MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's soccer team blew open a close game with a huge second half, scoring seven times after intermission to turn a 2-1 lead into an impressive 9-1 victory over Robert Morris Sunday afternoon at Engelmann Stadium.
 
"Unhappy is probably too light of a word to describe Thursday," head coach Kevin Boyd said about the loss to Wright State coming into today's action. "And frustrated, both with our performance and the way the game went. We just left too much on the table and we have been doing that this season. We just wanted to make a statement today and we wanted to respond and bounce back and we did."
 
The Panthers (4-3-1, 1-1 Horizon League) went ahead of the Colonials (5-1-3, 0-1-1 Horizon League) by a score of 2-1 just before halftime and used that momentum to go on to record the highest goal total by the team since 2016 in claiming the big bounce-back victory.
 
"And then you add to that, it's just our second game at home," Boyd said. "And last time we were here, we also had 30-plus shots and it's nice to get 30 more and score nine goals. Some of them were spectacular goals, but a lot of the other ones were simple put-ins. Which is exactly what we have been trying to create. Today, we finished and we finished well. And we made a statement that, hey, this is still our field and our place and if you are coming here you are going to have a tough time."
 
Milwaukee got big performances from Kayla Rollins and Molly O'Regan, who each netted a pair of goals, with O'Regan also adding an assist in just 13 minutes off the bench.
 
"Those players need goals," Boyd said. "To be a goal-scorer, you have to score some goals and you have to get that confidence. We have had players get in lots of situations and just not put the ball away. Today that changed."
 
Natalie Auble, Stephanie Recinos, and Caitlynn Owens also came up with multi-point outings, each adding one goal and one assist as the MKE offense posted its highest goal total since an 11-0 victory over Chicago State back in September of 2016.
 
Things started well enough for the Panthers, taking the first lead of the day on a penalty kick converted by Haley Johnson in the 13^th minute. RMU, which came into the game unbeaten on the season through eight games, had an answer in the 31^st minute, drawing level at 1-1 on a goal off a free kick.
 
The big swing came on the next goal, with MKE taking the 2-1 lead into the locker room on a goal in the 43^rd minute. Kat Van Booven started the play, taking the ball down the left flank. Her cross to the front of goal found O'Regan, who was knocked to the ground after bringing the pass down. Brooke Parnello used her left foot to cross the front of the goal, with Recinos burying her first collegiate goal to make it 2-1. It was instant impact for two of the three involved, as Recinos and O'Regan had both subbed in just two minutes prior to the eventual game-winning goal.
 
The second half then turned into an offensive showcase for the home team, outshooting Robert Morris 23-5 over the final 45 minutes alone.
 
"We acknowledged the things that we did well that allowed us to be dominant in moments and that was our focus coming into the second half," Boyd said about the halftime talk with his team. "And when we did those things, we were very good and it creates great chances."
 
Auble made it 3-1 next, finishing a lead pass following a turnover in the 50^th minute, set up by Lainey Higgins.
 
Rollins turn followed, recording her third different two-goal outing of the season with goals in the 50^th and 58^th minutes. Her first came solo, picking up a turnover in back and firing a shot from the right wing. The ball snuck in at the back post on the tough angle to make it 4-1.
 
Auble then played strong defense to pick up a turnover, leading Rollins for her second of the afternoon at the 63:49 mark.
 
O'Regan followed with a pair of impressive strikes, heading in a corner kick from Emma Famulak in the 70^th minute before scoring on a pretty header off a give-and-go with Recinos just over three minutes later.
 
Cate Cullison slotted home a combo of passes in the box in the 79^th minute to make it 8-1 and Owens closed out the scoring her first collegiate goal at the 86:36 mark, finishing calmly on a 1v1 opportunity after being sprung by a thru ball from Abby Stoeck. Trudy Quidzinski was also credited with an assist, winning the ball near midfield to start the scoring chance.
 
Milwaukee finished the contest with advantages of 34-11 in shots, 17-5 in shots on goal, and 6-4 in corner kicks. Rollins finished with a game-high six shots, while Higgins and Johnson each finished with five. A total of 28 players saw the field today, with 12 recording shots, seven scoring goals, and 12 recording points.
 
In goal, Parker Donahugh picked up the win, credited with four saves in her 79:07 of time in net. She came up big before the game was out of hand, making impressive diving stops on shots in the 62^nd and 63^rd minutes to keep the Colonials at one on the scoreboard. Sydney Downs closed it out with a scoreless 10:53 the rest of the way.
 
Up next, Horizon League play rolls on, taking on Cleveland State at home Thursday before traveling to play Youngstown State on the road Sunday.