Box Score

DEKALB, IL – A goal by Northern Illinois' Gael Rivera midway through the second half held up as the host Huskies downed the visiting Hartwick men's soccer team on Saturday at NIU Soccer Complex in DeKalb, IL. The victory for NIU kept its unblemished Mid-American Conference record intact at 2-0. The Huskies are 3-5-2 overall. 'Wick falls to 3-5-2 on the year and the loss is its first in the MAC this season (1-1). The game also marked the first time in 10 games in which the Hawks have been shutout.
           
The game-winning goal came following a rebound. Rivera found the ball at his feet at the penalty mark and he fired on Hartwick goalkeeper Mateo Munarriz (Manizales, Colombia/Colegio Granadino) forcing him to make a point-blank save. The ball bounced to the left side of the box and it was served back to Isaac Kannah. He nodded the ball on to Rivera for a header that beat Munarriz up high to the far post for the 1-0 lead.
           
The Hawks, who had been outshot 11-4 up until that point, responded as they kept the ball in NIU's end and held a 4-0 edge over the final 16 minutes of regulation time. All four shots, however, were off target.
           
Sophomore Rio Dhat (Auckland, New Zealand/Epping Boys HS) sent a pair of shots over the bar, junior Tim Crawford (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) had a shot blocked, and a Cleyon Brown (Kingston, Jamaica/Berkshire School) volley from the left side of goal went wide of the target.
           
In the first half, the Hawks' needed to withstand a barrage of NIU chances including one within two minutes that was cleared off the goal line. A long throw-in from the Huskies bounced inside the six-yard box and past Munarriz and NIU defender Pat Sloan headed the ball toward goal but a Hartwick defender was able to head the ball out.
           
Kannah had another chance in the 10^th minute when a teammate's short pass sent him in alone with Munarriz. The Hartwick keeper came off the line to cut the shooting angle and was able to make the stop to keep it 0-0.
           
“We did not come out the way we needed on the road to and it showed,” said Hartwick head coach John Scott. “We could have been down 3-0 in the first half.”
           
The Huskies ended the first 45 minutes with a 9-2 edge in shots but the Hawks were able to get out of the half with the score line level.
           
“It was a disappointing first half but we survived and we regrouped at halftime,” added Scott. “In the second half we were much more competitive, did a much better job defending, and got the ball into our offensive third.”
           
Crawford had a chance early in the second half which nearly gave the Hawks the lead. “We had good buildup and service into the box from the right side but we didn't get it on goal.”
           
The opportunity came in the 58^th minute. Chris Walter (Snyder, NY/Nichols School) served a ball into the penalty area from the right side. Crawford had space in the box and his one-timed shot was driven just wide of the post and Husky goalkeeper Jordan Godsey.  
           
Munarriz made two saves in the game for Hartwick. Godsey did not record a save. The Huskies finished the contest with 12 shots to Hartwick's eight.
           
The loss drops the Hawks' all-time record against the Huskies to 4-3. 'Wick last beat NIU on its last trip to NIU Soccer Complex in 2010 by a 1-0 margin.
           
Hartwick returns to action on Wednesday, October 10 when it travels to Lewisburg, PA. The Hawks will play at Bucknell University beginning at 7 p.m.