PITTSBURGH, Pa. – In a game that featured two of the top six offenses in the country, the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team fell to fifth-seeded Pittsburgh, 5-2, on Sunday evening (Nov. 21) at Ambrose Urbanic Field. Both teams scored in the opening six minutes of the contest with Pepe Martinez (Sant antoni de vilamajor, Spain/Western Michigan) and Roque Viegas Jr. (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Syracuse) netting the goals for the Huskies. 

"I'm really proud of my team," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "It has been a fantastic season and it was always going to be tough when it came to an end. There is a lot of emotion in our locker room. I'm proud of our guys and everything they have accomplished. We got to see today what the next level looks like and where our goals need to be."

NIU opened the scoring in the fifth minute off the first corner of the contest. Viegas swung in the corner to the back post and Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) rose above the crowd heading it back across where Martinez was able to flick it past Pittsburgh goalkeeper Nico Campuzano to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. 

Just 31 seconds later, Pittsburgh answered with a goal by Guilherme Feitosa. Bertin Jacquesson whipped a cross in from the right that slipped through the hands of NIU goalkeeper Martin Sanchez (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) and Feitosa was waiting at the back post to nod it across the line and pull the Panthers back level. 

Pittsburgh went in front on the half hour mark as Filip Mirkovic clipped a ball in behind the Huskie defense and into the run of Jacquesson. Jacquesson volleyed a shot from about 10 yards past Sanchez to put the Panthers in front. 

NIU nearly pulled level just two minutes later as the Campuzano came off this line but was unable to clear the ball. The Huskies played the ball into Martinez just outside the six-yard box, but his header was cleared off the line by a Panther defender. 

In the final minute of the first half, Pittsburgh doubled its advantage as the Panthers created a turnover and Luis Sahmkow slipped in Jackson Walti all alone. Walti slid a shot under Sanchez from just inside the 18-yard box to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead heading into halftime. 

Less than two minutes into the second half, the Huskies cut the Pittsburgh lead in half on a goal by Viegas. Miguel Maynez Jr. (El Paso, Texas/New Mexico) combined with Viegas on a good bit a footwork just about 25 years from goal before Viegas unleashed a left-footed rocket past the diving Campuzano, cutting the Panther advantage to 3-2 in the 47th minute.

The Panthers restored their two-goal lead in the 53rd minute through Valentin Noel. A cross from Jacquesson from the right wing found Noel all alone inside the box and Noel guided a volley into the net past Sanchez to give the Panthers a 4-2 lead. 

NIU had an excellent chance to cut the Pittsburgh lead back to one in the 58th minute as Martinez played a spectacular ball into the run of Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais). Nick Markanich's initial shot was stopped by Campuzano, but Nick Markanich regathered the ball and nearly put it across the line, only to have a sliding Panther defender clear the ball off the line. 

In the 71st minute, Sanchez made an outstanding save on a shot from inside the box by Jacquesson as the Huskie goalkeeper got a strong hand to the shot, parrying it out for a corner. 

Just three minutes later, Pittsburgh added a fifth goal. Jacquesson played a ball down the right wing to Alexander Dexter who moved just inside the box and powered a shot past Sanchez inside the far post, giving the Panthers a 5-2 lead in the 74th minute.

Sanchez finished with five saves for the Huskies, Campuzano made three stops for the Panthers.

NIU finishes its season with a 15-3-2 overall record and as double champions of the Mid-American Conference, winning both the regular season and tournament crowns. Pittsburgh improves to 12-5-1 and advances to the Round of 16 where they will host Hofstra.