Box Score

DeKALB, Ill. – Despite scoring first and creating the majority of the scoring chances, the Northern Illinois University women’s soccer team dropped a tough match to North Dakota on Sunday afternoon at the NIU Soccer Complex by a 2-1 scoreline.

Nicole Gobbo (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) scored her second goal in as many games and the 13th of her career to give the Huskies the lead in the 68th minute, but North Dakota came back to score two late goals and win the match.

NIU head coach John Ross thought his team played well in stretches on Sunday, and he took some positives from the game.

“That’s the game of soccer. When you don’t take advantage of your chances, sometimes it comes back to beat you,” Ross said. “I thought we played well at times, but we didn’t capitalize on those spells. We’ll get better.”

The Huskies were on the front foot from the first whistle, controlling possession and threatening North Dakota’s goal throughout much of the first half that ended scoreless. But North Dakota also had a few chances on the counter attack, and NIU sophomore goalkeeper Amy Annala (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) was forced to make one special save to keep the match scoreless.

As the second half wore on and the match appeared to be stymied in a deadlock, it was the persistent Gobbo who gave the Huskies the lead, running on to a great pass from Haley Cummings (Spring, Texas/Home School) and sliding the ball under the on-rushing goalkeeper.

But within minutes, North Dakota were level as Zoe Foster headed in.

NIU responded very well to conceding the equalizer, creating several great chances. Delaney Loprieno (Algonquin, Ill./Huntley) had perhaps the best, firing a shot off the crossbar. However, from the rebound of that shot, North Dakota counter attacked through Riley Koberinski, who found a pass to Katie Moller to finish into the corner of the net in the 87th minute for the decisive goal.

NIU outshot North Dakota 14-11 and had six corner kicks compared to one for the visitors, but the Huskies dropped to 1-1 on the season after the defeat. NIU won its season opener on Friday night against Lewis 2-1 thanks to goals from Gobbo and Cassidy Page (Germantown, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran).

The Huskies will head to the state of Nebraska next weekend for a pair of matches at Creighton and Omaha on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

--NIU--