MILWAUKEE – Lainey Higgins scored the first goal and assisted the other two as the Milwaukee women's soccer team broke open a scoreless affair with three goals in a 10-minute span in the second half to claim a 3-0 victory over IUPUI Thursday night at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (6-3-3, 3-1-2 Horizon League) found the back of the net against the Jaguars (5-3-6, 1-2-3 Horizon League) in the 60^th minute and took off from there, picking up a key victory as the Horizon League standings start to tighten up in the stretch run.
 
"You get that goal and you get more confident," head coach Kevin Boyd said. "I like that we kept going. It's commonplace that you get teams that score a goal and then sit back and defend the lead. We did the opposite. We scored a goal and went for another and kept hunting more."
 
Higgins laced the eventual game-winner into the side netting at the 59:13 mark, coming off a cleared corner kick attempt. Senya Meurer had her shot blocked back to Higgins, who did the rest for her second goal of the season in impressive fashion.
 
"Coach Kelly (Swenson) said at halftime, 'we just need to get one and the rest will come' and she was right," Boyd said. "That was what happened – we got that first one and the rest came. When we get goals, we get some nice goals. I am hoping we still create some sloppy ones and some simple ones, but boy, those were some nice goals tonight. Lainey's was spectacular – that shot was side-netting, driven; what a good ball that was."
 
Higgins then set up Natalie Auble for the next goal, heading a loose ball forward inside the 18. Auble ran onto the perfect lead pass and one-timed it to the far post at the 62:09 mark for her third of the season.
 
Haley Johnson added the insurance tally, snapping a strong header into the net at the far post off a free kick from Higgins in the 70^th minute to close out the scoring in the 3-0 decision.
 
The MKE offense was on all night – especially after intermission – creating chance after chance. Higgins nearly had an earlier goal, seeing her shot barely cleared over the crossbar in the 52^nd minute. Emma Famulak just missed joining the scoring list as well, sending one off the left post in the 77^th minute.
 
"I was concerned, in both halves, there were some moments where the other team had more of the ball than we usually let the opponent have," Boyd said. "But I felt like, in the second half specifically, we held our shape better and then found ways to go forward. And once we started going at them, we were relentless."
 
Scoreless at the break, MKE had the early 7-2 shot advantage over the first 45, with most of the dangerous chances coming from Johnson. She forced back-to-back impressive saves early on, including a header that was deflected off the crossbar and back into play in the eighth minute.
 
For the game, Milwaukee once again posted dominant advantages in all statistical categories, finishing with a 24-8 advantage in shots, 11-3 in shots on goal, and 8-2 in corner kicks, while also holding over 60 percent possession on the evening.
 
Higgins, Auble, and Johnson all recorded a team-high five shots, with Higgins leading the way with the four-point night on a career-best goal and two assists.
 
In net, Kendall Edwards posted her second consecutive clean sheet, accounting for three saves – the biggest of the night coming in the 66^th minute when she was able to push a tough shot over the crossbar to preserve the shutout of the Jags.
 
"I thought Kendall was very good," Boyd said. "I thought Lexi (Blaser) had an excellent game as well. I thought both wide backs, Liz (Elizabeth Reece) and Brooke (Parnello), were quite solid too. And then AC (Anna Champine) was a key part of that group that got the shutout as well."
 
Up next, the Panthers have the weekend off as they prepare for a home game against Detroit Mercy next Thursday. Game time against the Titans, who are currently just one point ahead of MKE and in first place in the Horizon League standings with 12 points, is set to start at 5 p.m.