Panthers Receive Regional RecognitionAug. 29, 2003 MILWAUKEE - The 2003 season hasn't officially started, but the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's soccer team finds itself at a level it didn't reach all of last season. Thanks to a strong core of returning players and two impressive exhibition matches, UWM received a No. 10 ranking in the preseason Great Lakes Region poll according to soccerbuzz.com. The Panthers, who pounded Valparaiso 7-1 and narrowly lost to Indiana 1-0 in early season exhibition action, cracked the regional top ten for the first time in two seasons. The website, which specializes in covering women's collegiate soccer, ranked UWM's Friday opponent, Dayton, at No. 4 in the Great Lakes Region. Notre Dame sits at the top spot in the poll, with Indiana, Michigan State, Dayton and Michigan rounding out the top 5 in the region. Milwaukee's tough non-conference schedule not only includes the Flyers from Dayton, but the region's No. 8 team, Cincinnati and No. 9 squad, Wisconsin. Furthermore, the Panthers also play UCLA and Loyola Marymount, who are ranked 4th and 10th, respectively, in the West Region poll with Kansas sitting at 8th in the Central Region. The UWM-Dayton showdown is set to begin tonight (Aug. 29) at 6:00 p.m. at Valley Fields on the Marquette University campus. Sunday (Aug. 31), the Panthers will play their home opener with a noon contest versus Vanderbilt.
Soccerbuzz.com Great Lakes Region Poll 1. Notre Dame 2. Indiana 3. Michigan State 4. Dayton 5. Michigan 6. Kentucky 7. Purdue 8. Cincinnati 9. Wisconsin
10. Milwaukee
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