MILWAUKEE - Twenty minutes of overtime was not enough to provide a difference as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team and Marquette University played to a 1-1 draw Wednesday evening at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The very-evenly contested match between the Panthers (4-3-2) and Golden Eagles (3-4-3) provided back and forth action, yet both goals came in a span of 91 seconds in the middle of the first half.
 
"This was my first game against Marquette and the crowd was great," UWM head coach Troy Fabiano said. "The atmosphere was awesome. You give both sides credit. Both sides tried to get a result. Unfortunately for both of us, it ends in a tie. We move on now to conference."
 
Junior Callie O'Donnell provided the goal for UWM, netting her Horizon-League leading fifth of the season in the 22^nd minute.
 
"The most important thing for us is that we wanted to come out fast," Fabiano said. "We were able to gain possession, able to get an opportunity and put one in the back of the net. Callie just has a unique way to get behind the back line and usually finishes those."
 
The momentum was short-lived, however, as Marquette ended up responding quickly and the two teams spent the rest of the night looking for a winner.
 
"It was a difficult goal to give up, but I felt Paige responded really well throughout the rest of the game," Fabiano said. "I felt like the team did. Marquette did some things in the second half that we had some difficulties adjusting."
 
The overtimes saw five total shots – two by Milwaukee, three by Marquette – but nothing found the back of the net as the teams tied for the seventh time in the all-time series that dates back to 1993 and now consists of 24 contests. A crowd of 1,023 – the fifth-largest in program history – was on hand.
 
Junior goalkeeper Paige Lincicum made five saves on the night, all coming after intermission, to help the Panthers preserve the draw against an opponent that was receiving votes in the NSCAA Preseason Poll.
 
"And that is what you want to see from an upperclassmen," Fabiano said. "Paige has been through it. We tried to tell her at halftime, 'it's done'. Just move on, there is nothing you can do about it now except learn from it."
 
Milwaukee dominated the first portion of the game, holding most of the possession in firing four shots at the MU keeper.
 
Senior Kelsey Holbert set up the scoring strike, grabbing possession of the ball from the defense in the attacking third and sending a perfect feed to a streaking O'Donnell. She used her first touch to send it back to the far post, giving the Panthers the 1-0 advantage at the 21:11 mark.
 
Marquette moved quickly, sending a free kick into the UWM box on its next possession. The defense cleared the ball some 40 yards out and Erin Holland lofted a seemingly harmless touch on frame. But it took an unusual bounce up-and-over the goalkeeper, tying the contest at the 22:42 mark.
 
Holbert had provided the first true threat as well, drilling a free kick from the left wing on frame that Sloane Carlson popped into the air before pouncing in it.
 
Just after intermission it was O'Donnell again, taking a great feed from sophomore Anna Smalley into the box. She had the keeper beat, but the final Golden Eagle defender was able to get enough of a touch on it with her back to O'Donnell to prevent the potential go-ahead tally.
 
Lincicum made several second-half saves, including an impressive diving stop in the 56^th minute that kept it 1-1 at the time. She also handled a tough header in the 62^nd and a blast from the wing in the 64^th minute.
 
In the overtime session, Lincicum made the only save in which she was called on, as the Panthers had numerous dangerous touches but were unable to convert. The tie extends a nice run by the team, as UWM has now been beaten just once in its past six outings (3-1-2 record).
 
For the game, Marquette finished with the slim 14-to-10 advantage in shots, including 6-4 in shots on goal. Both squads had a pair of corner kicks and the 19 fouls in the match were split nearly 50-50 as well (10-9 UWM).
 
It's back to Horizon League action for the Panthers next, heading to Ohio Saturday for a meeting with Wright State. Game time against the Raiders is set for 1 p.m. CST.

Replays of tonight's game can be seen on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel, starting Thursday at 8:30 a.m. and again Saturday at 7 p.m.

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