While its female counterpart maintained its undefeated spring season, the Marquette men’s soccer team (8-1-1) failed to do the same as the Golden Eagles fell 2-1 to Wisconsin-Milwaukee in their final day of spring action Sunday at Valley Fields.
Marquette redeemed itself later in the day with a 2-0 shutout over Wisconsin-Green Bay to finish up play at the Wisconsin Division I Spring Cup.
Against the Panthers, redshirt freshman forward Adam Lysak drew a penalty inside the 18-yard box in the 28th minute which gave junior midfielder Calum Mallace a penalty kick. Mallace converted on the penalty kick to give Marquette a 1-0 lead.
Marquette was unable to hold that lead as Milwaukee sophomore forward Cody Banks scored twice in the second half to give the Panthers the victory.
Marquette wasn’t without scoring chances. In fact, Marquette had more chances than Milwaukee did. In the second half Marquette had numerous chances in front of the Milwaukee net.
Lysak had two chances, one that was stopped by the Milwaukee sophomore goalkeeper John Shakon, and another that sailed high.
Mallace thought it just may not have been the team’s day.
“It was just one of those days where the ball just wouldn’t go in the back of the net, and you have to live with that,” Mallace said.
Coach Louis Bennett thought the game could have ended with a different result.
“I don’t actually think it was our inadequacies that led to the loss,” Bennett said. “It was very good play from the goalkeeper. There hasn’t been a game all year where we haven’t been able to create chances, and that goes for (Sunday) too. As crazy as it might seem, that 2-1 loss could have easily been a 5-2 victory.”
In the second game, Mallace once again participated in the scoring as he assisted freshman midfielder Sebastian Jansson on a cross to take a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute of play.
Momentum never swung away from Marquette for the rest of the game. Lysak was able to notch an insurance goal to seal the 2-0 victory for Marquette.
The greatest effect on Marquette’s play on Sunday came from forces beyond the playing field. Marquette often found it difficult to score and advance the ball with the wind in its face.
“The wind sometimes affects us more than the other team,” Lysak said. “We like to play a more technical game, and that is really hard to do with the wind like it is.”
Bennett expanded more on the wind’s effect.
“It’s difficult.” Bennett said. “You can play in rain, in snow and you’re fine. You can play in wind, but it’s difficult. Wind affects the game. The wind isn’t up all the time, but down here (at Valley Fields) when it’s up, it’s up.”
Marquette scored 38 goals on the spring, outscoring its opponents by 35 on the season. Many of the players feel the team is playing as well as it has in recent years.
“It’s been a great season so far,” Mallace said. “I think we have played some of the best soccer that I’ve seen since I’ve been here – not so much individually, but team-wise, which is what you are looking for.”
Marquette hopes to return just as strong in the fall, as many players who were injured or redshirted last fall returned and had productive springs, including Lysak, the team’s leading scorer on the season.
