MILWAUKEE - Maria Stephans scored a goal late in the first half and the defense of the Milwaukee women's soccer team made it stand up in a 1-0 victory over the University of Akron in the season opener Friday night at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (1-0) dominated the stat sheet against the Zips (0-1), extending their unbeaten streak to 11 games in a row (8-0-3) dating back to last season with the 1-0 decision.
 
After not winning a season opener from 2012-14, Milwaukee has now claimed victories in back-to-back season openers under head coach Troy Fabiano.
 
"It's a great start to the season," Fabiano said. "It was a little difficult with the delays, but we told the kids it was a challenge. I thought in the first half, it was pretty even and in the second we started to create more chances. One of the things we talked about at the end of the game is that we have to finish those chances. At the end of the game we gave up a couple of corner kicks, then all of a sudden a 1-0 game that looks comfortable can become tied and you lose momentum."
 
The contest featured lightning delays that pushed back the start of the game over 30 minutes and extended halftime, totaling 77 minutes of delays overall.
 
"We just had a discussion about staying sharp in the locker room," Fabiano said in regards to how his team handled the delays. "It was a great opportunity to use it as a challenge and learn from it."
 
Possession in the first half was split relatively evenly, but the Milwaukee defense kept thing completely under control, not even allowing the Zips to record a shot attempt of any kind in the first 45 minutes.
 
The Zips defense bent but didn't break early, allowing five UWM shots but forcing enough trouble for none of them to end up on frame. That changed in the 39^th minute when Stephans jammed one in the back of the net.
 
Free kick service into the box found the head of Anna Smalley, who deflected the ball to the wing. Sydney Senn picked it up and after a quick touch found Stephans streaking in. She blasted it straight on from about 22 yards, with the Akron keeper getting her hands on it but not enough to keep it out of the back of the net at the 38:02 mark.
 
After the lengthy halftime delay, Milwaukee certainly seemed ready to play in the second half, recording 11 shots in the period alone. Included in the flurry was back-to-back near misses by Aubrey Krahn in the 47^th and 48^th minutes.
 
Erin Corrigan also forced a tough save from distance in the 62^nd minute and Krahn again had a go at it from distance in the 69^th that the Zips keeper had trouble with. Maddie Tetzke nearly had a goal on a redirected ball in traffic in the 68^th minute while Stephans just missed on a solo breakaway through traffic in the 74^th minute of play.
 
"Their goalkeeper kept them in the game in the second half," Fabiano said. "I told the girls, we have to find a way to finish those and separate the game. But other than that … game number one … we got a "W" … that's the biggest thing and we move on to game number two  Sunday."
 
Overall, the Panthers ended the evening with a 17-to-3 shot advantage, including 5-0 in shots on target. UWM earned six of the nine corner kicks and was whistled for 10 of the 17 fouls.
 
Mallory Geurts did not even need to record a save behind the work of the back line to record her first career shutout as a Panther. Krahn led the offense with five shots. Stephans finished with four, including the goal, while Smalley and Kelly Manski each had two.
 
Annabelle Hegeman made four saves for the visitors, with three different players accounting for the three total shots.
 
The Panthers continue the season-opening homestand Sunday, welcoming Northern Illinois for a 2 p.m. tilt. The contest against the Huskies will also be "Youth Day". Any youth in eighth grade or below and their families receive $1 admission to the game. There will also be a pregame ice cream social, courtesy of Cedar Crest beginning at 1 p.m.

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