DEKALB, Ill. – Four different players scored as the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team defeated Purdue Fort Wayne, 4-2, on Friday night at the NIU Soccer Complex. Sophomore Alex Welch (Carmarthen, Wales/King's College Madrid), junior Jan Maertins (Rheinfelden, Germany/Marquette) and twin freshmen Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) and Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) all got on the scoresheet against the Mastodons, who were reduced to nine men late in the contest. 

"We knew this would be a tough game," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "We saw Fort Wayne down in Texas last week, we knew they were a good team and had a lot of attacking threats, so we were happy to get the result, in particular being that it was the home opener."

NIU (3-2) got off to a flying start as a push in the back in the early stages led the referee to point to the penalty spot. Welch stepped up and calmly slotted home the penalty for his second goal of the season as the Huskies took a 1-0 lead in just the seventh minute. 

The Huskies doubled their advantage just six minutes later as Anthony Markanich netted his first collegiate goal. Senior Kevin Rodriguez (Pasadena, Texas/Deer Park) combined with Maertins inside the Purdue Fort Wayne penalty area. The German forward then slid a pass softly into the path of Anthony Markanich who buried it from inside the six-yard box to give NIU a 2-0 lead. 

NIU was in front by two for just under three minutes however as Alex Frank pulled a goal back for the Mastodons. Adam Gannon and Zach Tom connected on the left wing for Purdue Fort Wayne before Tom found Frank at the top of the box and he sent a rocket past NIU junior goalkeeper Konrad Dziedzic (Schiller Park, Ill./West Virginia) to cut the Huskie lead in half. 

Purdue Fort Wayne (3-2) scored again in the 21st minute to level the match. The Mastodons had a free kick over 30 yards from goal by Romain Lopez took it quick, before the NIU defense could get organized, and found Zach Tom who was in alone on goal and finished to pull Purdue Fort Wayne level, 2-2. 

The Huskies were back in front in the 27th minute as Rodriguez and Maertins played a pair of outstanding combinations to carve their way through the heart of the Purdue Fort Wayne defense. Maertins applied the finish, his second of the year, as Mastodon goalkeeper Tor Erik Larsen had no chance. 

In the 35th minute, the Huskies nearly scored again as a long distance shot from Welch rang off the crossbar. NIU had another good opportunity in the 44th minute as an excellent cross from the right wing found the head of Maertins, but he flashed the header wide as the Huskies took a 3-2 lead into the interval.

It was the Mastodons who had the first good chance of the second half as the ball fell kindly to Lopez who smashed a shot off the post in the 53rd minute. Just 43 seconds later, Rodriguez rang a shot off the bar for the Huskies but the NIU lead remained just one. 

Purdue Fort Wayne was reduced to 10 men in the 67th minute when Kyle Hoagland received a red card. The Mastodons were then down to nine when Ryan Bernt saw red in the 74th minute. 

NIU applied the finishing touches on the victory in the 80th minute as Nick Markanich scored his third goal of the season. Markanich took the ball near midfield, shrugged past a Mastodon defender and ran 40 yards with the ball before firing a shot past Larsen to give NIU a 4-2 lead. 

"It is nice (to have offensive balance) but I would still like to have someone have six (goals) at this point," said Swan. "We are creating a lot of chances, Anthony (Markanich) got his first tonight, and Nick (Markanich) has three goals, but you are looking for someone to consistently be a goal threat. It is nice that we have multiple guys but I would like someone to get in the box and be a threat every time. But we will take the goals any way they come right now." 

The Huskies, who matched their win total from a season ago with the victory, will be back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 12, when they host Western Illinois. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.