MILWAUKEE – The drama that unfolded around the final 10 minutes of regulation and postgame at Engelmann Stadium Tuesday afternoon against Green Bay will be remembered for years to come around the Milwaukee men's soccer program.
Not only did
Felix Huwiler's goal in the 87
th minute send the Panthers (7-4-6, 5-1-4 Horizon League) past the Phoenix (4-9-4, 3-4-3 Horizon League) by a final score of 2-1 to win the "Chancellor's Cup", but that goal could later be described as "golden" for a different reason than accustomed in soccer terms.
After the team closed out the final 205 seconds today to earn the win and then waited out the results from around the remainder of the conference, that scoring strike provided just enough of a difference needed to crown the team the 2026 Horizon League regular season champions. The result gave the team 19 points in the final standings (5-1-4 record), just ahead of Purdue Fort Wayne (18/5-2-3), marking the first regular-season title since 2004 and the sixth in program history.
"I think the most thrilling part of the day was seeing the guys celebrate after the game," head coach
Kris Kelderman said. "Just a sign of how much it meant to these guys, what they put into the season. You know, it took a lot of determination and team defense. We haven't been the highest-scoring team by any means this season. But they say defense wins championships. And boy, has that come true for us this season."
Final seeding was up in the air to open the day, as MKE could finish anywhere from the top spot … all the way down to fifth place depending on the outcome against GB and what happened in the other league matches. A win would guarantee the No. 2 seed and the possibility of a title if Northern Illinois would fall or draw at Robert Morris.
With about eight minutes remaining in regulation and the score tied, Milwaukee (16 points to start the day) was looking at a three or four seed with Northern Illinois (17 points to start the day) tied with Robert Morris (14) and Purdue Fort Wayne (15) ahead of Northern Kentucky.
That was when the magic happened, as
Dominic Zuniga stepped over a corner kick that would decide the team's fate. Huwiler charged to the front of the goal from the nearby wing, greeting Zuniga's pass with a header that bounded into the ground and then into the back of the net at the 86:35 mark, setting off a huge celebration with the team as he went running to the corner flag, sliding into the jubilant group of teammates that piled on top of him.
"I couldn't be prouder for the guys," Kelderman said. "Not only are they working out on game days, but every day in training throughout the week. And it was something that I really can feel confident and proud to say that these guys deserve this. They fought to the end of every single game. Again, we scored at the very end today.
Felix Huwiler stepped up and was the hero. His brother, Kat [Katahdin], stepped in as a freshman that hasn't played much this season and started and played 90 minutes in the center back role, which is a very important role in the biggest game of the season."
After the thrilling goal, the defense still had to close it out, with
Carson Pridie icing the result when he ran off his line to secure a 90
th-minute Green Bay header with under 45 seconds remaining in regulation.
"Just a fantastic performance," Kelderman said. "We needed people to step up today because we were missing some people. Carson (Pridie), you know, I told him before the game, … 'confirm to everybody that you are definitely the best goalkeeper in the conference'. And he did that today. Back line has been super all season and was good again today. Midfield played a complete game offensively and defensively. And the forwards, worked their tails off offensively."
When the horn sounded the team celebrated claiming the "Chancellor's Cup" with its win in the yearly battle for the trophy against the Phoenix, but then quickly gathered on the field to scoreboard watch. RMU did the team a favor with a second goal in the 87
th minute of its own game and as that decision ticked final another celebration on the field erupted as the Panthers celebrated their first regular-season title in 22 years – joined by numerous members of the 2026 league-title winning MKE women's team in attendance as well.
Back-and-forth from the start, Milwaukee initially took control in the 19
th minute when
AJ Wild netted the first of the game. It started with a throw-in from
Breon Jarvis, touched wide by
Kellen Diercks, with Wild sending a left-footed shot inside of post for his second goal of the campaign at the 18:53 mark.
Pridie came up big with his two first-half saves as well, pushing a rocket shot up-and-over the crossbar that was coming through traffic in the 15
th minute before coming through with a spectacular save later, diving to his left to make a great play in the 31
st minute.
The Panthers had a chance to double the lead in the 40
th minute, earning a penalty kick after
Ollie Weir was tripped up in the box by the goalkeeper on a breakaway chance. The Phoenix goalie came up huge, however, making a sprawling save to deny the PK and keep the game level at 1-1.
Early in the second,
Katahdin Huwiler also played that big role, clearing a shot from going in after Pridie had run off his line but was unable to make the stop. That happened in the 52
nd minute, which was crucial because Green Bay found an equalizer in the 53
rd minute to make it 1-1.
Milwaukee had a handful of solid chances to get that second goal earlier.
Jack Bretzmann had a good look in the 57
th minute but was unable to get enough on it and past the keeper. Huwiler seemingly had a goal in the 65
th as well, coming off a Zuniga free kick from about 45 yards out. Huwiler and the Phoenix goalkeeper both went up for the ball, which popped into the air. On the way down it glanced off Huwiler's arm before he fired it into the back of the net. The goal was called off and it remained 1-1.
Bretzmann also had a turn-and-shoot opportunity in the 71
st, popped in the air and corralled by the keeper to set the stage for the late heroics.
The rainy match was also "Senior Day", as the program sent
Mitch Goodman,
Nolan Meyer,
Ollie Weir, and
Dominic Zuniga out in style. Milwaukee would end up posting advantages of 20-13 in total shots and 6-5 in corner kicks, while both squads recorded eight shots on goal. Zuniga paced the offense with an MKE-best six shot attempts, with Bretzmann adding three. Pridie finished the match with six saves.
Up next, the team will have a bye from the first round of the postseason this upcoming weekend and will host semifinals next week Wednesday, Nov. 11. Game time will be 1 p.m. as the start of a men's/women's doubleheader that day against the lowest remaining seed following the quarterfinals. Milwaukee's opponent will be posted to the website and shared on social media following the weekend matches.
