DEKALB, Ill. – A 29th minute goal led Binghamton past the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team on Friday night in the NIU/adidas Invitational at the NIU Soccer Complex. The Huskies outshot the Bearcats 12-8 in the contest, including 8-4 in the second half, but were unable to unlock the Binghamton defense in the home opener.

"Once again, for the fifth time this season, the collective performance was good," said NIU head coach Eric Luzzi. "We were on the front foot for the vast majority of the game, we created some very good chances, although not quite as many as we have the last couple games. I think in a couple of moments we just needed an extra bit of quality to pull something off or finish a combination or put a shot on frame. Those are tiny details but obviously they are a big deal right now."

Binghamton (3-0-2) had the first look at goal in the seventh minute, but Zach Galluzzo couldn't direct his header on goal. The Huskies created their first chance, also a header off a corner kick, in the 14th minute but junior Luke Read's (Ilford, England/Barking Abbey School) effort missed the target as the game remained scoreless early on.

Sophomore Adrian Coardos (Evanston, Ill./Niles North) tested Binghamton goalkeeper Alejandro Cubillo from distance in the 24th minute and, four minutes later, Huskie goalkeeper Drew Donnally (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) was called upon, stopping a shot from Harrison Weilbacher.

The Bearcats broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark when Ben Ovetsky curled a shot inside the back post, past Donnally from 20 yards to give Binghamton the lead.

Five minutes before halftime, NIU won a free kick 35 yards from goal and senior Richard Hall (Billericay, England/The Billericay School) whipped in an excellent ball to the back post that was just ahead of the Huskies attacking the goal as the Bearcats maintained their lead heading into the intermission.

NIU (0-3-2) controlled most of the play after the interval, senior Albert Levett (Southend-on-Sea, England/Belfairs High) saw his effort in the 55th minute blocked and another in the 61st rise high over top of the Binghamton goal.

Four minutes later, Donnally came up with an excellent save as Logan Roberts broke in alone on goal for Binghamton but the Huskie goalkeeper denied him to keep NIU within a goal.

The Huskies continued pushing for an equalizer as junior Giovanni Garcia (Chicago, Ill./Elk Grove) whistled a shot high in the 71st minute.

Off a corner in the 84th, the ball fell kindly to Coardos at the back post but he was unable hit the target, missing wide, as the Huskies were unable to find a tying goal.

Donnally made four saves in goal for the Huskies while Cubillo had a pair of saves for Binghamton.

The Huskies will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 11, as they conclude play in the NIU/adidas Invitational against 12th-ranked Utah Valley. Game time against the Wolverines is slated for 1:30 p.m.