MILWAUKEE - Maggie Pike scored in the fourth minute and the Milwaukee women's soccer team could not find the equalizer the rest of the way despite 19 total shots and numerous near-misses Sunday afternoon at Engelmann Stadium.
 
"That's the joy of soccer," Milwaukee head coach Troy Fabiano said. "I think they caught us early on a couple of mistakes that we made. It was their only shot of the first half and they took advantage of the opportunity. Compared to, I felt, us having the better half of the play for the majority of the game and created a ton of chances, but just didn't finish."
 
The Panthers (2-1-1) outshot the Redhawks (4-0-0) by a 10-to-1 count by halftime alone, but the visitors made the lone goal stand up to remain perfect on the season through four games for just the second time in their program history.
 
Fans knew it was going to be a close battle coming in, with Milwaukee carrying its school record-tying 13-game unbeaten (9-0-4) into the day, matched closely by SEMO, which has just one loss in its past 13 now dating back to last season (7-1-5).
 
With both teams still getting a feel for the game, Pike took a pass off a throw-in and one-timed it perfectly from the left wing, going far post to make it 1-0 at the 3:34 mark.
 
Numerous chances followed for UWM, starting with Aubrey Krahn cracking one just high in the 15^th minute. In the 22^nd, Maria Stephans had the ball ricochet back to her on the way to goal, but her left-footed one-timer curled inches wide left.
 
"If you don't finish, you are not going to get a result," Fabiano said. "The one opportunity they had they finished and that is what got them the win. What frustrates me the most is just giving up that early goal. Then you are chasing the game and we chased it again and just didn't get the equalizer."
 
McKaela Schmelzer had a close-range header saved in the 27^th and Lourdes Onwuemeka had her breakaway attempt stopped brilliantly by SEMO keeper Kindra Lierz in the 29^th. Onwuemeka played a role in the next quality chance, setting up Sydney Senn on a breakaway but, again, the ball zipped just over the crossbar.
 
It was more of the same in the second half after the UWM defense fended off a trio of corner kicks and Mallory Geurts made a pair of easy saves.
 
Stephans went just left on a great endline serve from Anna Smalley in the 57^th minute and Onwuemeka blasted one off the right post in the 64^th.
 
The Panthers kept pressing and looked to have scored in the 83^rd minute when Schmelzer headed in a perfect end line serve from Stephans, only to have the whistle blow and find out the ball had crossed out of bounds before Stephans sent it in.
 
Milwaukee's last good chances came in the 85^th and 89^th minutes, but Lierz was somehow in the right place at the right time on Schmelzer's header right in front and Kelli Swenson's attempt was high just after.
 
Game totals saw UWM with advantages of 19-to-6 in shots, with both squads placing four in target. SEMO had three of the four corner kicks, with both teams being whistled for seven fouls. Onwuemeka and Schmelzer paced the offense with three shots each.
 
Up next, the Panthers hit the road for the weekend, stopping first in Macomb, Ill., for a showdown with Western Illinois Friday. Start time is set for 3 p.m.
 

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