Box Score (.html) I Box Score (.pdf) I Photo Gallery I Highlights I Johnson Postgame

INDIANAPOLIS - For the third straight game, the IUPUI women's soccer team took the upper crust of the Horizon League table to the brink before dropping yet another 1-0 decision. On Wednesday, it was league leader Milwaukee (13-1, 7-0 HL) that tipped the Jaguars in extra time as the league's points leader Haley Johnson headed home the winner in the 96th minute. 

It ended another day of frustration at the offensive end while the Jaguars' solid defense went without reward for a third straight time. 

"We're pretty consistent in that we've gone toe-to-toe with the last three teams, which were all in the top four in the conference, and shown that we can play with anybody," head coach Chris Johnson said. "The challenge for us right now is that we've proven we can play with anybody in the conference, but we're not winning any of those games. We're 0-4 against the top four teams and that's not what we want to be."

From the opening kickoff, IUPUI (5-9-3, 2-4-1 HL) had positive run of play against a stingy Panthers' defense, including an early Emma Chambers corner kick that nearly gave the Jags an early lead. Chambers played a ground ball corner kick to the near post where Morgan Rymer had an initial attempt cleared off the line. The rebound fell to Jessica Flores, who hit a drive through traffic that was nabbed by Milwaukee keeper Elaina LaMacchia. 

Junior goalkeeper Sophia Lipka came up with her biggest stop of the first half when she stonewalled a Jelena Sever penalty kick in the game's 25th minute. Lipka dove left and smothered the attempt to keep the game deadlocked.

Milwaukee had a strong wind at their back in the second half and took advantage to the tune of a 9-2 shot advantage in the second stanza. McKenna Stratton hit the crossbar from a tough angle in the 68th minute and the bar again saved the day in the 88th minute when Rachel Phillpotts drove a header off the underside of the bar. Milwaukee also thought they had the winner in the 83rd minute when Lipka had to back into her own net to pluck a Gaby Schwartz corner kick. Lipka extended her arms to keep the ball on the field of play and confusion ensued on the official's whistle as the visiting Panthers thought he was signaling for a goal. However, the call was a foul on a Milwaukee attacker for bumping Lipka after she had secured possession. 

In overtime, IUPUI had early possession, but only mustered a Jessi Cowen attempt from distance in the 95th minute. On the Panthers' first true threat in overtime, the league leaders hit for the winner. IUPUI was called for a foul just beyond the 18-yard box, leading to a Schwartz free kick. Schwartz drove the ball to the back of the pack where Johnson was stationed and the freshman redirected a header easily past Lipka for her sixth goal of the season. 

"The first five minutes of overtime, we're in their end of the field. We're just not connecting as well as we need to to get quality shots off," Johnson said. "They come down (in overtime), get one shot off and put it in the back of the net. It's been a very frustrating situation."

Milwaukee closed with a 14-11 shot advantage although IUPUI had a 7-4 margin on corner kicks. Lipka registered six saves while LaMacchia made two at the opposite end. 

Cowen, Flores, Valentine Pursey and Miranda Ricks had two shots apiece for the Jaguars while Sever had a game-high five for the Panthers. 

IUPUI will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 20 when the Jags face Green Bay at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN3.