CINCINNATI, Ohio – Freshman Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) scored the overtime, game-winning goal in the 95th minute as the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team opened the season with a 1-0 victory at Cincinnati on Friday evening. 

"The opening game is always tough, especially when you go on the road," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "It was a tough game against a good Cincinnati team. There were spells of the game where we really executed our plan well, where we possessed the ball well and created some chances. 

"I thought Konrad (Dziedzic) had a couple of good saves but we were always in pretty good control of the game and I was confident going into overtime that we still had something left. Obviously delighted to get the win and find the lift to get it."

In the 26th minute, senior Kevin Rodriguez (Pasadena, Texas/Deer Park) picked up the ball near the edge of the 18-yard box but his shot was sliced wide of the far post in the first real chance for either team.

Cincinnati goalkeeper Noah Lawrence was the first of the two goalkeepers tested as he was called into action in the 29th minute on a shot from distance by senior Max Voss (Herten, Germany/Staedtisches Gymnasium Herten), Lawrence went down comfortably to his right to make the save.

In the 34th minute, the Bearcats had their first chance on goal as Austin Smythe fired a shot from a tight angle that NIU junior goalkeeper Konrad Dziedzic (Schiller Park, Ill./West Virginia) pushed away for a corner kick. Ten minutes later, Cincinnati had another look at goal as a ball was knocked down into the feet of Moritz Schaller who skied a shot high over the crossbar from the top of the 18 as the match went into the intermission scoreless. 

After the interval, it was NIU that was on the front-foot early in the second half, creating a trio of chances in the opening 10 minutes of the half. Freshman Louis Sala (West Bloomfield, Ill./Orchard Lake St. Mary's) had the first look in the 48th minute, sending a shot high. Markanich sent a shot wide in the 49th minute and Rodriguez had a low shot gathered by the Cincinnati goalkeeper in the 52nd minute. 

Cincinnati's first good chance of the second 45 minutes came in the 62nd as Paul Bangura fired a low shot across the face of goal, but Dziedzic was able to get down to his right to collect the shot and not give up a rebound. 

The best save of the night came from Dziedzic in the 69th minute. Cincinnati's initial cross was half-cleared toward the top of the box where it was picked up by Schaller whose shot forced a save at full-stretch from Dziedzic to keep the game level. 

The Huskie goalkeeper came up with another excellent save in the 80th minute as he denied Bangura. Cincinnati sent the ball into the box and it was flicked on to Bangura whose header looked destined for the top corner but a diving Dziedzic was able to get a hand to keep the match scoreless. 

Both teams pressed for winner in the late stages of regulation as Rodriguez forced a save from Lawrence with a shot from distance in the 85th minute and, less than a minute later, Ryan Melink hit the post to the right of Dziedzic for Cincinnati. 

In the dying seconds of the second half, Voss let loose a dipping shot that just went over the crossbar as the Huskies and Bearcats went into overtime. 

In the fifth minute of the first extra session, Markanich won it with his first career goal. Rodriguez used an excellent piece of skill to get away from his defender down the left side and sent a cross in toward Markanich and the NIU freshman buried it with his first touch to send the Huskies in euphoria. 

Dziedzic made five saves in the contest and combined for a shutout with a starting backline of sophomores Aidan Dunne (Chesterfield, Mo./Tulsa) and Sheriden Smith (Webster Groves, Mo./Webster Groves) along with freshmen Pierce Ugarte (Oak Lawn, Ill./Oak Lawn) and Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais that had played a combined 12 collegiate games coming into Friday's contest. 

"They were very good, very well organized," said Swan of his backline. "I think they were composed when we were in possession and when the game became a little more direct we dealt with it very well. Very happy to get the shutout."

This marked the second consecutive season that the Huskies won their season opener in overtime. Last year, NIU defeated DePaul, 3-2, at home in the season opener (Aug. 25, 2017). 

The Huskies will continue their four-game road trip to begin the 2018 season on Monday, Aug. 27, when they travel to Green Bay. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., and will be available on ESPN+.