Panthers Rout Thunderbirds, 6-0
MILWAUKEE - Three goals in each half helped the Milwaukee women's soccer team to a 6-0 victory over Southern Utah Sunday afternoon at Engelmann Stadium.
The Panthers (7-0-1) led 3-0 at intermission against the Thunderbirds (1-6-0) before tacking on two quick goals in the first three minutes of the second half.
"We told our kids 'just come out and play', don't look at records, let's just worry about ourselves and we just wanted to focus on being dangerous and creating more chances," Milwaukee head coach Troy Fabiano said. "And we did that, and we actually put some in the back of the net, which is exciting to see."
Mackenzie Schill led the way with two goals and one assist. Lourdes Onwuemeka played a key role with three assists, Gaby Zabala scored and had an assist and Cassidy Blanchard added a pair of assists to pace the offense.
The first goal came quickly. Blanchard fed Onwuemeka with a deep ball over the top, which was played back to Aubrey Krahn at the top of the 18. She blasted it home at the 5:33 mark for her third of the season and the eventual game winner.
Zabala's goal came next, blasting in a rebound of a Schill attempt from the left wing at 24:51.
Schill's first tally was a beauty, volleying in a cross from Onwuemeka at the 29:30 mark to make it 3-0 before intermission.
Milwaukee stepped on the gas pedal to start the second half, getting a pretty header from Anna Smalley in the 47th minute and a nifty move from Kelli Swenson to put home goal No. 5 in the 48th minute.
Schill closed out the scoring in the 76th, stopping a pass at her feet before calmly netting her fifth of the season.
For the game, UWM posted a 25-to-6 advantage in shots (11-2 on goal, allowing just one second-half shot) and had five of the six corners. Onwuemeka and Schill had a team-high four shots each.
Lost in the offensive display was another shutout by Mallory Geurts, who broke the school record for most scoreless minutes when she eclipsed Erin Kane's 2005 mark of 717:10 early in the second half.
She made a pair of saves to record her eighth straight shutout – tops in the nation.
Friday's blanking of Northern Illinois actually eclipsed the team record for most consecutive shutouts overall, which had been six (set three times, most recently 2015).
"We look at it as a group and they take pride in it," Fabiano said. "Eight games and to not give up a goal … I think the most exciting thing for us is that we are not giving up many chances and that's important for us too."
Up next, Horizon League play gets underway, with the Panthers hosting Detroit Mercy Friday night at 7 p.m.
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