NIU Extends Win Streak at Milwaukee
Tuesday's Scoreboard
Northern Illinois 2, Milwaukee 1
Radford 4, West Virginia 1
SIUE 3, Valparaiso 2
Stories Courtesy of MAC Sports Information Departments
Northern Illinois 2, Milwaukee 1
Box Score
MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- Second half goals from junior Irvin Dominguez (El Paso, Texas/Richland College) and freshman Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) gave the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team a 2-1, come-from-behind victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday night as the Huskies recaptured the Lewang Trophy.
With the win, NIU improves to 7-2 on the season, winning its fifth consecutive game. The five-game winning streak is the longest for the Huskies since winning five-straight to begin the 2011 season. Milwaukee fell to 5-3-1 with the setback.
"I was delighted with the result and the performance tonight," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "I thought Milwaukee was very good, one of the better teams we have seen this year. They came out and were dominating to start the game, after their goal we regained our composure, started seeing more of the ball, started creating more chances and we were outstanding in the second half.
"Very happy with the win. After taking the lead (in the second half) we looked comfortable with it. I never felt like we were in too much danger of giving the game away.
An 11th minute goal by Sean Reynolds gave Milwaukee a 1-0 lead at the interval, but it took the Huskies less than three minutes into the second half to even the match.
A clever backheel pass from junior Jan Maertins (Rheinfelden, Germany/Marquette) sprung freshman Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) toward the end line and the freshman was able to cut the ball back just before it crossed the line into the path of a streaking Dominguez who fired past a helpless Milwaukee goalkeeper Freddy Lorenzen to bring NIU level.
The goal for the first for Dominguez in his NIU career.
In the 53rd minute, Milwaukee won a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box but Vuk Latinovich sent the shot well high. Two minutes later, another free kick for the Panthers just outside the box was taken by Suad Suljic and his shot went just over the crossbar, landing on the roof of the net.
NIU went in front in the 64th minute on the third goal of the season by Anthony Markanich. Maertins started the play with a ball down the right side to senior Kevin Rodriguez (Pasadena, Texas/Deer Park) who cut inside toward the box before playing the ball back toward Maertins. The German forward just touched the ball on to Anthony Markanich who hit a shot in-stride with his left foot past Lorenzen for his third goal of the season to give the Huskies a 2-1 advantage.
The Huskies had the ball in the back of the net again in the 74th minute as a perfect free kick from freshman Louis Sala (West Bloomfield, Mich./Orchard Lake St. Mary's) found the head of Nick Markanich who headed past Lorenzen, but the flag was up for offside against the Huskies.
Just over 10 minutes from time, NIU had another chance to add an insurance goal as a corner kick from Sala found the head of freshman Diego Sanz (Mompia, Spain/La Marina), but Lorenzen made a great reaction save to keep the Huskies in front.
Milwaukee's last real chance to pull a goal back came in the 84th minute, but the shot by Latinovich was blocked and the Huskies went on to capture the Lewang Trophy for just the second time since 2010.
NIU junior goalkeeper Konrad Dziedzic (Schiller Park, Ill./West Virginia) was called into action for the first time in the seventh minute as a shot from the corner of the box by Sean Holmes was palmed over the bar.
The Huskies created their first opportunity of the night in the 10th minute as Nick Markanich's first shot was blocked but the Huskies picked up the rebound and a cross found the head of Nick Markanich who put his second effort into the hands of Lorenzen.
Just a minute later the Panthers went ahead as a shot from Cameron Williams was deflected into the path of Reynolds who made no mistake in giving Milwaukee a 1-0 lead.
Anthony Markanich had a chance to pull the Huskies even in the 20th minute as a low drive from 25 yards looked to be heading into the corner of the net before being tipped away by Lorenzen.
In the 38th minute the Huskies had an excellent chance to equalize as a free kick by sophomore Alex Welch(Carmarthen, Wales/King's College Madrid) fell kindly to Sanz inside the box but the freshman put his shot just wide. Seconds later, Rodriguez got on the end of a ball from midfield but was unable to direct his header on target, sending it just over the net as the Panthers took a 1-0 lead into the intermission.
Dziedzic finished with four saves for the Huskies; Lorenzen made six stops for the Panthers.
"We knew this was going to be a very good Milwaukee team," said Swan. "The fact that the Lewang Trophy was on the line, it very much had a conference game feel to it. I thought the crowd was fantastic tonight, they were loud, engaged in the game and it really added to it. It was a good experience for our guys and hopefully it prepares them for the tough games we have coming up."
NIU will be back on the road on Friday, Sept. 28, as the Huskies travel to Portland, Ore., to meet the 13th-ranked Portland Pilots. Game time is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT.
Radford 4, West Virginia 1
Box Score
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University men's soccer team saw its three-match win streak come to an end with a 4-1 loss to Radford on Tuesday night at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
The Mountaineers (5-4) were out-shot, 18-11, while the Highlanders (1-5) held a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal. Junior defender Pascal Derwaritsch scored for WVU in the 57th minute, his team-leading fourth goal of the season.
"I thought that we were poor from the second I walked into the locker room pregame," WVU coach Marlon LeBlancsaid. "This was not a West Virginia performance and it will be fixed, I can promise you that."
Sophomore goalkeeper Steven Tekesky made four saves for West Virginia, while Radford's Sam Farrell stopped three shots on goal, including a WVU penalty kick in the 70th minute.
Derwaritsch led the team with three shots, all on goal. Junior midfielder Ethan Shim also had three shots for the Mountaineers. Junior defender Albert Andres-Llop assisted on WVU's goal, his second assist of the year.
Radford took a 1-0 lead at 9:54, as Victor Valls sent a long shot in that beat Tekesky to the right. The goal came two minutes after the Highlanders had a corner kick and two ensuing shots from inside the box, the first blocked and the other saved by a Mountaineer defender.
Two minutes after Derwaritsch had a shot saved, RU added to its lead at 16:49. Kieran Roberts scored on a shot from the top of the box, as Amadou Diop earned the assist off a turnover.
In the next 18 minutes, Shim had a pair of chances, one that was blocked in the 22nd minute and another saved in the 35th.
A minute later, the Highlanders made it 3-0, at 35:20. Diop dribbled through traffic to score, with assists to Valls and Nick Mayhugh.
WVU was out-shot in the first half, 13-4, and Radford had seven shots on goal to West Virginia's two in the opening 45 minutes.
Shim opened the second half with a shot that was blocked in the 48th minute, but Radford answered at 53:04 to make it 4-0. Diop scored his second goal of the game on a free kick from the top of the box.
The Mountaineers answered three minutes later, at 56:08, as Derwaritsch scored to make it 4-1 on a header from inside the box. From 40 yards out, Andres-Llop sent a free kick into the box, and Derwaritsch headed it in off the far post.
In the 70th minute, WVU earned a penalty kick, but Derwaritsch's opportunity was stopped by Radford's keeper.
In the second half, the Mountaineers held a 7-5 advantage in shots, while both teams had two shots on goal.
West Virginia's homestand continues against Delaware on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. ET, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
SIUE 3, Valparaiso 2
Box Score
VALPARAISO, Ind. – Jorge Gonzalez scored twice in the second half to lead SIUE men's soccer to a 3-2 road win Tuesday at Valparaiso.
The victory snapped a two-game winless streak for the Cougars who improved to 5-1-2. Valpo fell to 2-5-1.
Tuesday's kickoff was delayed more than an hour by lightning.
"It was a little bit of a strange game with the weather and everything," SIUE Head Coach Mario Sanchez said. "And we started a little slow."
Greg Solawa put the Cougars on top with his first goal of the year in the 28th minute.
"Greg hit a smashing volley from about 20 yards out," Sanchez said. "It was one of the best goals I have seen in college in a long time."
SIUE took that 1-0 lead into halftime.
After the Crusaders tied the game courtesy of a Rafael Mentzingen penalty kick in the 77th minute, Gonzalez recorded his first goal of the night. Freshman Steven Bibas picked up the assist after setting Gonzalez up with a through ball. The point was the first of Bibas' career.
"We started the second half really well and then made a poor decision in giving up the penalty," Sanchez said. "But the response was good."
Valparaiso evened the score in the 81st minute, but Gonzalez answered again. Lachlan McLean assisted Gonzalez's game-winner in the 86th minute.
Gonzalez now has a team-high six goals and 12 points. McLean is second on the team with 10 points coming on three goals and four assists.
"Our attacking play was really great," Sanchez added. "Jorge, Lachlan and Greg all three were great and Steven Bibas played really well, and picked up his first assist."
Valparaiso edged SIUE in total shots, 17-13, but the Cougars put nine shots on target, compared to just five from the Crusaders.
"It's always huge to get a result on the road," Sanchez said. "It's a tough place to play."
SIUE returns home Saturday for the annual Homecoming game. The Cougars will face Belmont in a 7 p.m. game.
"Homecoming is a special day," Sanchez said. "It will be great for the new kids to see what it is all about."
