KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Goals from Pepe Martinez (Sant antoni de vilamajor, Spain/Western Michigan), Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) and Enrique Banuelos (Mexico City, Mexico/Virginia) helped lead the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 2) at the WMU Soccer Complex. 

Huskie goalkeeper Martin Sanchez (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) posted his seventh shutout as NIU improved to 9-1 on the season, 1-0 in the MAC, with its eight consecutive victory and its first in Kalamazoo since 2010. Western Michigan falls to 2-4-4, 0-1 in league play. 

"It was a perfect start to conference play," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "We emphasized how important it was to get off to a good start and this is a really tough place to come and get a result, so I was delighted with the performance and the result."

Just on the quarter-hour mark, Zachariah Thomas (Burnaby, British Columbia/Moscrop Secondary) nearly opened the scoring, but his effort was cleared off the line by the Western Michigan defense. 

NIU broke the deadlock in the 27th minute as Martinez put the Huskies in front against his former school. Banuelos and Markanich combined and forced a save from Western Michigan goalkeeper Isaac Walker before Martinez volleyed home an opening goal to give NIU a 1-0 lead. 

Markanich had chance in the 35th minute that was saved by Walker as the Western Michigan goalkeeper was forced to concede a corner, which came to nothing for the Huskies. 

Sanchez was called upon for the first time in the 42nd minute as he stopped a shot from Charlie Sharp as the Huskies took a 1-0 lead into the interval. 

In the second half, Western Michigan earned a free kick right on the edge of the NIU area in the 57th minute, but Max Keenan fired harmlessly high. 

Just past the hour mark, Markanich had a chance as his low shot was palmed away by Walker and the Bronco goalkeeper beat Markanich to the rebound. 

The Huskies doubled their advantage in the 67th minute on a play that began with Sanchez and quickly ended in the back of the net on the other end courtesy of Markanich. Sanchez played the ball to Adrian Lara (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet Township) who hit a ball into Banuelos for a flick into the run of Markanich and the senior from Bourbonnais, Ill., slotted the ball past Walker to double the NIU lead.  

Markanich's goal was his national-leading 12th of the season and marked the eighth consecutive contest in which the Huskie forward has scored a goal. 

Western Michigan came back quickly after the goal with a shot from Vianney Durand that came back off the post before it was smothered by Sanchez. 

Moments later, NIU made it three as Banuelos tallied his third goal of the season. Thomas had the ball inside the box and fed it to Banuelos who curled a shot inside the back post to put the Huskies in front by three in the 68th minute. 

"When they were a goal down, Western (Michigan) knew they had to change things a bit," said Swan. "As the game got stretched and they put numbers forward, we took advantage of that and when we get in those spaces and those opportunities, our guys are very good."

The Huskies nearly made it four in the 72nd minute as Banuelos flicked the ball into the run of Markanich who was forced just a bit wide, allowing Walker to make the save. Eight minutes later, Banuelos nearly added his second as a curling effort was palmed away by Walker. 

Sanchez finished the contest with two saves as NIU's streak without conceding a goal moved to 591:33. Walker made seven saves for Western Michigan. 

NIU returns home next Saturday, Oct. 9, when the Huskies host third-ranked West Virginia in their first home conference game of the year. Kickoff against the Mountaineers is scheduled for 3 p.m.