Engelmann Stadium.
 
"I think it's safe to say we are all disappointed in the result," head coach Kris Kelderman said. "If you ask anybody who watched that game, and it's no disrespect to Oakland, we were the better team today. I have no problem saying that whatsoever. Right from minute one, I thought our energy, our press, from the front guys all the way to the back was excellent and I thought the quality was excellent."
 
In a season in which the Panthers (1-7-8, 0-3-5 Horizon League) have established a new program record for tie games, today's scoreless deadlock with the Golden Grizzlies (3-9-4, 3-2-2 Horizon League) may go down as the most frustrating after posting a season-high 26 shot attempts on the day.
 
"If you look at the stats alone at halftime – it was 18-5 in shots, we had really good chances to score, and we failed to convert on a penalty kick," Kelderman said. "But we came out in the second half and played well. We outshot them again and had more chances but at the end of the day, we are just having a really tough time scoring a goal under pressure."
 
Milwaukee is now 0-1-6 in its past seven games.
 
"I would be concerned if we weren't creating chances – but they are certainly there," Kelderman said. "And the guys are fighting. Working hard and fighting for each other. I couldn't ask for anything more from the guys today other than a goal. That basically sums it up right there. They did exactly what they needed to do – just one thing missing – scoring a goal. I respect the guys' effort and fight. Pride was on the line today; we just couldn't execute that final shot."
 
The MKE offense was at it from the opening horn, piling up a 12-0 shot differential over the opening 25 minutes but could not convert one into a goal.
 
OU's Michael Sly came up with amazing saves on a volley off the foot of Gabe Anguil in the 15^th minute and again on a point-blank rocket that Logan Farrington attempted to blast inside the near post in the 25^th minute.
 
Anguil fired inches wide in a give-and-go with Farrington in the 19^th minute as well. The game looked to go in favor of the Panthers in the 38^th minute when Farrington was tripped up in the box by the keeper, but the penalty kick attempt did not find the back of the net and the game went on at 0-0.
 
Gijs Van Schouten was able to secure his first shutout of the season, finishing the day with three saves. He was helped along by a team save from Shawn Azcueta, who knocked one out of harm's way in the 49^th minute.
 
Emil Lindgren Pedersen tied his season-high with seven shots and had one final opportunity late, but his blast from the left wing looked good, only to spin harmlessly into the side netting resulting in just one point on the afternoon.
 
Farrington ended the match with eight shots; Raul Medina had four. In addition to the 26-13 shot advantage, the team led 7-4 in shots on goal as well as 10-7 in corner kicks and 53/47 in possession.
 
The team will close out the season on the road Wednesday, traveling to Purdue Fort Wayne for a game that is slated to start at 1 p.m. CST.