EL PASO, Texas -- The Northern Illinois University women's soccer team played UTEP even into double overtime until a penalty kick in the 102nd minute gave the Miners a 1-0 victory over the Huskies on Sunday night at University Field.  

"Obviously we are all disappointed with the result, but the body of work throughout the game was the best that I have seen us play," said NIU head coach Julie Colhoff. "Every game I have talked about, 'have we been able to execute?' and I think today from the starting whistle, it was an unfortunate way to end, but I was pleased with the performance we put out."

NIU (0-5) went on the attack right from the opening kickoff as freshman Kylee Hermeyer (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) sent a shot wide in just the second minute. Five minutes later, sophomore Amanda Czerniak (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) has a shot saved by UTEP goalkeeper Alyssa Palacios and Czerniak sent another shot just wide in the ninth minute. 

The Huskies continued to control the early play as junior Jennie Nailor (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates) forced a save from Palacios in the 14th minute. 

Sophomore goalkeeper Megan Donnally (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) was called into action for the first time in the contest just after the half-hour mark, stopping a shot from Jodie Enokson. The Huskie goalkeeper made another save on a shot by Nicole Pugsley just a minute before halftime as the contest went to the interval scoreless. 

Both teams created opportunities early in the second 45 minutes as Donnally and Palacios were each credited with a save inside the opening five minutes of the second half. 

In the 68th minute, junior Abby Gregg (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East) had an opportunity for the Huskies, but her effort was stopped by the Miner goalkeeper.

With just less than 10 minutes to play in regulation time, Donnally made a pair of stops to keep the match level before the Huskies had a pair of chances off corner kicks, the first from senior Delaney Loprieno (Algonquin, Ill./Huntley) was saved by Palacios and the second, a header from sophomore Haley Hoppe (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic), went wide.  

In the extra session, Czerniak had an effort blocked in the 94th minute and April Pate for UTEP had a shot stopped by Donnally in the 95th as the first 10 minute overtime was still not enough to settle the contest. 

Within the first minute of the second overtime period, UTEP (4-2) had a shot from Natalie Valentine blocked. Less than a minute later, the Huskies were whistled for a foul in the box and Lauren Crenshaw stepped up and scored the penalty to give UTEP the victory. 

Donnally made 10 saves in goal for the Huskies; Palacios recorded five stops for the Miners. 

"One of the things I was pleased with was that everybody contributed today," said Colhoff. "We didn't get the result but people stepped up. Whether that was with their performance, people that didn't play minutes with the way they carried themselves in the warm-up. I was the most pleased I have been since we started preseason with the performance."

NIU will return home on Friday, Sept. 7, as the Huskies host Green Bay at 6 p.m. The contest will be the opening game of a doubleheader with the NIU men's soccer team following against Purdue Fort Wayne.