MILWAUKEE – Four second-half goals blew open a 1-0 advantage at the half as the Milwaukee women's soccer team rolled to a 5-0 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne Thursday evening at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (6-4-1, 3-0-0 Horizon League) doubled their lead at the break against the Mastodons (1-8-1, 0-2-0 Horizon League) in the 49^th minute and then kept adding on, finding the back of the net in the 64^th, 74^th, and 84^th minutes as they extended their unbeaten streak in regular-season league play to an impressive 32 consecutive (26-0-6) matches.
 
"I thought we played very well in the first half, other than our final third," head coach Kevin Boyd said. "I told the team in the second half, the game will start to settle a little more because fatigue will kick in. And when that happens, we are going to find some more space. As a whole, we played well – a couple really nice goals in there as well."
 
Milwaukee got goals from five different players – Ellie Rebmann, Lola Wojcik, Jenni Andjelic, Emily Petring, and Abby Stoeck all joined in – as the team also stayed perfect against Purdue Fort Wayne, improving to 6-0-1 in the all-time series.
 
"I think that sums us up this year," Boyd said of the balanced scoring. "We are a good, sound team all the way across the board. There is no one player carrying the load. We've got a couple that are playing really well, but as a whole, the team is starting to connect better and better. I love that we've got really two lines of forwards that are coming in and tonight was the best I've seen that second line come in and play – I thought they did really well in the second half."
 
The MKE offense dominated the first half, recording 79 percent of the possession, but had just that slim 1-0 lead at intermission on Rebmann's second of the season, coming at the 31:57 mark. She found herself in the right place at the right time, rocketing in a rebound from the top of the 18 following a corner kick to open the scoring.
 
Just over three minutes later, Petring narrowly missed out on her first, taking a pass from Maya Wilson and sending a near-perfect shot to the upper right of the goal, only to see it hit the crossbar and bounce over.
 
The second half was then a clinic for the MKE offense, outshooting the visitors 20-1 over the final 45 minutes alone, getting the scoring going early in the period and never taking its foot off the gas.
 
Wojcik one-timed a crossing pass from Rebmann in for her second of the year at the 48:24 mark to double the lead.
 
The team took advantage of a 25-yard free kick next, with Kristina Karlof playing a pass to Wojcik in the box. Her initial shot was saved, but Andjelic was there to chip in the rebound for her first of the campaign at the 63:20 mark to make it 3-0.
 
Petring netted a pretty goal, stopping a serve from Natalie Zodrow on the flank before volleying her fourth goal of the season just inside the far post at the 73:40 mark. Payton Green was also credited with an assist on the play.
 
Another set piece resulted in the final tally, started by a throw-in from Kiersten White from deep down the left sideline. Taylor Richards headed it to the front of the goal, where Stoeck finished with the header for her first of the year at the 83:40 mark.
 
Richards nearly made it 6-0 at the end of the night, only to see the best save of the match by the PFW keeper knock her laser from about 25 yards away just wide of the goal in the 83^rd minute, just 72 seconds ahead of Stoeck's goal that came courtesy of the ensuing play.
 
On the night, Milwaukee ran up impressive stat-sheet advantages of 29-3 in total shots, 16-3 in shots on goal, 7-0 in corner kicks, as well as finishing the contest with 73 percent of total possession. Petring and Zodrow led the way with four shots apiece. Wojcik and Rebmann ended up with a team-best three points each on a goal and an assist to top the scorers.
 
Not to be lost in the big offensive display was the work of the defense, limiting the 'Dons to just three total shot attempts. Bella Hollenbach was there to do her job on all three, recording three saves to keep her conference goals-against average at a perfect 0.00. The shutout was her fourth of the season while also extending her current scoreless streak to 432:14.
 
The Panthers are off until Sunday, welcoming Northern Kentucky to Engelmann Stadium. The game pits two of the three teams at the top of the standings (both 3-0) as well as a rematch of last year's Horizon League Tournament Championship. Game time is set for 1 p.m.