AKRON, Ohio - Mallory Geurts recorded six saves and the Milwaukee women's soccer team dominated the night on offense, but could not break through for a goal in settling for a 0-0 shutout of Akron Friday night at Cub Cadet Field in the 2017 season opener.
 
The Panthers (0-0-1) had plenty of opportunities against the Zips (0-0-1), including a ball off the post with just five seconds left in regulation and another early in the game.
 
On the night, Milwaukee got off 22 shots – including nine on goal – but Aubrey Krahn's last-second effort hit the post at 89:55 and the game went to overtime.
 
In the extra sessions, Anna Smalley and McKenna Stratton fired off shots in the first overtime, with Smalley just high and Stratton forcing a save. That was all in the first 10 minutes.
 
In double-OT, the UWM defense was up to the task, with Geurts making a save just 33 seconds in. Following a shot and save off the foot of Lourdes Onwuemeka, The Zips went on the offensive. The Panthers fended off three corner kicks in less than a minute's time on the clock and got a timely team save to keep it scoreless.
 
Mackenzie Schill tested the Akron keeper in the 118^th and Geurts made one more stop in the 119^th minute to preserve the clean sheet.
 
Onwuemeka also caught an unlucky bounce of the ball early in the contest, sending one off the post at the 3:18 mark. She nearly had another in the 16^th minute, but an impressive diving stop kept the game scoreless.
 
UWM had nine of the 14 shots at intermission. Geurts came up big in the 55^th minute with an impressive stop as well.
 
For the game, UWM ended the night with a 22-16 advantage in total shots (9-7 on goal) and also posted 15 corner kicks to Akron's seven. Amani Jiu ended the evening with nine saves for Akron. Onwuemeka posted a game and career-high seven shots to pace the UWM offense, with McKaela Schmelzer close behind with five – which was also a career-best.
 
Up next, the team heads to Pennsylvania to take on Robert Morris Sunday. Game time is set for 11 a.m. CST.

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