Wisconsin-Milwaukee changes things up

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Aug 29, 2011

[TOP 25 SPOTLIGHT] Wisconsin-Milwaukee climbed into the Soccer America Women's Top 25 at No. 20 on the strength of its first 4-0-0 start since 2008. All-American Sarah Hagen and Keara Thompson have been a big part of the Panther attack, but they are by no means the only weapons.

After Hagen and Thompson teamed up for all three goals in a 3-2 win over ranked Long Beach State on Friday, the Panthers got goals from freshman Kelly Lewers and Laurel Ragalie to break a scoreless deadlock and beat Saint Louis, 3-0, to take second at the Milwaukee Cup on goal difference behind co-host Marquette.

Lewers' goal marked the second straight Sunday she had the game-winner for the Panthers. She ran on to a pass from fellow frosh Morgan LaPlant and finished to the far post from eight yards out in the 65th minute. Ragalie made in 2-0 in the 83rd minute, and then Hagen closed out the scoring with her fifth goal in four games and 72nd goal in her career.

“It was a nice finish with a couple goals in the late stage of the game,” UWM coach Michael Moynihan said. “I thought we came out fine, moved the ball okay and were a little sloppy. As the half wore on, I thought we could have created more chances with the amount of play we dominated. We changed things up a bit and I thought that made the difference.”