KALAMAZOO, Mich – Junior Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) brought the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team within a goal with his tally with 10 minutes remaining, but the Huskies were unable to complete the comeback as they fell, 3-1, at Western Michigan on Sunday afternoon (March 28). 

Western Michigan (4-2-0, 2-2-0 MAC) had the only two shot attempts in the opening 20 minutes of the contest as the two teams dealt with cold, blustery conditions and occasional snow flurries. Both early attempts by the Broncos were off target. 

Junior Adrian Corona (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) had the first look at goal for NIU in the 22nd minute, coming out of the back to fire a shot high. Two minutes later freshman Camilo Estrada (Dallas, Texas/Lone Star) forced the first save by either goalkeeper with a low shot from outside the box that was easily held by Western Michigan goalkeeper Isaac Walker. 

The Broncos opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark as Brendan Skinner scored off a corner. Daniel Nimick's floated corner was headed on by Jaylen Shannon and found an unmarked Skinner whose header from inside the six-yard box gave Western Michigan a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute.

Just two minutes later Western Michigan had another chance as Mike Melaragni got in behind the NIU defense before sophomore Adrian Lara (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet Township) made an outstanding recovery tackle to thwart the opportunity for the Broncos. 

Western Michigan doubled its lead in the 38th minute through Nimick. The Bronco defender collected the ball 30 yards from goal and drove a low shot that may have deflected off a player near the top of the box before skipping off the wet surface and past NIU goalkeeper Martin Sanchez (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) to give Western Michigan a two-goal advantage. 

In the final minute of the opening 45, a low cross was deflected into the path of Corona who whistled a shot just high of the upper corner as Western Michigan took a 2-0 lead into halftime.

The Broncos had the first handful of chances early in the second half and both teams were reduced to 10-men as matching red cards were issued for a fracas in the 54th minute.

NIU (3-5-1, 2-3-0 MAC) had a great chance in the 68th minute as junior Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) played the ball into space where Nick Markanich could run onto it. Nick got a foot to the ball ahead of Waler, who came out to challenge, but the Broncos goalkeeper was able to deflect the ball away before his defense scrambled it to safety.  

The Huskies pulled a goal back 10 minutes from time as a low cross from senior Carlos Valdez (Houston, Texas/Richland College) found Nick Markanich all alone near the penalty spot and the junior forward made no mistake, slotting home his fifth goal of the season in the 80th minute to bring NIU back within a goal. 

Nick Markanich had the ball in the back of the net five minutes later as he got on the end of a ball from his brother, Anthony, inside the six-yard box, but the flag was up for an offside call against Nick Markanich. 

With the Huskies pressing for an equalizer, Dylan Sing added a third for Western Michigan. Sing ran onto a flicked header from Melaragni and found the corner of the net past Sanchez to restore the two-goal lead for the Broncos in the 87th minute, putting the game out of reach.

Walker finished with three saves in goal for the Broncos, Sanchez made two saves for the Huskies. 

NIU will return home on Wednesday, March 31, as the Huskies host SIU Edwardsville. Kickoff against the Cougars is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.