Four Panthers Named To All-League First Team
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Oct. 30, 2007) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team placed four players on the All-Horizon League First Team, and two more on the all-newcomer team, while head coach Michael Moynihan was named the league coach of the year Tuesday when the league office announced its post-season awards. Juniors Erin Kane and Sarah Teegarden each earned their third-straight all-league first team selections, while senior Amanda Winn and sophomore Kate Megna were named to the first team for the first time. Freshmen Nicole Sperl and Heather Roadhouse were selected to the all-newcomer team. Moynihan was named league coach of the year for the fifth time in his career, and the first since 2004. He also earned the honor in his first season in 1997 and in back-to-back years in 2000 and 2001. Moynihan has led the Panthers to a 11-4-3 record so far this season, as well as the team's eighth-straight Horizon League regular season championship. UWM was 7-0-1 in league play this season and led the league in most goals scored and fewest allowed during the league season. Kane has started all 18 games for Milwaukee this season, posting a 0.70 goals against average and nine shutouts. For much of the season she has been among the national leaders in GAA, peaking at No. 4 last week. This season she has also tied the school record with her 36th career win, surpassed the school record for goalkeeper minutes played and pushed her already school and league-record career shutout total to 35.
Teegarden, meanwhile, has taken on a more defensive role for the Panthers this season after being one of the team's leading scorer her first two years. She has started all 18 games and leads the team's field players in minutes played this season. She has also picked up a pair of goals, while contributing to the league's stingiest defense. Kane and Teegarden are the fifth and sixth Panthers to earn three all-league first team awards in their career, while just five players in league history have been named to the first team in all four years of their career. Winn was honored for the third time in her career after earning all-league second team honors her last two seasons. She has anchored a young defense, starting 16 games and playing the bulk of her minutes at central defender. Milwaukee has posted a 0.69 GAA this season and 10 shutouts. Offensively, she has contributed two goals and an assist. Megna was an all-newcomer selection as a freshman in 2006, but now makes her first appearance on the league's first team. She is another member of the Panthers' talented midfield, having played in 17 games this season, starting 15. She is third on the team with 12 points on four goals and four assists. She has scored a game-winning goal and assisted on two others. On the newcomer team, Sperl has played in all 18 games this season and started 10 times. She leads the team in points with 14 on five goals and four assists and has been a clutch performer all season. Her first four goals all came as game-winners, while two of her assists have been on winners, as well. Roadhouse joins Kane and Teegarden in starting all 18 games this season, doing so as the team's primary defensive midfielder. In addition to her contributions on the defensive side of the field, she has also contributed a goal on offense, the game-winner against Youngstown State. The Panthers begin play in the 2007 Horizon League Tournament Saturday, hosting a quarterfinal match at 6 p.m. at Engelmann Field. UWM is the top seed in the tournament and will play the winner of a first round match between No. 8 Cleveland State and No. 9 Youngstown State. That contest is being played Tuesday in Cleveland. |
