Fall 2005 was a season that marks the change in heart and dedication of this team. UW-Milwaukee has always had exceptional athletes, but this season those athletes and the team as a whole decided that this was their opportunity to shine.

The Lady Panthers began to believe. It was a dawning of belief in self, belief in teammates and a belief in their opportunity for success. The bonds of TEAM were no longer skin deep. Every member of the club showed remarkable dedication to improve themselves and the team as a whole. Consequently, new leaders emerged, and all the friendships among the team strengthened. This was a true season of success.

The season really came down to the match between UW-Milwaukee and Winona State University (coached by Roger Riley). Both teams played brilliantly. The game went into a 20 minute Overtime, with each team tied 10-10 at the end of regulation. Playing with time time expired in overtime, Winona State took advantage of an outflanked Panther Defense to put in a blind-side try for the go-ahead and win.

It was a dissapointment for the Panthers not to advance to the site championship, but everyone learned a lot. It's a difficult thing to bear a loss at this level, but the statement that encapsulated it all was made by forward captain Angie Buchinger, "The better team won. They just outplayed us."

But don't think for a moment that Angie's statement was a statement of defeat. It was a statement of renewed resolve. And fall 2006 became the proving grounds for the redoubled efforts of the Lady Panthers.