KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team played to a 0-0 draw on Saturday at Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams. Sophomore goalkeeper Drew Donnally (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) made nine saves for the Huskies in the contest, recording his first shutout of the season. 

 "If you look at the box score, there is no way to deny the fact that Western Michigan was on the front-foot for a large portion of the game," said NIU head coach Eric Luzzi. "That being said, I thought our guys defended very admirably and at a level that maybe we haven't seen this season. I thought our goalkeeper (Drew Donnally) was amazing today, he had three or four very quality saves.

"We also did give ourselves a chance, two or three chances, to nick a result. It wasn't our intention to sit in, but the conditions were very difficult. It was a day when there wasn't a lot of soccer and that is how the game flows sometimes. I'm happy with our guys, it was a solid performance, you always want all three points when you step on the field but this is a hard place to play and I can live with a point on the road."

Western Michigan (8-3-2, 0-0-1 MAC) created the opening chance of the contest in the seventh minute as a corner kick led to a shot from Diego Lopez that was blocked by the NIU defense. Two minutes later, Donnally was called upon for the first time as a corner deflected toward the back post where a shot from Zach Bock was palmed away by the Huskie goalkeeper. 

The first chance for the Huskies came in the 26th minute as sophomore Nicholas Haas' (Waukegan, Ill./Warren Township) cross found sophomore Giovanni Pacheco (Pasadena, Texas/Pasadena), making his first start of the season, at the back post. Pacheco's header went just wide as the game remained scoreless. 

Donnally was called into action again the 31st minute, smothering a chance from Brandon Bye. Bye got a step in behind the Huskie defense after a flick-on from midfield, but junior Luke Read (Ilford, England/Barking Abbey School) did well to track back on Bye as the Huskies and Broncos went into the intermission scoreless. 

Western Michigan had the first chance of the second half in the 50th minute as a throw-in found Bye in the box. He turned and fired a shot that Donnally got down low to hold. 

NIU's (1-5-4, 0-0-1 MAC) first opportunity to break the deadlock after the intermission came in the 52nd minute when a foul gave the Huskies a free kick from about 25 yards. Pacheco stepped up to take the free kick and his dipping effort went just over the crossbar as the match remained scoreless. 

Donnally made three excellent saves just before the hour mark. The first chance came from a free kick near midfield that was knocked down to Bye near the penalty spot, but his chance was saved by the Huskie goalkeeper. From the resulting corner, Western Michigan had two more chances, including one from Anthony Bowie that was saved by a diving Donnally. 

In the 69th minute, a shot from Read was pushed away for a Huskie corner. Off the resulting corner, senior Albert Levett (Southend-on-Sea, England/Belfairs High) had a chance that was saved by Western Michigan goalkeeper Drew Shepherd. With the Huskies still attacking, freshman Christian Molina (Katy, Texas/Mayde Creek) setup Pacheco with a chance inside the six-yard box that forced an outstanding save from Shepherd.

Donnally made an excellent reaction save at the near post in the 84th minute on a shot from Tommy Clark after good combination play down the wing from Western Michigan as the game finished the 90 minutes scoreless. 

Giuseppe Vitale rose highest at the back post off a corner in the 92nd minute, but his header was straight at Donnally on the only chance of the first overtime period. 

A handball on the edge of the box gave the Huskies a chance in the 109th minute. Senior Richard Hall's (Billericay, England/The Billericay School) cross found Read and his chance was cleared off the line by the Western Michigan defense. In the final seconds of the contest, Molina tried his luck from outside the box and his dipping effort forced Shepherd to tip the ball over the bar just before the final whistle. 

NIU will return home on Tuesday, Oct. 11 when the Huskies step back out of conference to host Eastern Illinois. Game time against the Panthers is scheduled for 7 p.m.