Following a stretch in which the Milwaukee men's soccer team won three of four games and was regionally-ranked in the United Soccer Coaches North Poll for the first time in three years, the team posted a mark of 0-1-1 last week and now look to start a new streak with one contest this week.

The Panthers welcome Cleveland State to town this weekend, looking to dial in a march up the Horizon League standings as the season starts to come to a close. It will start against the Vikings Saturday at 7 p.m. in a contest that will have live statistics available (no video stream). All links are on the Milwaukee website. The evening will also be VIP night, where MSOC student-athletes get the chance to participate in a UWM professor recognition program during the match.

Milwaukee is 27-21-6 all-time against the Vikings in one of the oldest series in program history that dates back to 1973. It also includes a stellar stretch by MKE back in the late 1990's and early 2000's, a span that saw the Panthers post a remarkable 18 wins in a row (1993 through 2007). Most recently, the action has been shifting, with Kris Kelderman going 3-7-3 against CSU in his time on campus. The Vikings took a 4-3 decision in 2022 and have now gone 5-0-2 the past seven meetings following a 1-1 draw last fall.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS:
CLEVELAND STATE: The Vikings went 3-9-5 last fall, which included a 2-3-4 ledger in Horizon League play. Despite missing the postseason in 2023, they were tabbed for second in the preseason poll with Pablo Kawecki earning his second straight First Team All-League recognition and Kyle Folds garnering second-team honors for the first time in his career. Off the field, two Vikings were named to the Academic All-League team. Bojan Kolevski, the 2022 League Player of the Year and 2021 Horizon League Offensive Player of the Year is back after missing part of last season with an injury.

The Vikings start the week at 4-5-3 overall and are tied with the Panthers with a 1-3-1 league ledger after snapping a recent slump with a 2-1 victory over IU Indy Oct. 12. That actually marked back-to-back wins following a 3-1 non-conference decision over Xavier Oct. 8.

The offense has 19 goals in 12 games, led by Matteo Correia with 13 points (6G/1A). Kolevski is second with nine (3G/3A). The defense has given up 22 tallies in that span, with Stephen Yerian starting the large majority of the fall (9/12 games). He has posted a .691 save percentage and 1.89 goals-against average so far this fall.

EM-"BRACE" THE SHOW
The Panthers witnessed a third multi-goal performance in the 4-1 defeat of Oakland Oct. 5, as Asher Ozuzu came through with a pair of goals to record his first collegiate brace. His first came on a header at the 36:12 mark and made it 2-0 at the time, eventually ending up the game-winning goal. His second came in the 80th minute and gave him three goals for the week, also netting the first tally of MKE's 2-1 win over Drake Oct. 1. Those heroics helped him earn his first Horizon League Player of the Week honors. It's the third two-goal game of the fall for Milwaukee, which has also seen Alejandro Martinez record a pair of braces (Bradley & Chicago State).

SCORING SPREE
The Panthers have been turning up the offense much more of late, scoring multiple goals in four of their past seven, topped by the four that found the back of the net in the convincing 4-1 victory over Oakland Oct. 5. The four goals marks the first time the offense has hit that total since a 4-1 win over IU Indy back in early October of 2021.

THE BATTLE FOR THE MILWAUKEE CUP
Milwaukee and Marquette play for the "Milwaukee Cup", one of the longest-standing rivalries in all of college soccer. In the summer of 2011, the College Soccer News website published a list called "The Fourteen Greatest Rivalries in College Soccer." Weighing in at No. 10 on their list was the Milwaukee Cup. The Panthers certainly have the upper hand all-time, now holding a 31-12-6 record in the series and did maintain possession of the Cup from 2017 until fall of 2022. Over the past eight meetings, the Panthers are 3-2-3.

Looking back, the 2012 matchup remains one for the memory books, as the Golden Eagles, trailing the Panthers 2-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining in the contest, pulled off a stunning finish to grab possession of the Cup. Following a goalkeeper miscue, Marquette found the equalizer at the 81:53 mark and then won the contest at the buzzer as the winning goal crossed the line at the 89:59 mark before the horn sounded. The 2013 edition was just as exciting, with the Panthers scoring just 60 seconds into the affair en route to a 2-1 victory over a Marquette squad that was ranked No. 12 nationally at the time.

PLAYING THE LONG GAME
The Panthers outshot St. Thomas and had the better of play on the afternoon, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw Sept. 2. Daniel Ibarra not only just missed the shutout in net, but also recorded an assist to give MKE the 1-0 advantage when his long goal kick was sent into the back of the net by Bienvenu Djunga two touches later. That marked the first assist for a Panther goalkeeper since Liam Anderson posted one against Wright State in October of 2013. Prior to 2013, the last prior time was in September of 2006, when Grant Fernstrum's goal kick turned into an assist on a 90th-minute tally against IPFW. Ibarra then one-upped that, recording a second assist on the season during a week in which he was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week. In addition to 12 combined saves to beat Drake (2-1) and Oakland (4-1) to snap each team's long unbeaten streaks, his long goal kick set up the game-winner. In doing so, he becomes the first MKE goalkeeper with two assists in a season since Joe Stacy recorded a pair back in 1986.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON
Alejandro Martinez didn't wait long to make his mark as a Panther, scoring a pair of goals while assisting the eventual game winner in just his second outing wearing the Black & Gold against Bradley Aug. 22 in the 3-2 victory. After topping the scoring list across the conference for the opening week, he was rewarded with Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors, the first for a Panther since David Cox in late September of last season. That week was also the last time an MKE player posted a five-point game, as Cox had the same 2G/1A line that Martinez posted against the Braves.

Martinez added a pair of goals against Chicago State Sept. 9, giving him two multi-goal performances in his first four games as a Panther. The last player to net multiple goals more than once in a season was Logan Farrington in 2021. That fall, Farrington recorded a brace against IU Indy (Oct. 2) and Western Illinois (Oct. 5). The last player to accomplish the feat at least three times in a season was way back in 2004, when Antou Jallow recorded five matches of multiple goals, with a high of three against Wright State in October of that fall. Martinez is currently second in the Horizon League with six goals - well on pace to become the first Panther with double-figure goals since Paulo Gratton netted 11 back in 2020.

A DOUBLE TRIPLE
Raul Medina continues to bring his playmaking skills to the field game after game and August 25 against Bradley was no different. He finished the afternoon with three assists, setting up all three strikes in the 3-2 victory. Medina is the first Panther to record three helpers since Joshua Kidder in April of 2021 (COVID season) and also becomes just the third player in program history to record at least three assists in a game on two occasions. Medina first accomplished the feat against IUPUI on March 24 of 2021, assisting three of the four goals in the 4-0 win. Medina's three assists again tied for the fifth-most in a game in program history. Prior to Medina and Kidder in 2021, the last time as many as three in a single match was accomplished was back in 2004. That season, Dale Weiler notched three helpers against Marquette in late October, setting up each strike in a 3-1 victory. The school record of five has been done twice, while four has also been done on a pair of occasions. Medina currently leads the Horizon League with his seven assists.

ABOUT THAT START
The Panthers got the 2024 campaign off to a great beginning, going 2-0-2 through the first four games of the season to mark the best start for the program since 2013 (that season, MKE opened 9-0-1 before being knocked off). Through those first four games, the team was also leading the Horizon League in defense (just 3GA).

LEAGUE LIFTOFF
The Panthers are 24-14-3 all-time in league openers in seasons in which they have been affiliated with a conference following a loss to Purdue Fort Wayne this year. Head coach Kris Kelderman is 5-7-2 in his 14 seasons, with the team knocking off UIC to open 2021 by a final score of 2-1 and also beating Purdue Fort Wayne, 3-2, in 2020.

OFF AND RUNNING
Daniel Ibarra flipped on the switch and opened the season in impressive fashion, posting a shutout in the 0-0 season-opening draw against Lindenwood Aug. 22 behind five saves. That marked the first clean sheet in a season opener since 2018, when Freddy Lorenzen needed just one stop to help MKE top Western Illinois, 4-0.

EXPERIENCE; WITH A NEW LOOK
The Panthers will have a new look this season, as 14 of the 30 players on the roster did not appear in a game at Milwaukee last season. In addition to nine true freshmen (and one redshirt freshman), the team also welcomes four transfers from other programs, all of which are listed in the junior class for eligibility purposes.

On the other side of the spectrum, the returning core is heavy on experience, as nine starters are back on the field in 2024, including the top five scoring leaders from last fall as well as six of the top seven. Leading the charge are top scorers Raul Medina (15 points on 5G/5A), Bienvenu Djunga (13 points on 4G/5A), and Asher Ozuzu (9 points on 4G/1A). The team will be very experienced in goal, as all 1,530 of playing time between the pipes last season (all Daniel Ibarra) is back on the field.

Points: returners accounted for 57 of the 68 points (83.8 percent)
Goals: 21 of 24 goals (87.5 percent)
Assists: 17 of 20 assists (85.0 percent)
Starts: returning players accounted for 135 starts last season (72.1 percent).
Minutes: returning players accounted for 11,609 of 16,774 minutes played (69.2 percent), with five players that saw the field over 1,200 minutes (Daniel Ibarra/1,530 ... Micah O'Garro/1,315 ... David Cox/1,292 ... Daiki Kumakawa/1,236 ... Bienvenu Djunga/1,232).

INTERNATIONAL FLAIR
The Panthers continue to add quite a mix to the active roster as players with international roots continue to join the program. This fall, the team will have student-athletes from nine different countries or territories. In addition to 19 players from the United States, the roster will have representation from the following:

Cayman Islands: Micah O'Garro (George Town)
France: Bienvenu Djunga (Asnières-sur-Seine)
German: Nico Steinweg (Dortmund)
Ireland: Matthew Toolan (Dublin)
Japan: Daiki Kumakawa (Ryugasaki)
Mexico: Daniel Ibarra (Monterrey)
Scotland: Jack Bowden (Aberdeen)
Spain: Mesfin Roda (Barcelona)/Alejandro Martinez (Santander)/Raul Medina (Madrid)
United Kingdom: Daniel Gill (Newport, Wales, U.K.)

FOR OPENERS
Milwaukee is now 27-19-6 all-time in season openers following a 0-0 draw against Lindenwood to open 2024. Head coach Kris Kelderman now has 14 season openers on his resume at the NCAA Division I collegiate level, going 10-3-1. In addition to the wins over Purdue Fort Wayne (2020), WIU (2017-2019), Eastern Illinois (2016), Evansville (2015), DePaul (2014) and a nationally-ranked Marquette squad (2013), his Green Bay squad topped SIU Edwardsville, 1-0, in 2011.

THE FAMILIAR FACES
Three players on the roster this season that are set to graduate have spent their entire careers as Panthers. David Cox has been at Milwaukee since a redshirt 2019 campaign and has been a starter ever since, appearing in 62 career games while making 45 starts. He has 20 career points, coming on six goals (2GW) and eight assists. Raul Medina has been a Panther since 2020, making starts in 53 of his 54 career games played. He is also the current member of the roster with the most career points, accumulating 43 in his career on 14 goals (2GW) and 15 assists. Collin Mullen (listed as a RS-JR) is also set to graduate and has been on the MKE roster since 2021.

CHANCELLOR'S CUP DRAMA
The battle for the Chancellor's Cup has seen some thrillers over the years, but if it feels like the drama and intensity has been higher lately, you would be correct. Jake Kelderman scored the only goal just 91 seconds into the 1-0 victory in fall of 2021 and David Cox was the hero in 2020's version, netting the game-winner with 36 seconds left in regulation. Last fall, Raul Medina netted a goal in the 83rd to help MKE find a 1-1 decision and maintain possession of the Cup.

The Chancellor's Cup, which originally began as a tournament of Wisconsin state schools in the 1980's, continues to be given to the winner in the annual Milwaukee/Green Bay game. As an extra storyline, Kris Kelderman spent the 2011 season as the head coach at Green Bay.

It happened again in 2018, with Sean Holmes' golden goal coming in the 99th minute. The year prior, MKE tied the game with just eight seconds remaining in regulation on a goal by Jonathan Stadler to force overtime before falling. And again in 2016, when Milwaukee reclaimed the Cup with a thrilling 1-0 victory Oct. 22 on a goal by Magnus Flaatedal. Seven of the past 14 occasions these two teams have now played, the game has gone into overtime (5 of 7 into double-overtime), with five of the seven ending in victories for one team or the other. Nine years ago it was an own goal that won it for Green Bay, snapping Milwaukee's 10-game unbeaten streak (9-0-1) to start the 2013 season. The 2012 version ended in a draw but the 2011 edition provided one of the most memorable finishes to a game in program history, with Cody Banks netting the winner at the 109:53 mark.

GETTING TO TWO
Recently on offense, once the team has found a second goal, the Panthers continue to be very tough to beat. The squad went 7-1-0 in 2021, 6-1-0 in 2020, and 10-0-1 in 2019 when scoring two or more goals. That brings the six-plus year tally to 61-14-13 (.767) when finding the back of the net at least twice in a match.

NOW THIS IS HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
When it comes to home field advantage, the Panthers have historically ranked right up there with the best in the business. From 2001 through 2006, Milwaukee turned Engelmann Stadium into a place visiting teams did not want to see on their schedule, going 49-8-2 in that time. After a few down seasons by MKE standards, the magic is getting brought back - the Panthers have compiled a record of 55-29-28 (.616) at home in Kris Kelderman's 12-plus years as the head coach.

CATCH THEM IN ACTION
Milwaukee men's soccer will be available for the viewing pleasure of MKE fans this season, as five of the eight home games are scheduled to be streamed live on ESPN+ (subject to change due to weather and location). The Horizon League and ESPN have an agreement that includes ESPN hosting the league's digital network on the ESPN+ platform. ESPN+, which will host the Horizon League women's soccer, men's soccer and volleyball championships this season, offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $10.99 a month (or $109.99 per year) and cancel at any time. Launched in April of 2018, ESPN+ is an integrated part of a completely redesigned ESPN App.

ON TAP
The Panthers start the week with a final non-conference contest, traveling to Kentucky to take on Louisville Tuesday. Game time is set for 6 p.m. CT.