EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Sophomore Max Voss (Huls, Germany/Staedtisches Gymnasium Herten) scored the first goal of his collegiate career as the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team opened the regular season with a 1-1 draw on the road at SIU Edwardsville on Friday night. A second half penalty kick for the Cougars canceled out Voss' first half tally as the Huskies share the points with the defending Missouri Valley Conference champions. 
 
"I thought we were definitely better in the first half, SIUE was definitely better in the second half and overtime was pretty even, with an ever so slight advantage to us," said NIU head coach Eric Luzzi. "For the first game of the season, it was a very good college soccer game. 

"I told the guys after the game, I thought there were some moments of very good attacking play, and there were moments when SIUE was on top of us and our organization, energy and commitment to defend was very good. I was generally pleased with how our guys performed tonight."

NIU (0-0-1) saw more of the ball in the opening moments and created the first half-chance of the contest in the eighth minute when senior Albert Levett (Southend-on-Sea, England/Belfairs High) unleashed a shot from outside the box that went harmlessly high of the SIUE goal.

The Huskies opened the scoring in the 17th minute as Voss scored the first goal of his NIU career. Freshman Christian Molina (Katy, Texas/Mayde Creek) forced a turnover in midfield and played a through ball to Voss who fired a shot into the upper corner of the goal past a fully out-stretched Kyle Dal Santo in goal for the Cougars. Dal Santo had no chance of stopping the shot as the Huskies took a 1-0 lead. 

"We knew early on when we brought Max in last year that if you get Max in or around the penalty box, he is going to have a chance to score goals," said Luzzi. "The one he hit today might have been 30 yards and it was an absolute cracker, it was a great goal, well deserved."

SIUE's only chance of the half came in the 31st minute as a cross from the right of NIU goalkeeper Drew Donnally (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) was headed back across goal by Keegan McHugh but went comfortably wide as NIU went into the intermission with the one-goal advantage. 

The Cougars were on the front foot early in the second half as they held the majority of the possession in the early moments after the break. Ten minutes into the second stanza, Donnally did well to come out and claim a cross just ahead of a Cougar forward as the Huskie defense held the Cougars at bay. 

SIUE was able to breakthrough and pull the goal back in the 57th minute however as Austin Ledbetter converted from the penalty spot. A handball was whistled against the Huskies in the box and Ledbetter stepped up to slot the spot kick past Donnally to equalize for the Cougars. 

NIU responded well to the goal as they immediately went on the attack with sophomore Noah Brodie (Scottsdale, Ariz./Carbondale Community) forcing a save from Dal Santo just a minute after the goal. 

In the 69th minute, the Huskies created another opportunity off a restart as junior Luke Read (Ilford, England/Barking Abbey School) flashed a header just wide of goal as the game remained tied. 

Eight minutes later, Donnally was called into action as a ball was flicked into the path of SIUE's Mohamed Awad but the NIU goalkeeper was alert and quickly out to save Awad's attempt at goal. 

NIU earned a corner with less than 90 seconds to play in regulation, but it came to nothing as the Huskies and Cougars headed to overtime. 

In the first extra period, NIU had an early chance as a cross found the head of Voss inside the opening minute but his header went wide. Sophomore Nicholas Haas (Waukegan, Ill./Warren Township) created a chance for Brodie in the 97th minute but the NIU forward didn't get everything behind the shot as it was saved by Dal Santo. 

Early in the second overtime, Lachlan McLean for SIUE forced a save from Donnally as his header went safely into the hands of the Huskie goalkeeper, who was credited with four saves in the contest. 

Freshmen Ethan Pitre (Minneapolis, Minn./Prairie Seeds Academy) and Molina each had looks at goal in the second overtime, but neither hit the target as NIU and SIUE were forced to settle for a draw. 

NIU will continue its season-opening four-game road trip on Monday night, Aug. 29, as the Huskies travel to Marquette. Game time in Milwaukee against the Golden Eagles is scheduled for 7 p.m.