SHOREWOOD, Wis. — Coming into Thursday’s game, Marquette women’s soccer hadn’t scored a goal in over 350 minutes.

That all changed in the 83rd minute when sophomore forward Josie Bieda found the back of the net on a through ball to give the Golden Eagles the lead.

It ended up being the game winner as Marquette (2-3-1) edged past University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (3-2-2) 1-0 at Engelmann Stadium in its first win since Aug. 20.

“We focused a lot this week on energy (and) execution and they did those today,” Marquette head coach Frank Pelaez said. “They brought everything we were asking them to do. The energy piece and the intensity that they brought was good.”

The victory marks the first time the Golden Eagles have defeated the Panthers on the road since 2013 and their first win over their cross-town rivals with Pelaez at the helm.

Physical battle 

In the annual match between these two, it was nothing short of a brawl as Milwaukee attempted to defend its 19-game winning streak at home.

While fighting contact from two players, Bieda controlled the ball from junior midfielder Julia O’Neill and fired it past sophomore goalkeeper Kendall Edwards for her first goal of the season. This was her second career goal and her first since Sept. 1 of last season against UIC.

“It was just really exciting,” Bieda said. “I saw the through ball and I just went for it. I kicked it hoping for the best.”

GOAL!!!! Josie Bieda battles through contact and MU has the lead with six minutes left! pic.twitter.com/zATQl5mzUx

— MARQUETTE Soccer (@MarquetteWSOC) September 8, 2023

Pelaez credited his players for their constant resilience and grit through the physicality of the match.

“It was outstanding,” Pelaez said. “We were a team that was determined to go forward and try to ruin their night. When you’re coming off the bus and you see their eyes, you know something’s up. It was fun to watch.”

Statistical leaders

Bieda led Marquette offensively, recording three shots on goal including the game winner in 46 minutes of action. First-years Taylor Schad and Emily Fix also made their first career starts. 

For the Panthers, junior forward Kayla Collins led with six shots, putting one on target.

The Golden Eagles finished the match outshooting the Panthers 15-13.

Aggressive offense early

After being shutout in its past three games, Marquette’s offense quickly found its spark.

The Golden Eagles’ first shot came from junior forward Maggie Starker in the opening minute of play.

On the other hand, the Panthers did not have a shot until the final seconds of the first half. Sophomore forward Stephanie Recinos fired one from several feet outside the box that was saved by senior goalkeeper Mikki Easter.

Although neither side could find the back of the net in the first half, the Golden Eagles outshot the Panthers 9-1 with three of them forcing a reaction from Milwaukee’s Edwards.

Up next 

Marquette continues its road trip as it faces off against Wisconsin (3-1-2) Sunday at the McClimon Soccer Complex. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. CST.

“Tomorrow, we have practice first thing in the morning and we say, ‘We learned from that. What are we going to do different this next game?'” Pelaez said. “We have to keep with the same game plan and recover as quick as we can.”