MILWAUKEE - Callie O'Donnell scored in the 61^st minute and goalkeeper Mallory Geurts helped the Milwaukee women's soccer team post its sixth shutout of the season in claiming a 1-0 victory over Oakland University Saturday evening at Engelmann Stadium.
 
The Panthers (8-4-2, 4-1-0 Horizon League) picked up the pace in the second half against the Golden Grizzlies (5-8-1, 2-3-0 Horizon League), with O'Donnell's seventh goal of the season standing up as the lone score of the night.
 
"We knew it was going to be a tough one," Milwaukee head coach Troy Fabiano said. "Both teams play a similar style. Maria finds Callie on a great one, Callie stays composed, beats the goalkeeper and that is what we expect from Callie."
 
Milwaukee took control of the tempo of the game out of the locker room, testing the OU keeper three times in the first five minutes of the second half. O'Donnell nearly broke through in the 53^rd minute, putting a solid header on target off a nice cross from Maddie Tetzke, only to see a nice save keep it scoreless.
 
"We just told the girls to be a little more aggressive," Fabiano said. "We kept going backwards. We just had to play positive – we have been trying to preach that to them at practice this past week – try and look to attack, try and create some chances. Look for some opportunities to score some goals and that is what they did in the second half."
 
The persistence paid off just minutes later. Jen Eberhardy passed out of traffic to Maria Stephans, who found O'Donnell streaking down the left side of the goal box. O'Donnell took one touch to clear the goalkeeper, kept her composure and finished to the near post at the 60:41 mark.
 
Geurts was called on for just a pair of saves, but the Horizon League leader in goals-against average and save percentage was up to the task, making a pair of impressive stops to record the clean sheet.
 
The first was in the 33^rd minute, pushing Sierra Grodsinsky's blasted attempt from distance up and over the cross bar at the last second. She needed the leaping skills again in the 82^nd, pushing an endline header up and over to preserve the victory.
 
The defense did well all night, holding Oakland without a shot for nearly 35 minutes early in the second half.
 
That was a major difference from the first half, where shots were hard to come by for either squad. A midfield battle for most of the period, just six total shots (4-2 UWM) were recorded, with Milwaukee forcing three other OU saves. Two came on a UWM corner kick in the 31^st minute, where Alison Holland make back-to-back stops on a McKaela Schmelzer header and a follow-up off the foot of Cassidy Blanchard while she was on the ground in front of the goal.
 
Overall, Milwaukee claimed the 12-to-7 advantage in shots on the night, including 7-to-2 in shots on target. Oakland ended with five of the eight corner kicks, while both teams were whistled for nine fouls.
 
O'Donnell finished with a team-high four shots, including a header that went off the top of the cross bar in the 72^nd minute. Her seventh goal of the season ties her for the team lead with Anna Smalley, as three players (O'Donnell/Stephans/Smalley) now sit tied for the team lead with 17 points each.
 
A very important game in the Horizon League standings awaits next, as the team has a week off to prepare for a home contest against Wright State. The Panthers are currently 4-1 in conference play, just behind the first-place Raiders who are 4-0-1 on the year. Kickoff from Engelmann Stadium is set for 2 p.m. as part of a day/night doubleheader with the UWM men.