Senior defenseman Alex Mirsberger etched his name into the history book of the Milwaukee Cup Tuesday night, as the Marquette men’s soccer team took down cross-town rival University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 5-2 at Valley Fields.
Tuesday night’s contest marked the 48th all-time meeting between both squads and the first time since 2019.
With the win, Golden Eagles have taken home the cup for the first time since 2014.
“I’ve been a part of this (Milwaukee Cup) for maybe 28 years and winning it is definitely satisfying,” Marquette men’s soccer team Louis Bennett said.
Prior to joining the Golden Eagles in 2005, Bennett was on the other side of the rivalry as the Panther’s head coach from 1996-2005.
Both sides got out to a slow start, with neither finding the net until the 18th minute when Mirsberger headed home a corner kick from junior forward Beto Soto.
Mirsberger scored two more times in the first half, both coming on off corner kicks.
“Whenever we (Marquette) get a corner, I knew the ball was coming my way and I just had to get my head in there,” Mirsberger said. “Did that three times, what else can I say?”
He is the first Golden Eagle to record a hat trick since Oct. 22 2011 when C. Nortey did it against Seton Hall.
“He’s a senior and a local lad, so to score a hat trick at the Milwaukee Cup is great way to finish,” Bennett said.
The Panthers broke their silence just before halftime in the 43rd minute when first-year forward Emil Lindgren Pedersen put a shot past Golden Eagles first-year goalkeeper Ludvig Malberg on a one-on-one run.
Malberg earned his second start of the season as senior goalkeeper Chandler Hallwood sat the contest out after being booked with a red card Saturday night against Yale.
Milwaukee continued its momentum in the second half as the Panthers closed the Golden Eagles lead to 3-2 in the 54th minute on a goal from Logan Farrington.
That would be as close as the Panthers would get to the Golden Eagles.
In the 54th minute, Milwaukee goalkeeper Gijs Van Schouten was issued a red card, resulting in a Marquette penalty kick. Sophomore forward Abdoul Karim Pare took the shot and scored his fourth goal of the season.
Marquette’s fifth goal of the night came in the 68th minute when Soto’s shot was deflected off a Milwaukee defender into the net.
The Golden Eagles five goal match are the most goals scored by either side in the rivalry since 2000.
“This was definitely a bounce-back game,” Bennett said. “This rivalry can sometimes be spoiled by emotions and over-emotion, but we kept our emotions in check.”
Bennett acknowledged the turnout of both sides fans.
He said he wished he was able to run over to the student section and partake in some postgame singing but was unable to as he is still in a walking boot.
“I love a good sing-song,” Bennett said.
Marquette ends its non-conference schedule with 4-3 overall record.
Next up for the Golden Eagles will be their Big East regular season lid-lifter in Cincinnati, Ohio against Xavier Saturday at 6 p.m. CST.
This article was written by Ava Mares. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @avamaresMU.
