MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – A goal on either side of halftime helped lead Central Michigan to a 2-0 victory over the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 6) at the CMU Soccer Complex. Marle Bringard scored in the first half and Cami Taylor added a goal in the second to give the Chippewas the victory.

Central Michigan (6-1-2, 3-1-0 MAC) had the first look at goal in the contest in the fourth minute as Taylor's header off a corner kick from Maria Kaschalk went wide.

The Huskies had their first chance in the four minutes later as a deflection led to an opportunity for freshman Nicole Barham (Long Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos) who raced toward goal before firing a shot from outside the box that was saved by CMU goalkeeper Zoie Reed.

Just before the half-hour mark, Lauren DeBeau picked up a second ball near the top of the box for Central Michigan and fired a shot toward the corner but junior goalkeeper Megan Donnally (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) was able to get down low to her left to make the save.

Freshman Nicolette Gossage (Moneka, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) had a chance for NIU in the 33rd minute as she latched on to a ball from out of the back just inside the box and tried to poke it past Reed who was able to get a piece of the shot and deflect it away.

A minute later, Central Michigan opened the scoring as Bringard collected a throw in with her back to goal, spun around a NIU defender and slipped a shot low inside the near post past Donnally to give the Chippewas a 1-0 lead; CMU would take that one-goal advantage into halftime.

In the 56th minute, Central Michigan had a chance as DeBeau collected the ball, cut onto her right and fired a shot that went high.

NIU's (2-8-1, 0-4-0 MAC) first look at goal in the second half came in the 66th minute as Gossage got on the end of a Huskie goal kick that had bounced through midfield and into the Central Michigan box, firing a shot across goal that was stopped by Reed.

Central Michigan doubled its lead on a 72nd minute goal from Taylor. Alex Herbert collected a throw in inside the box and flicked it into the path of Taylor who slotted a shot past Donnally from close range to give the Chippewas a 2-0 lead.

Donnally finished with seven saves for the Huskies, Reed made four saves in goal for the Chippewas.

NIU will return to action on Thursday afternoon, October 10, as the Huskies travel to Muncie, Ind., to face Ball State. Kickoff against the Cardinals is slated for 3 p.m.