Despite carrying an early 2-1 lead, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men’s soccer team was defeated by New Mexico in a shootout. New Mexico won the shootout by a score of 5-3.

UWM carried a 2-0 lead after two quick goals in the first six minutes but New Mexico cut UWM’s lead in half in the 19th minute.

UWM’s first goal came early in the game at the 4:04 mark. The goal was started by a throw in. Dan Weiler took the throw and streaked down the sidelines, then sent a nice crossing pass to Troy Speilmann who kicked it in from 10 yards out.

UWM was not about to stop its offensive pressure after one goal. Almost two minutes after its first goal, UWM put in another.

Weiler took a free kick and sent it into the box where Steve Sperl headed it in by the near post.

“They were two well-executed set pieces in second phase and I thought they were two wonderful goals,” said coach Louis Bennett. “It definitely silenced the crowd; it definitely took people out of the game. It took their fans out of the game and it took some of their players out of the game.”

UWM controlled the game until the 19th minute when New Mexico’s offensive pressure was too much for them to handle. Jeff Rowland put a shot at UWM that was deflected. Andrew Boyens gathered it back and sent it past goalkeeper Grant Fernstrum.

UWM was able to calm its defense down and maintain its guard for the rest of the first half and almost the entire second half. However, in the 80th minute, a penalty kick was awarded to New Mexico.

New Mexico cashed in on the penalty kick opportunity when Lance Watson ran over the ball before it was kicked by Rowland. The ball went past UWM’s wall and off the hands of Fernstrum and into the net to tie up the game.

In overtime, neither team could make any of its scoring opportunities turn into goals and after 110 minutes of play, the game headed into a shootout.

Both teams were perfect on the first two tries, but UWM’s third penalty kick try by Billy Meier was saved. New Mexico hit all five of its tries and hung on for the 5-3 advantage, giving them the victory in the match.

Bennett was very proud of his team for its efforts.

“This is the second-best team in the country and we go to penalties and no one is satisfied,” he said. “No one in our camp is satisfied about going and nearly doing this. We weren't satisfied about not getting a home game. We can't control what people think of us. All we can do is control what we do on the soccer field. And, what we do on the soccer field, I must say even though I'm the coach saying it, it's quality, and it's bloody exciting.”

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