MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's soccer team scored a pair of goals in each half to take care of Northern Iowa by a final score of 4-0 Sunday afternoon at Engelmann Stadium.
 
Zoey Pagels led the way for the MKE Panthers (1-1) with a pair of goals, while Lilly Hanke made four saves to record the shutout in net against UNI Panthers (0-1-1) in what was the home opener for the program.
 
"I was really happy with our first half," head coach Kevin Boyd said. "I like the way that we started, I liked the way that we attacked … we were moving the ball through the midfield, which is something that we've been talking about trying to connect a little bit better."
 
After a dominant start to the contest in which the home side outshot the visitors, 6-1, in the opening 15 minutes, Pagels put the Panthers on the board on a header off a corner kick from Kristina Karlof at the 18:26 mark.
 
"We only had the one goal for quite a while, but then we got the second one late (in the half)," Boyd said. "We were sitting there on the bench going 'man, we need another one before the half', so I was really glad that we got that. In the second half, they (UNI) came out with a lot of energy and excitement and thought that they really put us under pressure. Those two goals really sealed it for us and then I was more concerned with our style of play after that, but that's just something that we're going to have to keep working on. This is where we are in the season – every game just get a little better."
 
The team kept up the pressure and Pagels nearly had another, sending one off the post in the 26^th minute. In the 31^st minute, Natalie Zodrow's great attempt off a give-and-go corner was snapped up at the post just before it crossed the line.
 
The pressure continued and another goal finally followed. It was created by Emily Petring, who chased down a ball from the UNI goalkeeper, forced a turnover, and fed a perfect pass to Maya Wilson for the tally at the 37:55 mark to give MKE the 2-0 lead at the break.
 
After a dominant first-half performance in which the team maintained nearly 70 percent of possession, a pair of goals in a span of just 37 seconds – tying for the fifth-fastest back-to-back goals in program history – put the game away.
 
Skinner-Barrett was involved in setting up each, finding Pagels with a cross which she finished off the post in the 57^th minute to make it 3-0.
 
On the ensuing Milwaukee possession, it was Skinner-Barrett again, racing to the endline before sending a ball back to the top of the 18. Zodrow ran on to it and one-timed it just inside the left post at the 56:41 mark to close out the scoring for the day.
 
On the afternoon, the home Panthers put up impressive statistical advantages, finishing with leads of 24-to-7 in shots, 14-to-4 in shots on goal, 9-to-4 in corner kicks, as well as 62 percent possession on the day.
 
Pagels' first career brace led the offense, as did her career-high seven shot attempts. A total of 10 Panthers recorded shots, with Kiersten White and Zodrow finishing with three apiece.
 
In net, Lilly Hanke made her first start of the campaign and responded with her second career clean sheet, making four saves while also coming away with numerous dangerous chances out of possible UNI opportunities.
 
"I thought what she did really well was handle balls that she got to in a crowd and didn't create any second balls for them" Boyd said.
 
Up next, the team remains at home to host Marquette, set for a 7:30 p.m. start Thursday. The matchup is the second of a men's/women's doubleheader that evening, so kickoff may possibly be adjusted a few minutes later than the anticipated 7:30 p.m. start.