MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- Second half goals from junior Irvin Dominguez (El Paso, Texas/Richland College) and freshman Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) gave the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team a 2-1, come-from-behind victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday night as the Huskies recaptured the Lewang Trophy. 

With the win, NIU improves to 7-2 on the season, winning its fifth consecutive game. The five-game winning streak is the longest for the Huskies since winning five-straight to begin the 2011 season. Milwaukee fell to 5-3-1 with the setback.

"I was delighted with the result and the performance tonight," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "I thought Milwaukee was very good, one of the better teams we have seen this year. They came out and were dominating to start the game, after their goal we regained our composure, started seeing more of the ball, started creating more chances and we were outstanding in the second half.

"Very happy with the win. After taking the lead (in the second half) we looked comfortable with it. I never felt like we were in too much danger of giving the game away.

An 11th minute goal by Sean Reynolds gave Milwaukee a 1-0 lead at the interval, but it took the Huskies less than three minutes into the second half to even the match. 

A clever backheel pass from junior Jan Maertins (Rheinfelden, Germany/Marquette) sprung freshman Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais)  toward the end line and the freshman was able to cut the ball back just before it crossed the line into the path of a streaking Dominguez who fired past a helpless Milwaukee goalkeeper Freddy Lorenzen to bring NIU level.

The goal for the first for Dominguez in his NIU career. 

In the 53rd minute, Milwaukee won a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box but Vuk Latinovich sent the shot well high. Two minutes later, another free kick for the Panthers just outside the box was taken by Suad Suljic and his shot went just over the crossbar, landing on the roof of the net. 

NIU went in front in the 64th minute on the third goal of the season by Anthony Markanich. Maertins started the play with a ball down the right side to senior Kevin Rodriguez (Pasadena, Texas/Deer Park) who cut inside toward the box before playing the ball back toward Maertins. The German forward just touched the ball on to Anthony Markanich who hit a shot in-stride with his left foot past Lorenzen for his third goal of the season to give the Huskies a 2-1 advantage. 

The Huskies had the ball in the back of the net again in the 74th minute as a perfect free kick from freshman Louis Sala (West Bloomfield, Mich./Orchard Lake St. Mary's) found the head of Nick Markanich who headed past Lorenzen, but the flag was up for offside against the Huskies. 

Just over 10 minutes from time, NIU had another chance to add an insurance goal as a corner kick from Sala found the head of freshman Diego Sanz (Mompia, Spain/La Marina), but Lorenzen made a great reaction save to keep the Huskies in front. 

Milwaukee's last real chance to pull a goal back came in the 84th minute, but the shot by Latinovich was blocked and the Huskies went on to capture the Lewang Trophy for just the second time since 2010. 

NIU junior goalkeeper Konrad Dziedzic (Schiller Park, Ill./West Virginia) was called into action for the first time in the seventh minute as a shot from the corner of the box by Sean Holmes was palmed over the bar. 

The Huskies created their first opportunity of the night in the 10th minute as Nick Markanich's first shot was blocked but the Huskies picked up the rebound and a cross found the head of Nick Markanich who put his second effort into the hands of Lorenzen.

Just a minute later the Panthers went ahead as a shot from Cameron Williams was deflected into the path of Reynolds who made no mistake in giving Milwaukee a 1-0 lead. 

Anthony Markanich had a chance to pull the Huskies even in the 20th minute as a low drive from 25 yards looked to be heading into the corner of the net before being tipped away by Lorenzen.

In the 38th minute the Huskies had an excellent chance to equalize as a free kick by sophomore Alex Welch (Carmarthen, Wales/King's College Madrid) fell kindly to Sanz inside the box but the freshman put his shot just wide. Seconds later, Rodriguez got on the end of a ball from midfield but was unable to direct his header on target, sending it just over the net as the Panthers took a 1-0 lead into the intermission. 

Dziedzic finished with four saves for the Huskies; Lorenzen made six stops for the Panthers. 

"We knew this was going to be a very good Milwaukee team," said Swan. "The fact that the Lewang Trophy was on the line, it very much had a conference game feel to it. I thought the crowd was fantastic tonight, they were loud, engaged in the game and it really added to it. It was a good experience for our guys and hopefully it prepares them for the tough games we have coming up."

NIU will be back on the road on Friday, Sept. 28, as the Huskies travel to Portland, Ore., to meet the 13th-ranked Portland Pilots. Game time is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT.