MILWAUKEE - Sophomore Anna Smalley scored a goal in each half to help lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team to a 3-1 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Wednesday night at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (6-3-2, 3-0-0 Horizon League) scored a pair of goals early against the Phoenix (2-9-0, 0-3-0 Horizon League) before adding an insurance strike late in the contest to close out the month of September with a near-unbeaten 5-1-2 mark.
 
"We talked to the girls that we needed a quick start," UWM head coach Troy Fabiano said. "We got the quick start, but I think at that point our inexperience showed. I think they thought the game would be over and Green Bay kept battling and was able to get one back and the game became interesting again."
 
Sophomore Sydney Senn got things going early, picking up an errant goalkeeper pass to create a one-on-one chance that she converted just 3:49 into the evening for her fourth goal of the season.
 
Milwaukee kept the pressure up. Senior Kelsey Holbert sent a shot from the right wing on target in the eighth minute. That ball was pushed up-and-off the cross bar, bouncing back into play for Smalley to clean up and make it 2-0 at the 7:34 mark.
 
With a tough 20-plus mile an hour wind facing both teams, Green Bay kept pushing in the first half with the wind at its back and got on the board in the 29^th minute to send the game into intermission with UWM holding the 2-1 advantage.
 
"At halftime, we felt that we had the two goals and maybe had a third one that we missed," Fabiano said. "But I also said, going into the wind and being up 2-1 was a positive thing. We had some issues keeping the ball and I give credit to Green Bay. They were able to get us out of our rhythm."
 
 
Junior goalkeeper Paige Lincicum stayed busy, making six saves on the night, including a nice stop off a flicked close-range header in the 22^nd minute. Senn nearly made it 3-0 in the 26^th as well, volleying a shot in front just left of the post.
 
Milwaukee tried to add an insurance marker in the 57th. It was Holbert this time, taking a nice feed from junior Callie O'Donnell along the right wing and firing one on goal. The diving save was made, with the ball nearly squirting through.
 
Lincicum made a pair of second-half saves to keep it at 2-1, including a rifled shot from distance in the 61^st minute off the foot of Heidi Hartmann.
 
Smalley then took matters into her own hands and found the back of the net for the second time, running on to a through ball from junior Maria Stephans in the 79^th minute. She made a nifty one-touch move around the charging goalkeeper, then fired to the back post for her first multi-goal effort in her career and her fifth of the season.
 
For the game, UWM held shot advantages of 16-to-11 overall, including 10-7 in shots on goal. The Panthers forced five of the six corner kicks on the night and were whistled for 14 of the 21 fouls and four of the five offsides calls.
 
Smalley led the charge with five shots to finish with the brace. Senn was close behind with four, narrowly missing her second of the night in the waning minutes.
 
The victory not only makes the Panthers the only Horizon League team to feature a perfect 3-0 conference mark to date, but also gives the team six victories on the season – matching the season total from a year ago before the calendar even turns to October.
 
Milwaukee remains at home for another contest Saturday, welcoming Youngstown State to Engelmann Stadium for a 5 p.m. start.

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