Marquette University Athletics
Marquette University
1-0-0
Milwaukee
0-0-1
Marquette Defeats Milwaukee, 1-0, in Milwaukee Cup Action
9/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 1, 2009
Photo Gallery | NCAA Box Score (PDF) 
The Marquette men's soccer team kept possession of the Milwaukee Cup as sophomore Calum Mallace's goal in the 85th minute off a direct kick secured a 1-0 victory for the Golden Eagles at Valley Fields Tuesday night.
"I was just happy that our guys could do themselves justice, and we could keep the Cup," said MU head coach Loui Bennett. "We pushed, and we attacked and we defended -- we did what was required to get a result. It's one of the oldest rivalries in college soccer. Everyone wants to win this game, and I was very, very proud."
At the 84:10 mark, Mallace placed a direct kick around the defensive wall, netting the ball in the far side of the goal past a diving John Shakon. The 35-yard direct kick came off of a Milwaukee foul in front of a crowd of 1,147. The sophomore also tallied the game-winner in last year's Milwaukee Cup.
"Every time I step on to the field, I know that I can contribute to the team and possibly do something like that, and the last two years I have," said Mallace. "Not only is it Marquette against UWM, it's the Milwaukee Cup, and we want to keep it."
The first half saw scoring chances for both squads, with each team unable to capitalize on the opportunities.
In the eighth minute, Marquette sophomore Chris Madsen, who tallied his first collegiate start, crossed the ball from the right side and found senior Nick Kay in the middle of the box, who forced freshman Shakon to made a diving save. The Panthers countered in the 16th minute, as a dangerous cross by junior Peter Sanger was cleared out of the box by sophomore Scott Miller.
MU senior goalkeeper Matt Pyzdrowski made his lone save of the game in the 37th minute on a shot by UWM's Sanger. Sanger carried the ball up the left side of the field and into the box, drew Pyzdrowski out of the net and forced the MU keeper to make a diving save at the near post.
Marquette led with six shots to the Panthers' three at halftime. MU also saw an advantage in corner kicks, 5-2. Pyzdrowski made one save in the first half, the only of the match, while Shakon made three for the Panthers.
Coming out of halftime with no score, both teams battled for the win in the second half, their physical play resulting in five yellow cards in the final 45 minutes.
In a span of five minutes towards the beginning of the second half, the Golden Eagles tallied four shots off of five corner kicks. An Amilcar Herrera corner kick in the 50th minute found sophomore Michael Alfano in the box, who forced Shakon to punch the ball over the crossbar. On the resulting MU corner kick, Miller narrowly missed a goal with his header off of Mallace's corner deflecting off Shakon.
The Panthers had an opportunity in the 58th minute when UWM sophomore Zach Funk had a breakaway towards the goal, but was taken down with no call.
Mallace's goal in the 85th minute was the last major scoring opportunity for either team in the half.
"The second half was a battle, and it was a grind," Bennett said. "But to win a game on a spectacular goal like that made it all worth while. What a great, great goal. When it mattered most, [Mallace] came up with a big one."
On the game, Marquette outshot Milwaukee 13-3, and overwhelmed the Panthers on corner kicks, tallying 11 to Milwaukee's three. Milwaukee's Shakon tallied five saves on the game, while the first half save by Pyzdrowski was his only of the game. Six yellow cards were handed out in the game, to Marquette's Billy Von Rueden (44:50), Scott Miller (56:20), Anthony Colaizzi (83:03) and Calum Mallace (84:10), and to Milwaukee's Stephen Romanello (69:28) and Kevin Acevedo (84:05). Fouls were even, with 13 apiece.
The Panthers lead the Milwaukee Cup record 25-9-3, but Tuesday night's win was the second in a row for Marquette.
The Golden Eagles are back in action on Sept. 6 at Drake University before returning to host the Marquette Invitational on Sept. 11 and 13.
Team Stats
MALLACE, Calum (1)
direct free kick from 35 yards, inside
84:10
