Nicole Sperl
|
|
Panthers Host Ohio State, Samford In Milwaukee Cup
UWM looks to defend 2007 Milwaukee Cup title
This Week In Panther Soccer
Game #2: Ohio State (12-10-1 in `07) @ Milwaukee
Wednesday, Aug. 27 • 7 p.m. • Engelmann Field
Gameday Media: Gametracker
Game #3: Samford (0-1-0) @ Milwaukee
Friday, Aug. 29 • 7 p.m. • Engelmann Field
Gameday Media: Gametracker
• Complete Release in PDF Format 
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Aug. 26, 2008) - Coming off a 3-0 win over Wisconsin in its season opener, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team remains at home this week hosting the 2008 Milwaukee Cup. The Panthers play Ohio State Wednesday before Samford comes to Engelmann Field Friday.
The "Silver" Anniversary
The Panthers is playing its 25th season as a varsity sport. The team will be celebrating the occasion all season long, recognizing outstanding achievements and moments in UWM women's soccer history. The squad will also be wearing special patches commemorating the season.
A Look At The Opposition - Ohio State
Ohio State kicks off its 2008 season Wednesday, coing off an NCAA Tournament trip last season. The Buckeyes were 12-10-1 a year ago and earned an at-large berth into the tourney. Six starters return, including three players that scored at least 10 points and the team's starting keeper. Alex Burzynski is the squad's top returning scorer after finishing with a team-high six goals last season. Lauren Robertson is back in goal after playing every minute in 2007 and posting a 1.21 goals against average.
2008 Milwaukee Cup
For the second-straight season, the Milwaukee Cup deviates from the traditional format. The Panthers and Marquette will continue to host their own matches. But, this season, UWM will host Ohio State Wednesday and Samford Friday. The Golden Eagles, on the other hand, host OSU Friday and the Bulldogs Sunday. Milwaukee is the defending champion, while it and Marquette each went 2-0 in 2005, with MU getting the title on tiebreakers.
A Look At The Opposition - Samford
The Bulldogs return eight starters from last season's NCAA Tournament squad. Two of those starters, Lauren Cook and Amber Cress, tallied 21 points last season, while another two returners eclipsed the 10-point mark. Cayley Winters gives Samford its starting goalkeeper from last season, as well. She logged over 1,830 minutes last season and posted a 0.74 GAA. The Bulldogs are off to an 0-1 start after a 4-0 loss to No. 8 Texas last weekend.
Series Histories... Or Lack Thereof
The Panthers have never played Ohio State or Samford. They do, however, have extensive experience with the Big Ten. UWM has played nine of the other 10 Big Ten schools (Penn State), amassing 14 wins and 11 ties. The Ohio Valley Conference, however, is another story. The Panthers have only played Eastern Illinois, 2-1, in 1998.
Rude To First Time Opponents
Milwaukee has found some recent success when facing opponents for the first time. Over the last three seasons, the Panthers are 8-6-1 against teams they are playing for the first time, including five contests against ranked teams. The Milwaukee Cup has become a breeding ground for new foes, as UWM has played five new teams over the last four seasons of the tournament, going 4-0-1.
Last Time Out - Milwaukee 3, Wisconsin 0
The Panthers opened their 2008 season with a 3-0 win over Wisconsin last Friday at Engelmann Field. Freshman Sarah Hagen paced Milwaukee to its third-straight win over the Badgers with two goals. Junior Louise Vraney added another insurance goal late and junior Kate Megna tallied two assists on the night.
Wasting No Time
Sarah Hagen is the third Panther freshman to score two goals in her collegiate debut, following Louise Vraney in 2006 and Katie Waltenberger in 1997. Last Friday was also the third-straight season-opener in which a freshman scored, including Sarah Talbert's first career goal last season. Incidentally, Vraney's two goals in the 2006 opener were the first freshman goals in the team's first game in school history.
Player Of The Week
For her efforts, Hagen was named the season's inaugural Horizon League Player of the Week. She is the first Panther freshman to earn the honor after her week of action since Erin Kane in 2005.
Miss Opening Day
No player in school history has thrived more on opening day than Louise Vraney. In 2006, she became the first UWM freshman to score in a season-opener, finding the back of the net twice. She tallied another goal in the first game of 2007 and another last Friday. Her four career goals on opening day are two more than any other player.
Helping Hands... Er... Feet
Juniors Erin Kreuser and Kate Megna hooked up to assist on the game-winner last Friday against Wisconsin. It was fitting, as both players are among the school leaders in career game-winning assists. Kreuser is now fifth with six in her career, while Megna is tied for sixth with four. The school record is seven, held by four players.
Home, Sweet Home
The Panthers pushed their regular season home unbeaten streak to 26 with their win over Wisconsin (21-0-5). The streak dates back to the end of the 2004 season. In fact, the team's only loss in that time came in the league semifinals. So, if you include post-season contests, the team is still an impressive 24-1-6 at home over its last 31 matches.
State Champs
UWM pushed its unbeaten streak against state schools to seven games last weekend. The Panthers have not lost to one of the three other Division I schools in the state since 2005. They went 3-0 in 2006 and 2-0-1 last season. Friday's win over Wisconsin was their third-straight over the Badgers. UWM has defeated Green Bay four-straight times. And, finally, Milwaukee tied Marquette last season after a 2-0 win in 2006.
More Streaks To Keep An Eye On
• The Panthers have not allowed a goal and are unbeaten in their last five games against the Big Ten Conference (3-0-2).
• Milwaukee has not lost an overtime game since Sept. 12, 2004, a streak of 23-straight overtime contests without a loss (10-0-13).
• Senior Erin Kane has yet to concede a goal in overtime, playing 302:28 of scoreless overtime in her career. Of her 37 career shutouts, 15 have included some overtime.
You Don't Have To Build It For Them To Come
Milwaukee's season-opener with Wisconsin drew 718 fans to Engelmann Field, the second-highest attendance for a women's soccer game in the field's history. The team record for attendance at Engelmann is 867, set last season against Marquette.
Heading To The Top
Head coach Michael Moynihan pushed his career win total to 133 with UWM's win over Wisconsin. He is now just three back of Louis Bennett for most wins by a soccer coach in school history. Bennett coached the men's team from 1996 to 2005 and racked up 136 wins. Only two other coaches have won 100 soccer games for Milwaukee.
Prognosticators Pick Panthers
For the ninth consecutive year, Milwaukee has been picked to win the Horizon League in the annual preseason coaches' poll. The Panthers garnered seven first place votes and tallied 63 points. Loyola, which finished second to UWM last season, was picked second with two first-place nods and 58 total points. Milwaukee has won the last eight league regular season crowns.
Streaking
The Panthers enter the 2008 season having won the last eight Horizon League regular season titles. The streak is the second-longest nation, behind only Penn State's streak of 10 Big Ten titles.
Back In Black (And Gold)
Milwaukee returns 17 letterwinners from last season, including seven starters. The list of returners includes all-league first team members Erin Kane, Sarah Teegarden and Kate Megna. The Panthers also return four of their top five scorers in sophomore Nicole Sperl (team-high 14 points), junior Erin Kreuser (2nd with 13), Megna and Teegarden.
Welcome To Milwaukee
Despite having seven returning starters and 17 letterwinners, the Panthers will have eight newcomers vying for playing time this season. Heading that list are Gatorade Wisconsin State Player of the Year Laurel Ragalie, Appleton Post-Crecent Female Co-Players of the Year Sarah Hagen and Chelsea Colling and a four-time all-state honoree in Makenzie Gillaspie. Keara Thompson, Mary Wandolowski, Sammy Vovos and Lindsay Boeckman round out a talented freshman class.
2007 Revisited
While the 2007 season did not end in the NCAA Tournament like Milwaukee hoped it would, it still was another successful season for the Panthers. They went 13-4-4, won an eighth-straight Horizon League regular season championship and advanced to the league title game for a league-record ninth time.
A Few Extra Notes
• UWM defeated Toledo, 3-0, in their only intercollegiate exhibition match. Freshman Laurel Ragalie scored two goals in the match.
• Sarah Hagen assisted on all three goals against Toledo, including twice while playing as the team's emergency goalkeeper in the second half.
Next Up
The Panthers leave Engelmann Field for a little bit, but don't go far when they play at Marquette on Wednesday. A busy week ensues as Western Michigan (Friday) and Illinois State (Sunday) come to Engelmann.
|
