Sept. 6, 2010

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team suffered a heartbreaking loss Monday, falling 2-1 to the University of Vermont in double-overtime. The Panthers (1-1-1) regrouped from an early deficit to force the extra session against the Catamounts (2-1-0), but Nick O'Neill's goal with just 21 seconds remaining in double-overtime was the difference Monday afternoon at Bremner Field.

Milwaukee had the majority of the run of play all day, outshooting Vermont by a final count of 23-to-15 in the contest. The Panthers nearly had the game won in the first overtime, but shots by senior Greg Rosenthal and freshman Edison Crespo were saved, back-to-back. Rosenthal sent a 25-yard blast on frame in the 97th minute, with Xan Rousselle making only a partial save and the ball going back into play. Crespo was there to clean it up, but his close-range shot was stopped impressively as well.

"It's just disappointing because we switched off mentally," UWM head coach Chris Whalley said. "It's just not good enough. We didn't play to the last whistle, so it's very, very disappointing. In the game of soccer, possession and being the better team doesn't always matter. It's the team that scores the most goals and we missed too many chances and we defended poorly on a couple of occasions. I thought on a whole, we played okay at times, but for this program, okay is not good enough. It's not good enough for me. We need to play better. If we could have played to our potential today, it would have been a different game, but we didn't play very well and that's the bottom line."

The winner came off a long throw-in to the near post, sending UWM to the tough-luck loss. Just 32 seconds earlier, sophomore Robert Jarosz kept the game at 1-1 with a back line stop of a shot from Christian Diax, only to see O'Neill end it shortly after.

Both teams had a couple of solid chances in the second half, with UWM accounting for nine of the 15 shots in the period. Sophomores Andrew Wiedabach and Cody Banks had the best opportunities for the Panthers, with Wiedabach pushing one just wide on a lead pass from freshman Robbie Boyd in the 86th minute in addition to sending a one-timer just high in the 76th minute. Senior Robert Refai created that chance, using some nice moves around the defender on the end line to find Wiedabach at the post.

Banks had a pair of opportunities, with Vermont's goalkeeper coming off his line to save a through ball from Wiedabach in the 56th minute on an early threat. Banks also found himself on the end of a cross from the end line from junior Ross Van Osdol, but had his scoring attempt blocked by the UV back line in the 59th minute.

The Panthers back line played solid defense all game, accounting for several solid takeaways on potential threatening chances. Vermont did not have many good opportunities, but one did come at the horn at the end of regulation, when Yannick Lewis' last-ditch effort from near midfield was pushed over the cross by sophomore John Shakon with just one second left on the clock.

The majority of the first half of play was spent on UWM's side of the midfield stripe, with the Panthers finding the equalizer in the 22nd minute after Vermont had scored early.

Wiedabach tallied his second goal of the season at the 21:52 mark, rifling a shot to the upper corner of the far post from about 25 yards out to make it 1-1, assisted by Van Osdol.

UWM outshot the Catamounts, eight-to-six, in the period, putting five of the attempts on net. Van Osdol had a crack at making it 2-1 going into the half, but his long range shot off a centering pass from freshman Kevin Ferron went just right in the 43rd minute.

Vermont took advantage of a 35-yard free kick early. The first attempt, which sailed over the net, was called back by the referee. The Catamounts took full advantage of the situation, with Borea Salvatore scoring at the near post after the proceeding free kick was headed to him at the 2:25 mark.

Senior Peter Sanger nearly had the equalizer just minutes later. Wiedabach fed Banks on a breakaway, finding Sanger with a long serve to the post. However, Rousselle came up with a nice stop - one of four in the period - to keep it 1-0 at the time.

Shakon ended the match with four saves, with Wiedabach leading the offense with a game-high seven shots. Freshman defender James Ashcroft and Wiedabach were both named to the all-tournament team.

The Panthers do have the rest of the week off, returning to action Tuesday, Sept. 14, for a non-conference matchup against IPFW. Game time is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.