MILWAUKEE -- The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team defeated Marquette University by a final tally of 4-2 in the regular-season opener for both teams Wednesday. It was believed to be the largest crowd ever to see a men's soccer match at Valley Fields with 2,089 fans in attendance.

 

Marquette (1-0-0) got a goal from sophomore forward Chris Madsen to level the match with 18 seconds left to play in the first half. Madsen took a throw in from junior Calum Mallace, raced to the top of the box and blasted a shot inside the far post to knot the score at 1-1.

 

The Golden Eagles were also beneficiaries of an own goal scored by the Panthers (1-0-0) in the 90th minute on a corner kick that deflected off a UWM defender, but that was all the scoring MU was able to manage despite numerous opportunities.

 

MU was whistled for offside five times during the match, including four times in the first half on close calls that would have led to wide-open chances. MU ended up with 12 shots on the night with eight shots on goal by seven different players.

 

Andrew Wiedabach got the action going with his goal in the 31st minute to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Wiedabach beat his marker to a through ball to the middle of the field and finished inside the far post.

 

Ross Van Osdol tallied UWM's second goal at the 76:54 mark to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead. Van Osdol went top shelf from 40 yards out on MU starting goalkeeper Keenan Flynn, who finished the evening with four saves. Moments earlier, however, Golden Eagles defender Matt Stummer had a shot ricochet off the post that would have given MU the advantage.

 

In a huge momentum shift, UWM went on to tack on two more goals -- both by Edison Crespo -- one minute, 10 seconds apart from each other in the 88th and 89th minute, respectively, to give UWM a sizeable lead.

 

Both squads had their fair share of action on the offensive end as Milwaukee outshot the Golden Eagles 17-12 for the match. MU had seven corner kicks to the Panthers' seven.

 

MU will have its next opportunity against a non-conference opponent this Sunday, Sept. 5, when the Golden Eagles travel to Western Illinois before returning home to host Florida Gulf Coast, Valparaiso and Santa Clara in the Marquette Invitational, Sept. 10-12.