INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Milwaukee women's soccer team put together an impressive performance on both sides of the ball Sunday in claiming a 2-0 victory over IU Indianapolis at Michael Caroll Stadium.
 
The Panthers (8-6-2, 7-0-1 Horizon League) got a late first-half goal from Emily Petring and doubled the advantage against the Jaguars (4-9-3, 3-3-2 Horizon League) early in the second on the Horizon League-leading 10^th goal of the fall from Kayla Rollins to put it away.
 
"Nice win for us on the road – so important to get those road wins, especially second game of a weekend, which really tests a team's character and resolve," head coach Kevin Boyd said. "We played very well … 30 shots to six; six corners to zero – we really dominated the game. Quite happy with the way the team played. We've settled into what our rotation is, and the players are playing great. We are in the place we need to be here late in the season. Obviously, with this win, we put ourselves in a good spot so that we can win this conference."
 
It was an offensive effort that just kept producing strong chances all contest, as only a 14-save effort – including a handful of spectacular stops – from the Jags kept the matchup much closer than the final score indicated following only the second 30-shot team performance by MKE in the past two seasons. With the decision, the team extends its unbeaten streak in regular-season Horizon League play to 27 (21-0-6) in a row and is now a perfect 4-0 in October with four shutout wins to its credit.
 
"Their goalkeeper was outstanding," Boyd said. "She came out in the 75^th minute and all of us coaches were like, 'hey keeper, well done'. She had 12 saves by herself and kept them in it for sure. But I thought we played very, very well, especially considering we were on the road and it was warm. It was a nice, beautiful day down here, but it's probably 75 degrees, so little bit of a temperature change than what we've been playing in recently."
 
Despite peppering the IU Indy goal with quality looks, it wasn't until the 15^th shot of the first half that the Panthers broke through. Sophia Anuat started the play, charging down the sideline before sending service into the front of goal. Petring was there waiting with the perfect volley, one-timing the bouncing ball on frame and up-and-over the goalkeeper for the 1-0 lead at the 42:51 mark.
 
Rollins' goal came in the 54^th minute and was just as spectacular. It was started by a goal kick from Parker Donahugh, flicked into Rollins' path for a breakaway chance by Molly O'Regan. Rollins did the rest, firing from 20 yards away for her 10^th of the season.
 
The list of close calls started early and never ran out.
 
Following a near-miss in the sixth minute when Lainey Higgins fired just over the bar, the Panthers were relentless in looking for that opening strike.
 
Rollins then had a good look kick-saved away on a pass from Kristina Karlof in the ninth minute, followed by Zoey Pagels sending one just wide after a burst onto goal in the 24^th. Higgins created the next chance after picking up a turnover, finding Rollins wide open at the far post, only to see the one-timer go banging off the post and back into play at the 29:43 mark.
 
O'Regan saw her header off a well-placed ball from Ashlyn Skinner-Barrett get stopped nicely in the 42^nd minute before Petring would break the ice.
 
It was more of the same in the second half.
 
Lola Wojcik volleyed a pass from Ellie Rebmann on net in the 49^th minute, somehow stopped by the charging goalkeeper. O'Regan had a good look on a square ball from Rollins in the 50^th, again turned away.
 
Senya Meurer just missed on a free kick in the 71^st minute, just prior to Pagels getting denied back-to-back in the 73^rd minute. The first was stopped from the wing. The second was another eye-opener, as her volley from a Rebmann pass was somehow turned away at the line on the ensuing possession.
 
The defense stayed red-hot, with Donahugh posting her fourth consecutive shutout, extending her scoreless streak to 375:53 while lowering her goals-against average in conference games to 0.13. The team allowed just six total shots on the afternoon, with Donahugh making a solid stop in the 82^nd minute for her only needed save of the match. The goalkeeper assist she picked up on Rollins' goal was the first of her MKE career, as well as just the third for a Panther GK since 2006.
 
Final statistical totals were stacked heavily in MKE's favor: shots were 30-6, shots on goal were 16-1, corner kicks were 6-0, and possession ended up in their favor by a count of 58/42. Wojcik, Higgins, Rollins, and O'Regan led the way, each with four shots apiece.
 
Up next, just one game on the schedule next week, as the Panthers wrap up the regular season home slate hosting Cleveland State Saturday. The 1 p.m. matchup is also set for "Senior Day" for the program.