MILWAUKEE – Mackenzie Schill's goal in the 73^rd minute helped the Milwaukee women's soccer team claim a 2-1 victory over DePaul on Sunday afternoon and equal the Horizon League record by running its unbeaten streak to 24 games in a row dating back to last season.
 
The Panthers (4-0-0) scored first but found another goal after the Blue Demons (3-2-0) evened the match to remain perfect on the season and improve to 20-0-4 over their last 24 games.
 
"I think it was a gutsy performance," head coach Troy Fabiano said. "I think, in the first half, both teams were feeling each other out. The second half picked up and that was something that we definitely needed. We talked about the tempo, but that is something that we definitely haven't seen all year from DePaul – because they are a good side. That is a good result for us."
 
Schill's goal was an opportunistic one, taking the ball of the foot of the DePaul goalkeeper who had come off her line to try and track down a long ball from Haley Johnson. Schill won the battle, sending the shot into the back of the net at the 72:49 mark to make it 2-1 on the scoreboard.
 
"You go up 1-0, and then we give up a goal which we haven't done all year, and then we responded by Schill's work rate following up on the goalkeeper to get that winner," Fabiano said.
 
From there, it was big work from the defense and goalkeeper Elaina LaMacchia to preserve the win. LaMacchia came into the game with just six saves on the young season, but was called on to make seven stops this afternoon.
 
She came up big in the 83^rd minute, corralling a header at the post off a DePaul corner kick. She also made a full-out diving stop of a long-range blast in the 63^rd to add to her highlight reel.
 
Milwaukee looked to add to its lead on a few occasions. McKaela Schmelzer had her header off a corner kick knocked off the line in the 83^rd minute and Rachel Phillpotts also had a header brilliantly saved in the 69^th minute, preventing what looked to be a sure goal.
 
Scoreless at intermission, the game opened up following the first score. LaMacchia made a big-time save in the 24^th minute to keep it scoreless as well. Johnson changed that a few minutes into the second half, heading in a corner kick from Erin Corrigan to make it 1-0 at the 48:04 mark.
 
On the day, the visitors did end up with the 16-to-12 advantage in shots, with shots on target knotted at eight apiece.
 
Nine players recorded shots for the Panthers, who were led by the goal and assist from Johnson.
 
Mollie Eriksson finished with five saves for the Blue Demons, led offensively by Franny Cerney who finished with the goal and a game-high seven shot attempts.
 
The Panthers wrapped up the day with a 9-to-7 advantage in corners and were whistled for 13 of the 21 fouls.
 
The unbeaten record that was tied belongs to Notre Dame (who went 23-0-1), set back in 1994 when the school was part of the Horizon League. The Panthers have not dropped a decision since the final match of the 2016 campaign.
 
"At some point we will look back at that and say 'that was a great accomplishment'," Fabiano said. "But right now we will move on to the next weekend."
 
Up next, the first extended road trip of the season will take the Panthers to Western Illinois Friday (5 p.m. start), followed by a matchup with Iowa State Sunday (1 p.m. start).
 

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