MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Sophomore Taylor Sarver (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) scored in the fifth minute to give the NIU (0-1-1) women's soccer team a 1-0 lead at Milwaukee (2-0-0) on Sunday at Engelmann Stadium. However, the defending Horizon League Champions equalized six minutes later and added two-second half goals to defeat the Huskies, 3-1.

Sarver's goal was her first of the season and the third of her career. Goalkeeper Mackenzie Lee (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville), who made her first start of the season and fifth of her career, made four saves in the match.

With the match just underway and each team trading position in midfield, Milwaukee cleared the ball to outside back Kate Sanfilippo (Florissant, Mo./Marquette Catholic) in the Huskies defensive third.

With no Panthers to pressure, Sanfilippo took her time to allow the NIU attackers to begin a run towards net. On a long volley down the field that missed the foot of a UWM defender, the ball bounced free towards goal where the speedy Sarver collected and shot high, just inside the goalmouth, leaving no chance for a save and putting the Huskies on top in the fifth minute, 1-0.

The goal was the Huskies first of the season, following a stellar defensive performance by NIU in the opener against UIC that led to a 0-0 draw against the Flames. The assist was Sanfilippo's first of the season and just the second of her career.

"Taylor saw space and she took advantage of a nice ball in wide open space and put it in net. We just didn't take advantage of similar opportunities today," said Head Coach John Ross.

Milwaukee responded six minutes later with a goal of its own by Callie O'Donnell to tie the match, 1-1, in the 11th minute.

The Huskies tidied up defensively in the final 34 minutes of the opening period as they limited Milwaukee to only two more shots on goal in the frame to enter halftime tied, 1-1.

After 15 minutes of scoreless soccer in the second half, Milwaukee pounced as O'Donnell scored her second goal of the match in the 60th minute to give the Panthers their first lead, 2-1. Four minutes later, Jen Eberhardy scored UWM's final goal on a corner kick from Maria Stephans.

Northern Illinois University attempted to claw back in the 72nd and 74th minute as Jackie Wandt (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East) fired a shot high and Natalia Pena (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates) had a shot blocked inside the box, respectively.

"We need to keep building this week, particularly in our organization and in one-on-one situations. We saw some really good things offensively and defensively on Friday but we had a tough time today with the Sunday turnaround but each team has to deal with that week-to-week," Ross closed.

NIU will return to action next Sunday, Aug. 28 when it hosts Western Illinois at NIU Soccer Complex. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m.