MILWAUKEE - Jackson Dietrich's first-half goal was enough to help Wright State University to a 1-0 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team Saturday evening at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (3-8-2, 1-4-1 Horizon League) continue to create numerous scoring chances night after night, but could not find a way to stop the Raiders (8-3-1, 3-2-1 Horizon League) from escaping with the victory.
 
"We talked about it in the locker room," Milwaukee head coach Kris Kelderman said. "The game is 5,400 seconds, it's not 90 minutes – every second counts, every play matters. We got caught on one play and the guy scored a nice goal and finished it. Overall, over 90 minutes, I am very pleased with the guys. We had a very specific game plan that was a little different from our approach in the past and the guys stuck to it. I thought our overall performance as a team was very good tonight. We can't ask for much more other than a goal. I believe in these guys and they are working hard. Even though we didn't get the result, we are disappointed – and we should be disappointed – I told them that tonight we got better as a team."
 
Milwaukee outshot Wright State by a 16-to-9 margin on the night – including an overwhelming 11-4 total in the second half – but could not find an equalizer against a Wright State squad that came into the game ranked fifth in the NSCAA Great Lakes Regional poll.
 
"Wright State is a very good team," Kelderman said. "They are a very dangerous team offensively and we limited their attack compared to their recent games. I feel bad for the guys. We keep plugging away and at some point it's going to turn."
 
Back and forth at the start, the Panthers were the ones to nearly break on to the scoreboard first. Freshman Tinashe Marowa had a shot blocked from the top of the penalty area in the 24^th minute. The ball then bounced in the air and sophomore Magnus Flaatedal seized the opportunity, turning and volleying a try on frame. But, WSU keeper Tyler Blackmer – who recorded his Horizon League-leading sixth shutout of the season – got just enough to push it over the cross bar.
 
The lone goal of the night came in the 37^th minute. Dietrich ran on to a through ball and did well to finish, making it 1-0 at the 36:44 mark.
 
From there the Panthers definitely had the better of the scoring chances, but were unable to convert any of their opportunities. Freshman Matthias Binder volleyed a loose ball on frame in the 51st minute, only to see the lone defender between him and the open net get enough of a block on it to send it wide.
 
Freshman Francesco Saporito also came close on UWM's next possession, seeing his angling shot saved at the post.
 
Sophomore Nick Moon also looked to have the equalizer in the 58^th minute. Moon nutmegged a defender and took off down the right wing, blasting a shot from about 30 yards out. The ball made it past the keeper, but clanged off the cross bar to keep it 1-0 at the time.
 
"That is one thing we can be proud of … we keep plugging away," Kelderman said. "It's easy for a young group – seven freshmen that are out on the field – and when we are having trouble scoring a goal and we get scored on, it's easy for the heads to go down. And tonight, the heads didn't go down. I think the chins got higher and I am very proud as far as the response of the team and their efforts."
 
UWM's last chance came in the final minute, but the last header attempt went wide and the Raiders ran out the final seconds to sneak home with the win.
 
It is starting to get to crunch time down the stretch and UWM will make it two more games next week as well. Up first is a Wednesday-night battle for in-state bragging rights against Wisconsin, starting at 8 p.m. in a game set to be televised live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.