Men's Soccer Gets Spring Slate Underway
March 10, 2008
MADISON, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team opened up spring action at the Madison Indoor Tournament over the weekend, posting a record of 0-2-1. The Panthers opened the event with a 0-0 draw with Green Bay before falling to the Minnesota Thunder, 5-1, and to the host Badgers, 2-1. The Panthers got things underway with the 0-0 tie against the Phoenix. Freshman Sam Alexander saw his first action in nets for the Panthers and did well to keep a clean sheet. In the next game, the Minnesota Thunder handed the Panthers a 5-1 loss. The Thunder quickly gained a 2-0 lead in the first five minutes, but junior Adam Skalecki put a solid side-volley into the lower left corner to bring the game within goal at the time. However, Minnesota proved too much for the Panthers and finished the match with three unanswered goals. "We definitely had our chances, but we were a little sloppy in both boxes," UWM head coach Jon Coleman said. "This was a good test for us because this is the first time that we were able to open things to almost a full size field. It took some time to adjust to the size and space and that was evident against the Thunder." Wisconsin edged the Panthers, 2-1, in the final game of the day. "I think 150 minutes of soccer caught up to us by the end," Coleman said. "We only had 14 players healthy and ready to play on the day.' The Badgers went up 2-0, but freshman Abe Gibbons drove a ball into the far upper corner from 25 yards out to cut the deficit in half. The Panthers continued to press and came close, but were unable to get the equalizer. "I thought today was a good opportunity for some of our younger players to show," Coleman said. "This spring will be very helpful in gaining experience and developing strong team chemistry for the fall."
Up next for Milwaukee is a trip to Macomb, Ill., March 29 for a 2 p.m. contest against Western Illinois. |
