MILWAUKEE - Lourdes Onwuemeka and Jelena Sever scored second-half goals to open up a close game and the Milwaukee women's soccer team went on to outlast Wright State by a final score of 3-2 Saturday afternoon at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (10-1, 4-0 Horizon League) netted goals in the 53^rd and 57^th minutes to take control, only to see a late strike by the Raiders (3-6-2, 2-1-1 Horizon League) make things interesting as the clock wound down.
 
"Wright State puts one in the back of the net and now you are chasing," head coach Troy Fabiano said. "People are not going to quit in this conference. Pat (head coach Pat Ferguson) does a great job at Wright State – they are not going to quit. We just have to make sure we don't let the other team back in the game"
 
Milwaukee got things started early. Haley Johnson scored off a pretty volley of a long ball in the fifth minute, finding the back of the net from a tough angle. The WSU goalkeeper was able to get a hand on it, but not enough to prevent Johnson's league-leading fifth goal of the season.
 
Kelli Swenson provided the long ball from near midfield, while Rachel Phillpotts was also credited with an assist on the play.
 
"In the first half I thought we were playing well," Fabiano said. "We scored early and kept the ball, but then let our foot off the gas a little bit."
 
The team kept up the pressure but could not find a second goal. Elaina LaMacchia came up big for MKE in the stretch, laying out for a terrific save of a redirected header in front off a free kick in the 26^th minute.
 
It was a new game in the 31^st minute, however, with Livi Raflik converting the penalty kick after a foul was called in the box on the Panther defense.
 
"After the goal, we were a little bit stretched," Fabiano said. "Finally, the last five minutes of the half, we felt like we had a grasp of the game again. We went into halftime, talked to the girls about just settling down and playing the game."
 
Milwaukee came out a ball of fire on offense following intermission. The team had the first six shots without answer from the visitors, leading to its advantage on the scoreboard. It was Johnson again who was responsible for the second goal, after she was fouled charging into the box resulting in a PK chance for the Panthers.
 
Sever stepped to the spot, converting easily for her fifth goal of the campaign.
 
Less than five minutes later the advantage reached 3-1. Onwuemeka was on the end of a cross and touch at the far post, getting a foot on it from close range for what eventually served as the game-winner.
 
WSU pulled one back against the run of play late, sending the home starters back into the game to close it out. Milwaukee was never threatened with its one-goal lead, with Onwuemeka and Johnson dribbling most of the final 90 seconds of the match out in the corner.
 
For the game, the stats were lopsided in MKE's favor. Shots were 24-to-9, shots on goal were 8-to-4 and corner kicks finished 8-to-0.
 
Johnson led the offense with four shots. LaMacchia finished the afternoon with a pair of saves to earn the victory, coming against one of the league teams that had started the day unbeaten in conference play.
 
Up next, the Panthers have a week off to prepare for Detroit Mercy on the road. Game time against the Titans is set for 3 p.m. CST.
 

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