With a daunting non-conference schedule in the rear-view mirror, the Milwaukee women's soccer team sets its sights on Horizon League play, starting with a road trip to Kentucky and Ohio this week. Up first is a visit Thursday at Northern Kentucky, followed up by a stop at Wright State Sunday. The trek will see MKE battle the No. 3 (NKU) and No. 4 (WSU) teams from the Horizon League preseason poll.

Thursday's tilt with the Norse will get underway at 6 p.m. CT and be available on ESPN+. Sunday's affair against the Raiders is scheduled for a noon CT start, but will not have a video stream available. Both contests will have live statistics to follow along with and all links are on the Milwaukee website.

Milwaukee is now 7-1-3 all-time against Northern Kentucky, with all games coming since the Norse joined the Horizon League. Seven of the games in the series have resulted in shutouts by the MKE defense, including a 1-0 win in the thrilling league tournament championship last fall. The Norse have scored more than once in a game just one time - coming in a 3-2 victory in the Horizon League Tournament title game in 2016. A year ago, MKE handed the Norse a 3-1 loss on the road during the regular season and then punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament with the 1-0 result in the title game after Brooke Parnello netted a late PK to decide it.

The Panthers are 30-10-6 all-time against Wright State and had been on a very nice run in the series prior to a 3-2 loss in 2022. MKE had claimed seven consecutive victories and was unbeaten in nine in a row at 8-0-1. Overall, three of the past five have been convincing, with Milwaukee claiming 3-0 shutouts in both 2020 and 2019. Last season, the Panthers saw Molly O'Regan score three goals in a span of just over 13 minutes during the first half to help propel the team to an easy 4-0 victory.

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:
NORTHERN KENTUCKY: The Norse went 8-4-8 in 2023, which included a 4-2-4 ledger in Horizon League action. The team peaked at the end of the regular season, going 4-0-1 to close out the year before advancing past Detroit Mercy (W, 1-0) and IU Indy (on PK's after a 1-1 draw) before falling to Milwaukee in the league title matchup. Head coach Bob Sheehan is the only coach in NKU's program history and is 333-116-31 (.726) in 24 seasons with the Norse. They were picked third in the preseason poll and the Norse returns an elite core for the 2024 campaign, which includes Horizon Defensive Player of the Year and All-League First Team honoree, Lydia Self, All-League Second Team selections, Kaya Vogt and Lilly Yordy, and All-Freshman Team members Erykah Cornett and Sophia Kapszukiewicz.

The team starts the week at 3-5 overall, but has won back-to-back 1-0 decisions against Morehead State (Sept. 8) and Bellarmine (Sept. 12). The offense has produced just seven goals in eight games, led by four points (1G/2A) from Lilly Yordy. In net, three players have split time. Donna Bundy has all three team wins to go with a 1.57 GAA and .538 save percentage.

WRIGHT STATE: The Raiders went 6-7-5 overall and advanced to the Horizon League Quarterfinals after tallying a 4-3-3 mark in Horizon League play in 2023. Two Raiders received All-League honors, as Lauren Borchert earned All-League Second Team honors, and Kaitlyn Eyink was named to the All-Freshman Team.

The team starts the week at 2-5, having dropped back-to-back games to Valparaiso (2-1 Sept. 8) and Dayton (5-1 Sept. 12). They also host Green Bay Thursday before welcoming MKE Sunday. The offense has netted just seven goals in seven games, paced by eight points (3G/2A) from Olivia Stroud, which ties her for the league scoring lead. Kiera Sarka is the starter in goal and carries a 2.95 GAA and .563 save percentage on the season.

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 league play in mid-September proves that fact, as two of MKE's opponents were ranked, with Xavier at 7-1-1 at that point and #23 and Ohio State 6-1-1 and ranked #17. Throw in an unbeaten Minnesota squad at 7-0-1 (and ranked #7 in the region), Wisconsin at 4-2-1 (and #8 in the region), unbeaten Harvard at 4-0-3 (and #3 in the East region), and a 4-4 Valparaiso squad coming off an MVC Tournament title, and the combined record of Milwaukee's six opponents it lost to before Horizon League play opened checked in at an impressive 32-7-7, a .772 winning percentage.

HOO-RAY HORIZON
When it comes to Horizon League openers, the record is quite impressive all-time. Milwaukee has gone 25-3-1 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. Last fall, the team earned a 2-1 decision over Cleveland State 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.

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).

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 68-9-6 ledger at Engelmann Stadium (an .855 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 16-4-2 at home under head coach Kevin Boyd (.773), 31-5-2 since the start of the 2021 campaign in home games (.842) 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 39 games that ended 1-0 (either way). Their record? An impressive 32-7 in those pressure-packed outings, including against Minnesota to knock off a quality Big Ten opponent earlier last 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 will host their home league opener Thursday, welcoming Oakland to Engelmann Stadium. Game time against the Golden Grizzlies is set for 7 p.m.