MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team outshot West Virginia, 11-2, but a 12th minute penalty kick was enough for the Mountaineers to top the Huskies, 1-0, on Saturday afternoon (March 6) at Dick Dlesk Stadium in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams. 

NIU (1-3-1, 0-1-0 MAC) had the first chance of the contest in the as sophomore Enrique Banuelos (Mexico City, Mexico/Virginia) had a shot near the top of the box that was held by West Virginia goalkeeper Steven Tekesky in the third minute. 

Nine minutes later, West Virginia (2-0-0, 1-0-0 MAC) went in front as Bjarne Thiesen converted from the penalty spot to give West Virginia a 1-0 lead. 

Junior Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) had a trio of chances in the first half to pull the Huskies level but was unable convert as the Mountaineers took a one-goal advantage into the intermission. 

NIU continued to create more of the chances in the second half with junior Miguel Maynez Jr. (El Paso, Texas/Lone Star) and Banuelos both sending shots in the first 10 minutes after the interval. 

With a quarter-hour to play, sophomore Luis Hernandez (Mesquite, Texas/Lone Star) had a chance from a free kick. His first attempt hit the wall and the rebound come right back to the sophomore from Mesquite, Texas, but he put that chance wide. 

Moments late the Huskies had an excellent chance to equalize as junior Anthony Markanich's (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) low cross found senior Alex Welch (Carmarthen, Wales/King's College Madrid) in the box. Welch fired a low shot from near the penalty spot that appeared destined for the back of the net but Tekesky got down low to get a hand on it and keep the Mountaineers in front. 

The Huskies continued to dominate possession of the ball and had one more chance in the 82nd minute but Welch fired wide as West Virginia came away with the victory. 

Tekesky made four saves in goal for the Mountaineers, NIU sophomore goalkeeper Martin Sanchez (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) was not called upon to make a save in the contest. 

NIU will return to action on Sunday, March 14, when it hosts Akron.