MILWAUKEE - Three goals in the first half stood up as the Milwaukee women's soccer team handed Oakland a 3-1 loss Saturday night at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (12-1, 6-0 Horizon League) answered a Golden Grizzly (1-10-3, 1-2-3 Horizon League) goal that trimmed the lead to 2-1 with a score less than three minutes later to take control from there.
 
"It was a pretty fast-paced game, which was fun to watch – it was up and down, up and down," head coach Troy Fabiano said. "I give Oakland credit – that is a difficult team to play against. They didn't back down. We are happy with the result and ready to move on to the next one."
 
The MKE corner kick again played a crucial role. Coming into play tonight, the Panthers had scored six goals off corner kicks. They upped that total to eight tonight, starting with the second goal of the season by Erin Corrigan off her own corner in the 13^th minute.
 
Corrigan swung the ball in, made it over the leaping OU keeper and banged off a defender who had crossed the goal line and went back into play. Following a few seconds of uncertainty, the goal was confirmed and Milwaukee led 1-0 at the 12:27 mark.
 
Up next was the 28^th minute, with Kelli Swenson netting the eventual game-winner at the line after a scrum in front of the goal. Corrigan placed another perfect corner, headed in front by McKaela Schmelzer. Haley Johnson and Mackenzie Schill got a piece of it, with Swenson there to knee it across at the post to make it 2-0 at the 27:06 mark.
 
"We felt good up 2-0, but maybe got a little too comfortable, especially out of the back," Fabiano said. "Give credit to our group with the response to the goal right away. We just weren't as mentally sharp as we have been in the past. But then again, at this time of the year, a 3-1 result you take it."
 
Despite netting just three goals on the season coming into tonight's game, Oakland had an answer as it looked to continue its three-game unbeaten streak. Ashley Postma picked off a turnover at the back line and charged in on goal, putting the Grizzlies on the scoreboard in the 32^nd minute.
 
Not to let momentum turn, Milwaukee had a quick answer. Schmelzer played a give-and-go with Gaby Schwartz on the left side, with Schwartz's long service getting headed inside the near post perfectly by Schmelzer for her fifth goal of the season.
 
Schwartz came closest to adding to the scoreline in the second half, putting one off the crossbar from distance in the 77^th minute. Otherwise, the defense closed it out for Milwaukee, allowing just one shot on goal after intermission (four shots total).
 
For the game, MKE posted a shot advantage of 12-to-9, including an impressive 8-to-4 edge in shots on target. It also earned nine of the 15 corner kicks and was whistled for 10 of the 14 fouls.
 
Schmelzer paced the offense with three shots. Elaina LaMacchia recorded three saves to earn the victory.
 
Up next, two big road games loom in the race for the regular season title chase, with the Panthers heading to Indiana Wednesday to take on IUPUI. Game time is set for 3 p.m. CST.

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