MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Sept. 2, 2011) – Sarah Hagen scored a goal and assisted on another to lead the 22nd-ranked University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women’s soccer team to a 2-0 win over Iowa State Friday evening in the first game of the Minnesota Gold Classic.

 

The Panthers (5-0), who are ranked as high as No. 20 in the Soccer America poll, put together a strong all-around performance to hand the Cyclones (3-1-1) their first loss of the season.

 

“Very happy to come away with a 2-nil victory, getting the shutout on the road,” Milwaukee head coach Michael Moynihan said. “I thought the goals we scored were fantastic. Sarah (Hagen) stuck the first one hard and scored a beautiful goal. The second one came off the cross from Sarah to Kelly (Lewers) and was very crisp all around.”

 

Hagen struck in the 22nd minute, earning a free kick just outside the penalty area. She then stepped up and buried her free kick past the outstretched hands of the ISU keeper. It was the first goal surrendered by Iowa State this season.

 

Milwaukee controlled the pace of play for much of the first half, but intensified its attack after halftime.

 

Kelly Lewers struck for her third goal of the season in the 56th minute to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead and some breathing room. Hagen beat her defender out wide and whipped a cross to the middle of the goal where Lewers finished with a diving header.

 

UWM took all of the game’s momentum from that point, not relenting and conceding few chances. Jamie Forbes finished with four saves for her third shutout of the season. The defense in front of her of Makenzie Gillaspie, Mary Wandolowski, Amy Kauffung and Emily Scott snuffed out most chances that entered the penalty area, limiting the bulk of ISU’s 10 shots in the game to long-distance tries.

 

The Panthers held the shot advantage, 17-10, and had one more corner, 7-6. That corner total is thanks to a 5-0 count in the second half. The Cyclones finished with four saves, with one from the starter Maddie Jobe, two from Andrea Swanson and another by a defender clearing a Morgan LaPlant shot off the line.

 

“I was very happy with some of the changes we made going into the second half,” Moynihan said. “I thought they were very effective and made us very dangerous. I thought we could have had two or three goals. The one they cleared off the line and a couple others.”

 

UWM closes out the weekend Sunday against host Minnesota. UWM and the Gophers kick off at 1 p.m.