MILWAUKEE – McKenna Stratton scored 22 seconds before the halftime horn, helping the Milwaukee women's soccer team eventually claim a 1-0 victory over Robert Morris Friday night at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (3-0-0) had their foot on the gas offensively all night, but could only get one past the Colonials (1-4-0) and goalkeeper Sydney Bruckner, who finished with a career-high 13 saves.
 
"I think we played the way they wanted to play," head coach Troy Fabiano said. "Our tempo wasn't fast enough. They do an extremely good job getting numbers behind the ball and they counter."
 
In the end, MKE outshot the visitors by a total count of 32-to-6, which included a 14-to-3 advantage in shots on goal.
 
"We created some chances, but I don't know if we were really dangerous," Fabiano said. "We were settling for way too many shots too far out and then just getting nerves, panicking and not staying composed."
 
It was a night of close-calls and great RMU saves, keeping the Panthers to only one goal on the night. However, the one to find the back of the net was a thing of beauty.
 
"I do think the goal we scored in the first half … that was a big-time goal," Fabiano said. "Schill whips a ball in and McKenna, just coming right off the bench. That's a big-time finish."
 
Gaby Schwartz started the play with a long pass down the left sideline. Mackenzie Schill took control and sent a cross in front of goal, where Stratton was there with the header to redirect and sneak inside the far post at the 44:38 mark.
 
The goal was the first of Stratton's career and came less than five minutes after she had subbed in.
 
Haley Johnson finished the evening with a game-high seven shots, nearly converting header opportunities in both the fourth and 11^th minutes.
 
Elaina LaMacchia earned the second shutout of her young career for Milwaukee, making a quality stop early (ninth minute) and another late – this one in the 75^th minute – pushing a blast just wide of the post to secure the victory.
 
"You give her credit, especially as a freshman," Fabiano said. "Sometimes you can zone out a little bit and not be engaged because you are not seeing much action. She has the ability to be special. That was a big-time save for us."
 
Milwaukee came close to doubling the lead in the first half a few times. McKaela Schmelzer saw her header snatched out of the air nicely in the 30^th minute and Bruckner was there for impressive stops on MKE corner kicks in the 37^th and 41^st minutes as well.
 
She also made a point-blank save on a Schill attempt at the 39:39 mark to keep it 1-0.
 
Chandler McDaniel finished with five shots, while Schill added four off the bench in 27 minutes of action. The goal by Stratton was the seventh of the season for the squad – all scored by seven different players.
 
"You see the rotation," Fabiano said. "We have some numbers up top and we are trying to keep some people fresh, trying to get some people healthy. We do have those numbers up top where we feel we can plug in some players that can run at people."
 
RMU finished with the 7-to-5 edge in corner kicks and was whistled for seven of the 11 fouls.
 
Up next, the Panthers welcome DePaul to Engelmann Stadium Sunday afternoon, set for a start time of 1 p.m. With a win or draw Sunday, Milwaukee will equal the Horizon League record of 24 games unbeaten, set by Notre Dame back in 1994.
 

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