October opens for the Milwaukee women's soccer team sitting just one point out of first place (11 points to 10 with one less game played) in the Horizon League standings, checking in at 3-0-1 after four games and a weekend off from action. This week, the team is back at home against Youngstown State and then heads to Indiana to battle Purdue Fort Wayne on the weekend.

Thursday's home tilt with the Penguins will get underway at 7 p.m., while Sunday's matinee at the Mastodons is set for a 12 p.m. CT kickoff. Both contests are set to be streamed on ESPN+, with Matt Menzl on the call for the home game Thursday. Both will also have live statistics to follow along with and all links are posted to the Milwaukee website. Thursday's match against YSU will feature a "Pink Out" theme for the team and will also be VIP night, where WSOC student-athletes get the chance to participate in a UWM professor recognition program during the match.

The Panthers have dominated the series with Youngstown State to the tune of a 19-2-2 record. Included in that is a stretch of eight in a row (6-0-2) unbeaten heading into action Thursday. The most recent matchup was a 1-1 draw on the road last fall where a Kristina Karlof goal helped the team overcome a 1-0 deficit and pick up a point. In games played at Engelmann Stadium, MKE checks in at a perfect 11-0 all-time and has outscored the 'Guins by a count of 41-5 with seven shutouts in that stretch.

The series with Purdue Fort Wayne is a brief one, with a 2-1 overtime victory in 2021 - on a Rachel Phillpotts header in the 106th minute - providing plenty of drama in front of a 0-0 draw two years ago. Last fall, the Panthers overpowered the 'Dons by a final score of 5-0 behind a hat trick courtesy of Kayla Rollins (7'/10'/77'). MKE is now 4-0-1 in the all-time series, having also posted a 2-0 shutout back in 2001 and a 1-0 decision in 2020.

The Panthers are coming off yet another strong season, claiming a repeat of the Horizon League regular-season and tournament titles in head coach Kevin Boyd's second season at the helm. The regular-season title was the eighth in the past nine years for MKE, a span that has seen the team go 71-3-9 in league play. In addition, the team has now won the regular-season title 22 times since 2000 (all but 2020 and 2014) and 23 total times overall. The Panthers also made their 17th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 16th with the Horizon League's automatic berth.

LOOKING AT THE OPPONENTS:
YOUNGSTOWN STATE: The Penguins posted a second straight season over .500 last fall, going 7-7-3 overall and 3-5-2 in league play. Brian Shrum is now in his seventh season as head coach of the YSU program and has been given credit for breathing new life in the program over the last two seasons with back-to-back .500 seasons for the first time in program history, and a program best 16 wins over a two-year period.

This fall, however, has been more a struggle, as the team opens the week at 4-7-2 and a 3-1 win over Purdue Fort Wayne Sept. 29 snapped what was a six-game losing streak in which the team was shut out three times. They have righted the ship a bit, winning again when they topped Wright State 1-0 Oct. 5. Taylor Berry leads the team with nine points, coming on the strength of two goals and a league-leading five assists. The offense has contributed 13 total goals in 13 games, allowing 18. In net, Maya Naimoli has played all 1,170 minutes, posting a .791 save percentage and 1.38 goals-against average.

PURDUE FORT WAYNE: The Mastodons went 5-7-6 overall a season ago, which included a 2-4-4 ledger in conference matchups. The team was selected for ninth in the league preseason poll. Purdue Fort Wayne returns six of the 11 goal scorers from last season: Bella Reitano, Morgan Gallagher, Zoe Greenhalge, Lauren Klusek, Malia Velker and Kailey Hansen. Jason Burr, the 2022 Horizon League Coach of the Year, was named the fourth head coach of the Purdue Fort Wayne women's soccer program in 2014. They start the week at 7-5-1 overall, but have gone a solid 10-3-4 in home games since the start of the 2023 campaign, including its most recent result of a 3-2 win over Oakland Oct. 5. Gigi Ricciardi leads the way with eight points (3G/2A), while Jordan Imes (1.57 GAA in 12 starts) has seen the large majority of time in net.

ALL THAT MATTERS IS WHAT'S NEXT
With that daunting non-conference schedule in the rear-view mirror, the Panthers opened Horizon League play up in style, posting back-to-back clean sheets over Northern Kentucky (W, 2-0 Sept. 19) and Wright State (W, 3-0 Sept. 22). That earned goalkeeper Parker Donahugh Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week honors and extended a long streak for MKE in regular-season league play. Since dropping the season opener in 2022, Milwaukee has run up an unbeaten streak that now sits at 23 games (17-0-6) after going 7-0-2 the rest of 2022, 7-0-3 last fall, and now 3-0-1 in 2024. It's still quite a ways to go for the school/league record, which was set at 36 (33-0-3) when it was snapped back in the 2020 campaign.

POWERING UP THE OFFENSE
The MKE offense may have not found as many goals as it liked over the first four games of the Horizon League slate, but it wasn't for a lack of opportunities. The team recorded 20-or-more shot attempts in each game, piling up 24 shots at Northern Kentucky Sept. 19, 22 at Wright State Sept. 22, and then 20 apiece in home games against Oakland Sept. 26 and Detroit Mercy Sept. 29. That marked the first time the team accomplished that feat since a run of four in a row in late September of 2021. The last time the team hit five straight was way back in 2008. That fall, the team ran off five consecutive of 20+ chances in late October (YSU: 22/Butler: 21/Detroit Mercy: 24/Valparaiso: 24/Green Bay: 27).

ROLLING WITH ROLLINS
Coming off a season in which she was named Horizon League Player of the Year as well as the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Year, Kayla Rollins was named to the United Soccer Coaches "2024 NCAA Division I Players to Watch" list this preseason before then being named to the 2024 Hermann Trophy Watch List. The Hermann Trophy is presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club and is the nation's highest individual honor recognizing the NCAA National Player of the Year. Rollins put together a phenomenal campaign in 2023, one in which she was selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region First Team and to the Horizon League First Team after she went off for a career-high and team-leading 26 points, coming on 12 goals and a pair of assists. Rollins recorded 50 total shots, 32 of which were on goal (.640 SOG%), finishing among the Horizon League leaders in numerous categories: first in total points (26), first in goals (12), first in shots on goal (32), and fourth in total shots (50). She also finished among NCAA leaders with her .640 shots-on-goal percentage (12th), 12 total goals (24th), 0.63 goals-per game (26th), and 26 points (56th).

She has stepped up her game of late, culminating in Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors to close out the month Sept. 30. Rollins came up big in back-to-back games for the Panthers, scoring two very important goals as the team went unbeaten (1-0-1) to move to 3-0-1 and in first place in the Horizon League standings. She scored the only goal of the game in MKE's 1-0 win against Oakland to start things off. She then helped her team overcome a late deficit with a 79th-minute goal to help the team to a 1-1 draw against Detroit Mercy. The award was the third of her MKE career.

ABOUT THAT SCHEDULE
The Panthers knew the start of the 2024 season was going to be challenging in the non-conference slate. A look at the United Soccer Coaches National Poll heading into play at the end of September proved that fact, as two of MKE's opponents were ranked, with Xavier at 8-1-1 and #21 and Ohio State 7-1-2 and ranked #11 thru the end of the month. Throw in a Minnesota squad that was 8-1-1 (and ranked #7 in the region at the time), Wisconsin was at 5-2-2 (and #7 in the region), unbeaten Harvard at 4-0-4 (and #4 in the East region), and a 4-6 Valparaiso squad coming off an MVC Tournament title, and the combined record of Milwaukee's six opponents it lost to (thru the end of September) checked in at an impressive 36-11-10, a .707 winning percentage, which jumps to 32-5-10 (.787) taking just Valpo out of the equation.

HOO-RAY HORIZON
When it comes to Horizon League openers, the record is quite impressive all-time. Milwaukee has gone 26-3-1 in opening action (since joining the league in 1994), with a string of 14 wins in a row from 1998 through 2011. The squad had been victorious in nine straight as well, before getting knocked off by WSU in 2022. This fall, the team earned a 2-0 decision over Northern Kentucky on the road to get things rolling.

The Panthers have had a very long line of success when it comes to Horizon League play, claiming the regular-season title in eight of the past nine seasons (2015-19/2021-23) as well as 22 of the past 24 titles overall. In fact, the team has posted a sparkling 71-3-9 ledger (.909 win %) over the past nine campaigns (coming into 2024) in regular-season conference play.

DANDY DEBUT
Lilly Hanke made her collegiate debut when she played the second half of the season opener at Xavier, but it was her first college start that turned some heads. Hanke responded with a six-save shutout in the 3-0 victory over UIC Sept. 1, becoming the first MKE keeper since 2009 to record a clean sheet in her first college start, as well as just the sixth all-time in the history of the program. The most recent to accomplish the feat was Jamie Forbes, who posted four consecutive shutouts to open her MKE career in 2009.

FOR OPENERS
The Panthers did open 2023 by earning a 2-2 draw on the road at No. 3 Notre Dame and are now 15-16-4 in season openers at the NCAA Division I level following the 2024 decision at Xavier.  The team has now gone 6-4-4 in season openers the past 14 years, with a 1-0 victory over Western Illinois in 2015 snapping a three-game stretch without a victory. Speaking of season debuts, the six goals against NIU in 2021 (a 6-0 victory) marked the most in program history for a lid-lifter, topping the five scored against Robert Morris to open the 2020 campaign. Four had not been scored in over 30 years (4-2 over St. Norbert in 1988 and 4-0 over St. Mary's (IN) in 1987), while three has also been recorded on four different occasions.

KEEPING THE BAR HIGH
Following a first year on the sidelines that included the Horizon League regular-season and league tournament crowns, Kevin Boyd repeated the titles and took the Panthers back to the NCAA Tournament for a 17th time in program history in 2023. His two-year win-loss record stands at 24-7-8 (.718 winning percentage) heading into the new campaign while going an impressive 14-1-5 (.825) in regular-season Horizon League contests.
 
In 2023, he led the Panthers to a 12-3-5 ledger and an unbeaten 7-0-3 in conference action, leading the Horizon League in points (139), goals (47), assists (45), shots (315), and shots-per game (15.8), while finishing second with their 0.95 goals-against average. Those numbers finished among the best in the nation as well, seeing Milwaukee finish in the Top 25 in numerous categories in the NCAA: 17th in points-per game (6.95 ppg), 18th in total assists (45), 19th in scoring offense (2.35 gpg), 20th in assists per game (2.25 apg) and total points (139), 21st in total goals (47) and goal differential (+28), and 23rd in shots-on-goal per game (8.05).

PRESEASON POLL: TOPS AGAIN
Milwaukee was picked by league coaches to finish first in the 2024 Horizon League regular season. The Panthers tallied 10 first-place votes and the maximum 120 points in the coaches' poll to hold down the top spot, with the 103-point total of IU Indianapolis coming in second. This marks the sixth time in the past seven seasons that the team has been picked for the top spot, a place they have earned in the conference poll 21 times since 2000, as well as an amazing run of 13 straight from 2000-2012. Northern Kentucky (100 points/third), Wright State (71/fourth), and Youngstown State (65 points/fifth) wrapped up the next tier, with the Penguins earning the other first-place vote.
2024 #HLWSOC Preseason Poll
Pl. Team – Pts. (First-place votes)
1. Milwaukee (10) – 120
2. IU Indianapolis – 103
3. Northern Kentucky – 100
4. Wright State – 71
5. Youngstown State (1) – 65
6. Robert Morris – 60
7. Oakland – 59
8. Detroit Mercy – 54
9. Purdue Fort Wayne – 44
10. Cleveland State – 32
11. Green Bay – 18

AN IMPRESSIVE LIST TO BE AT THE TOP
Let's break it down, the Panthers have been very good since the start of the 2017 campaign. How good? Well, at 101-15-15 (.828), they actually have one of the best winning percentages in the nation over that span in NCAA play heading into 2024. The only ones higher are 2019 & 2017 NCAA National Champion Stanford at 125-18-12 (.845 after going 20-1-4 and falling in the 2023 NCAA title game) and 2022 National Champion UCLA at 121-17-14 (.842). Then, it's Milwaukee.
No. 4 on that list is now 2023 NCAA Champion Florida State at (125-22-12/.824), followed by North Carolina (125-21-17/.819), Georgetown (102-15-30/.796), and Duke (97-31-21/.721).

WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!!
Milwaukee went 5-1-4 at home back in 2015. Since then, the Panthers have posted an impressive 69-9-7 ledger at Engelmann Stadium (an .853 winning percentage), including perfect 8-0 (in 2022) and 11-0 runs (2019) through home outings and a 13-1 mark at Engelmann in 2021. The team is also 18-4-3 at home under head coach Kevin Boyd (.780), 32-5-3 since the start of the 2021 campaign in home games (.838) and recently posted a 19-game (18-0-1) unbeaten streak that was snapped in in a 1-0 loss to Marquette in September of 2023 (the last prior loss a 2-1 double-OT decision to Wisconsin in September of 2021).

SETTING THE TONE
Milwaukee saw its long streak of picking up victories after getting on the board first come to a heartbreaking end following the NCAA Tournament contest against Michigan State that closed out the 2022 campaign (MKE was on the board first in the sixth minute). That ended an unbelievable stretch, falling in a game that they scored first in to snap what was an eye-opening 85-0 stretch when being the first team to find the back of the net in a game. That includes the 9-1 mark in 2022, 17-0 in 2021, 9-0 in 2020, 17-0 in 2019, 16-0 in 2018, and 14-0 in 2017. The last time the Panthers had lost (or even TIED) a match in which they scored first was the 2016 Horizon League Tournament title game against Northern Kentucky (Nov. 5, 2016), a contest they led 2-0 early before falling, 3-2. They also went 74-2-9 when outshooting their opponent in that same span, getting outshot just 17 times over the six-plus year stretch. The Panthers went 9-0-2 when scoring first in 2023.

BRING THE HONORS
Kayla Rollins was named Horizon League Player of the Year and the Offensive Player of the Year and Kendall Edwards was selected as the Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year to highlight the postseason selections last fall. Following a 7-0-3 record to claim the Horizon League regular-season title for the eighth time in the last nine seasons, Milwaukee saw six total student-athletes get honored – five first-team selections and one second-team honoree. The five first-teamers are the most since five in 2019 and ties for highest-ever total. Joining Rollins and Edwards on the All-Horizon League First Team were Lainey Higgins, Kat Van Booven, and Clara Broecker, with Brooke Parnello picking up second team accolades.

SOME SHOES TO FILL
Seniors played a key role in 2023, as four full-time starters graduated, including the starting goalkeeper and two of the four members of the back line of the defense. Of the four, each was a Horizon League all-league selection.

The team does return three of its Top 5 point scorers, including team leader Kayla Rollins, who not only led the team with her 26 points and 12 goals but also topped the Horizon League in both categories for the second straight season. In addition to Rollins, the Panthers return Lainey Higgins, who finished with 18 points, scoring six goals while adding six assists while being named United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Third Team and First Team All-Horizon League. MKE will still have an experienced roster that sees seven players that made at least 11 starts (out of the 20 total games) a year ago including Higgins (all 20), Senya Meuer (20), Jenni Andjelic (20), Elizabeth Reece (20), Anna Champine (18), Rollins (18), and Kristina Karlof (11). In addition, the Panthers have super-sub Molly O'Regan back after she scored 16 points and netted seven goals in just eight starts, while appearing in all 20 games as well.

Points: returners accounted for 92 of the 140 points (65.7 percent)
Goals: 31 of 47 goals (65.9 percent)
Assists: 30 of 46 assists (65.2 percent)
Starts: returning players accounted for 121 starts last season.

THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR
Milwaukee recorded a 1-0 victory over Northern Kentucky in the 2023 Horizon League Tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament. That 1-0 scoreline has a familiar ring to it, as the team has been simply amazing in games featuring that final score recently. Since 2015, the Panthers have played 40 games that ended 1-0 (either way). Their record? An impressive 33-7 in those pressure-packed outings, including against Oakland Sept. 26 of this season.

REWIND TO LAST YEAR
Milwaukee entered the 2023 NCAA Tournament at 12-2-5 and was on a 12-game unbeaten streak (9-0-3) before the tough loss to Wisconsin, including wins in three consecutive contests that wrapped up with a 5-0 blowout over Robert Morris in the Horizon League Tournament semifinals and a 1-0 shutout over Northern Kentucky in the title game, led by the only goal of the contest scored by Horizon League Tournament Most Valuable Player Brooke Parnello. In net, Kendall Edwards was on an impressive run down the stretch and had posted a 0.85 goals-against average and .808 save percentage on the season. She had eight shutouts, including the 1-0 victory in the league title game, earning her a spot on the All-Tournament Team along with Parnello, Lainey Higgins, and Clara Broecker.

CATCH THEM IN ACTION
Milwaukee women's soccer will be available for the viewing pleasure of fans this season, as six of the nine 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 fall 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 $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 are back home Thursday, welcoming Robert Morris to Engelmann Stadium in a matchup set to kickoff at 7 p.m.