U.S. Army Women's Soccer Championship Match

Nov. 9, 2008

PHOTO GALLERY | Box Score

HLN Audio
Coach Mike Moynihan
Sarah Teegarden
Sarah Hagen

CHICAGO - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee punched its ticket to the 2008 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship with a 6-2 victory over Loyola University Chicago in the championship match of the U.S. Army Horizon League Women's Soccer Championship Sunday afternoon at Loyola Soccer Park. UWM's Sarah Hagen scored three goals, an assist and took eight shots to earn Tournament MVP honors.

Milwaukee (18-2-2) controlled play throughout and eventually built an 18-9 shots advantage. The Panthers opened the scoring at 33:00 when Hagen struck from 14 yards out off a pass from Kayla DeJardin. The Panthers extended the lead to 2-0 in the 40th minute when Nicole Sperl scored on a corner kick play.

UWM added a pair of tallies early in the second half, as Hagen set up Keara Thompson in the 47th minute and then scored an unassisted goal in the 52nd minute.

Loyola, which saw its season end with a 14-9-0 record, got on the board when Cynthia Morote-Ariza scored the first of her two goals at 60:41. UWM scored twice more, including Hagen's Horizon League-record 24th goal in the 78th minute, to make it 6-1 before Morote-Ariza found the back of the net in the 79th minute.

Morote-Ariza had seven of Loyola's nine shots, including six tries on goal. With the scored tied at 0-0, she had a shot hit the crossbar that was the Ramblers' best chance early in the match.

UWM goalkeeper Erin Kane made five saves, while Loyola's Katie Groesch had six. LU also had a team save, when Ashley Funk dropped in front of the net to block a Panther shot that appeared to be headed for the net.

Milwaukee awaits its NCAA Tournament fate as the field will be announced Monday, Nov. 10 on ESPNews. The announcement will come at 8 p.m. ET.

U.S. Army Horizon League Women's Soccer Championship
All-Tournament Team
Amber Kasmer, Wright State
Molly Kruger, Butler
Cynthia Morote-Ariza, Loyola
Ashley Funk, Loyola
Julie Colhoff, Loyola
Allie Roufus, Loyola
Erin Kane, Milwaukee
Kate Megna, Milwaukee
Sarah Teegarden, Milwaukee
Mary Wandolowski, Milwaukee
Sarah Hagen, Milwaukee (MVP)