ATLANTA, Ga. – Pepe Martinez (Sant antoni de vilamajor, Spain/Western Michigan) scored twice, including the game-winning goal in overtime, as the 21st-ranked Northern Illinois University men's soccer team topped Georgia State, 2-1, on Saturday night (Oct. 23) at the GSU Soccer Complex. Martinez opened the scoring in the first half before Justin Guest leveled the match for the Panthers in the second half, only to see Martinez win the game for the Huskies in the 94th minute.  

The victory extends NIU's unbeaten streak to 12 games as the Huskies improve to 11-1-2 overall, 3-0-2 in Mid-American Conference play. Georgia State falls to 10-4 overall, 2-2 in league play. 

Martinez's overtime goal, his fifth tally of the season, came off a header on the only shot in the extra period, with Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) providing the assist. 

"I thought we were exceptional tonight," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "We created enough chances to win three games. There is always a concern that when you play so well, create chances and don't score, that suddenly you are one moment away from losing a game that you deserve to win.

"The fact that the guys stayed tuned in to what they were doing, stuck to the gameplan and found that big moment at the end, it is just fantastic. It was a great challenge for us and I was absolutely delighted with the three points."

Georgia State recorded the first shot on target of the contest in the second minute as Martin Sanchez (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) was called upon to make the save, but the rest of the first half belonged to the Huskies. 

Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) and Enrique Banuelos (Mexico City, Mexico/Virginia) each had shots on target in the opening quarter-hour. Nick Markanich and Anthony Markanich both forced saves in quick succession from Georgia State goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg near the 22-minute mark before the Panther defense finally scrambled the ball away for a corner. 

Zachariah Thomas (Burnaby, British Columbia/Moscrop Secondary) and Banuelos gave NIU two more opportunities that required saves before Martinez finally broke the deadlock in the 31st minute. 

Diego Maynez (El Paso, Texas/Lone Star) raced away from the Georgia State defense before finding Martinez, who had only been on the field for 61 seconds after coming on as a substitute, and Martinez made no mistake, finishing to give the Huskies a 1-0 advantage. 

Just before the interval, NIU had another chance as Georgia State was called for a foul just outside the box, but the free kick from Banuelos was blocked as the Huskies took a one-goal lead into halftime. 

Both goalkeepers were called upon once in the opening 15 minutes of the second half before Georgia State equalized in the 69th minute. 

Guest scored unassisted for the Panthers to tie the game at 1-1. 

Following the goal, Georgia State did not register another shot in the game as NIU pushed for a winner. 

In the 80th minute, the Huskies had their best chance to win the game inside the 90 minutes as they earned a penalty, but Nick Markanich's penalty hit the post. 

With three minutes left in regulation, Thomas forced another save by Rankenburg as, for the third consecutive match, NIU would go to overtime. 

The only shot in the extra period would be the only one the Huskies would need as Anthony Markanich won the initial header toward Martinez and his header from just outside the six-yard box beat Rankenburg to lift the Huskies to the victory. 

"We were all getting frustrated because we created so many chances and weren't scoring, but I don't think anybody lost belief at any point," said Swan. "You could see the frustrations, but I thought the guys just believed the entire time that we were going to win it. When we got into overtime there was no panic and it was a fantastic way to end it."

Rankenburg made nine saves in the contest for Georgia State, Sanchez had a pair of stops for the Huskies. 

NIU, who sits atop the MAC standings on 11 points, will close its conference slate next Saturday afternoon, Oct. 30, when the Huskies host Akron. Kickoff against the Zips is scheduled for 2 p.m.