DEKALB – The NIU women's soccer team (6-5-1, 3-2 MAC) won their match over Miami (Ohio) (0-11-1, 0-4-1 MAC) 2-1 in overtime as the Huskies earned their first win at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex of 2017.
 
The game-winning goal was scored by senior Allie Ingham (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) as she pounced on a loose ball in the box and headed into the net to give NIU the win three minutes into overtime.
 
"Allie was hunting and when you can do that you're going to score goals in there," Head Coach John Ross said. "She had the right mentality to go in there and get it by putting her body on the line and that's how you win games."
 
The play was set up as Sammy O'Brien (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) was setting up for a long flip throw but decided to play it short to Madison Kaufmann (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) who crossed the ball into the box where Ingham was able to collect the loose ball after a misplay from the Miami goalkeeper.
 
The first NIU goal, in the 40^th minute in the first half, was scored by freshman Haley Hoppe (Austin, Texas/Rouse) as she headed home a corner kick from Lauren Gierman (Prospect Heights, Ill./John Hersey). That familiar combination on corner kicks has seemed to work for the Huskies as all three of Hoppe's goals on the season have come from Gierman corner kicks.
 
"We've always wanted to take advantage of aerial battles and Haley's just a special player in the air," Ross said. "We've had some good ones in the past but she's come in and put her stamp on this team and what type of player she'll be in this league."
 
The Huskies will not take a couple of days to get ready for their next match on the road at Ball State on Sunday. In their next two matches (Ball State and Kent State) NIU women's soccer will face two of the opponents the faced in the 2016 MAC Tournament.