Friday's Scoreboard
Northern Illinois 10, Chicago State 0
West Virginia 3, Charlotte 0
Stories Courtesy of MAC Sports Information
Northern Illinois 10, Chicago State 0
Box Score
DEKALB, Ill. – Eight players scored and 10 registered assists as the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team dispatched Chicago State, 10-0, on Friday afternoon (Feb. 26) at the NIU Soccer Complex. Junior Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) and freshman Kevin Galiano (Lynden, Wash./Meridian) each scored twice in the rout.
"There were a lot of things that we have worked on over the last week that we saw implemented out here today," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "I was happy with our performance and we are ready for conference play now. Certainly, today was tough for Chicago State, it is their first year as a program and I am excited that there is another (Division I) team in Chicagoland, that is great for soccer in our area."
NIU's 10 goals scored is tied for the fourth-most in a single game in school history and is the most since a 10-0 victory over Chicago State on October 7, 1987. The Cougars program was disbanded in the late 1980s and today's contest was its first since reinstating the program.
Senior Alex Welch (Carmarthen, Wales/King's College Madrid) opened the scoring in the 13th minute as he converted a penalty following a Chicago State handball to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.
Sophomore Adrian Lara (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet Township) doubled the advantage six minutes later as he powered home a header off a cross from junior Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais). Lara's goal was the first of his collegiate career.
Freshman Diego Maynez (El Paso, Texas/Lone Star) then tallied his first career goal as he finished an Anthony Markanich cross at the back post just before the half-hour mark.
In the 34th minute, Nick Markanich converted NIU's second penalty of the contest to give the Huskies a 4-0 lead.
Four minutes later, Anthony Markanich pounced on a second ball off a corner as Welch's corner initially found Nick Markanich before being finished by Anthony Markanich for his second goal of the season.
Nick Markanich closed the scoring in the opening half as Maynez and junior Adrian Corona (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) combined down the right side before Corona's cross found Nick Markanich who headed home his second goal of the game, third of the season, two minutes before halftime.
After the intermission, the Huskies continued to add to the scoresheet as Galiano scored his first collegiate goal in the 52nd minute. Freshman Malcolm Ward (Youngs, Australia/Newington College) sent in the low cross that Galiano swept home to give the Huskies a 7-0 lead.
Just past the hour mark, sophomore Enrique Banuelos (Mexico City, Mexico/Virginia) scored his first goal of the season. Freshman Parker Jeppson (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southwest) played the ball into the feet of Banuelos who turned and whistled a 30-yard screamer into the upper corner of the net.
In the 65th minute, junior Pierce Ugarte (Oak Lawn, Ill./Oak Lawn) netted his first collegiate goal. A corner from senior Carlos Valdez (Houston, Texas/Richland College) found freshman Roland Dearborn (Crystal Lake, Ill./Dundee Crown) who nodded the ball on to Ugarte for the finish.
NIU closed the scoring 31 seconds later when a through ball from Banuelos found Galiano who scored his second of the game from a tight angle.
The contest gave the Huskies the opportunity to play 22 different players, changing most of the side at halftime, and Swan was pleased with how his reserves performed.
"The level (of play) stayed high (in the second half)," said Swan. "Everyone that was on the field today showed the kind of soccer that we want to play, so I was happy with the whole squad."
NIU will return to action next Saturday, March 6, when it opens Mid-American Conference play at West Virginia.
West Virginia 3, Charlotte 0
Box Score
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University men's soccer team found the back of the net three times in the first half to grab a 3-0, season-opening victory at Charlotte on Friday evening, at Transamerica Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In first-year head coach Dan Stratford's debut at the helm, the Mountaineers didn't waste any time getting on the board, as junior Tony Pineda took a cross from freshman Jesus De Vicente in the fourth minute. The ball bounced off the tip of the Charlotte keeper's glove and ricocheted off the right post to score the first goal of the season.
West Virginia didn't look back after that, tallying two more scores in the opening half in the squad's fifth consecutive season opener on the road.
"This was a perfect start," Stratford said. "The guys were excellent tonight. We may not have played to the quality that we wanted to at times, but as far as effort, application and resilience, it was a perfect application from the guys in that regard. They can be incredibly proud of what they've achieved today."
Following Pineda's game winner, the Mountaineers got a second look in the 31st minute after Charlotte was called for a foul inside the box to set up the penalty kick. In the one-on-one opportunity with 49ers keeper Daniel Kuzemka, redshirt freshman Bjarne Thiesen sent one to the upper left corner to score in his Mountaineer debut and put WVU up 2-0.
Just minutes later, in the 36th, West Virginia placed its third shot of the night into the net, as Pineda broke away and pulled Kuzemka away from the goal mouth, sending the ball bouncing into the open goal for his second score of the contest. The Mountaineers went to the locker room with the 3-0 lead.
Senior goalkeeper Steven Tekesky and the West Virginia back line earned the first clean sheet of the season, as Tekesky recorded three saves in the win. With his 15th career shutout, the Raymore, Missouri, native climbs into a tie for fifth place all-time in the category.
"As the game went on, I really hoped that they could get to 90 minutes with a clean sheet because Tekesky and the back line deserved that clean sheet today with their effort," Stratford continued.
Although Charlotte came away with the 16-5 advantage in shots and 9-0 advantage in corner kicks, the Mountaineer defense denied the 49ers the chance to get on the scoreboard. WVU held a 4-3 edge in shots on goal.
Nine Mountaineers made their first West Virginia debuts in Friday's win, while Thiesen recorded his first career goal representing the Old Gold and Blue.
Up next, WVU returns to Morgantown for the 2021 home opener, as it begins conference play hosting Northern Illinois. Kickoff from Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown is set for 12 p.m. ET, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
