ROCKFORD, Ill. -- Freshman Julia Neary (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills) scored in the 59th minute but the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team was unable to complete the comeback as the Huskies fell, 2-1, to Ohio in the Mid-American Conference opener on Friday evening (Sept. 27) at The Indoor Soccer Center at Mercyhealth Sportscore Two. 
 
"Unfortunately, we didn't come out with the intensity we needed to in the first half," said NIU head coach Julie Colhoff. "The way we conceded in the first half showed that we lacked that intensity. What I was pleased with was the way we came back and scored after going down two. I think we had a lot more fight in the second half, so our biggest emphasis is still putting together a full game."

The first look at goal in the contest fell to the Huskies as junior Haley Hoppe (Austin, Texas/Rouse) flicked a header off a free kick wide of the post less than three minutes into the contest. Junior goalkeeper Megan Donnally (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) made a pair of stops in the opening quarter-hour as the contest remained deadlocked in the early going. 

Ohio (6-3-0, 1-0-0 MAC) opened the scoring in the 25th minute as Abby Townsend turned just inside the box and tucked a low shot inside the back post past Donnally to give the Bobcats a 1-0 lead, an advantage they would take to the intermission. 

Less than five minutes after halftime, Ohio added a second as Sydney Leckie and Townsend combined down the left wing before a cross found Maddie Young alone in front of goal to make it 2-0. 

NIU (2-5-1, 0-1-0) answered just nine minutes later as senior Jennie Nailor (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates) made a good run through midfield and found Neary around the edge of the box and the Huskie freshman fired a shot across the body of Ohio goalkeeper Sydney Malham and into the net to cut the Bobcat lead in half. 

In the 77th minute, Donnally made an outstanding save on a point-blank chance from Morgan Collica to keep the Huskies within a goal. 

The Huskies continued to push for a late equalizer and sophomore Kylee Hermeyer (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) had a look at goal in the final minute but sailed the shot wide as Ohio prevailed, 2-1. 

Donnally made seven saves in goal for the Huskies; Malham had a pair of stops for the Bobcats. 

NIU will return to action on Sunday, afternoon, September 29, as the Huskies close their three-game homestand against Kent State. Kickoff against the Golden Flashes is scheduled for 2 p.m.