DEKALB, Ill. – Four different players scored as the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team topped Chicago State, 4-1, on Thursday evening (Aug. 26) at the NIU Soccer Complex. Haley Hoppe (Austin, Texas/Rouse), Claudia Muessig (Paw Paw, Mich./Paw Paw), Amanda Czerniak (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) and Julia Neary (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills) each scored to help the Huskies earn back-to-back home wins. 

"It is a great step forward for us to put together two games back-to-back and get the win," said NIU head coach Julie Colhoff. "A glaring thing we definitely have to work on is how we tighten up our defense after we put a goal in the back of the net. Moving off this game it gives us a lot to work on, a lot to build off of but also identify some things we want to fine tune." 

It took the Huskies less than 11 minutes to open the scoring as Hoppe netted her third goal of the season. Kierah Meier (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) played a ball from just inside her own half into the run of Hoppe who took a pair of touches before firing a shot past Chicago State goalkeeper Alexa Seiler to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. 

Just two minutes later, NIU was whistled for a foul in the box and Sara Quevedo stepped up and slotted home the penalty to pull the Cougars level.

At the quarter-hour mark, the Huskies nearly went back in front as a cross from Czerniak found its way to Grace Louis (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) at the back post who clipped a shot over the bar. 

Three minutes from halftime, Kylee Hermeyer (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) picked out Muessig on the edge of the box and the Paw Paw, Mich., native tucked a low shot past Seiler and inside the back post to help the Huskies restore their one-goal lead. The goal was the first for Muessig in her collegiate career. 

After the interval, NIU was straight back on the attack and Czerniak doubled the Huskie advantage in the 48th minute. Hoppe moved past a defender down the left side just before the goal line and fired in a low cross toward the penalty spot, Czerniak took a touch and slipped the ball under Seiler to give NIU a 3-1 lead. 

The Huskies added a fourth from the penalty spot in the 74th minute. Neary was taken down inside the box and took responsibility for the penalty herself, rolling the shot from 12 yards beyond Seiler to give NIU a three-goal advantage. 

Sadie McGill (Fort Worth, Texas/North Texas) made six saves while earning her second consecutive victory for NIU, Seiler made six stops for Chicago State. The Huskies outshot the Cougars in the contest, 19-9. 

NIU will conclude its current three-game homestand on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 29, when the Huskies host Eastern Kentucky. Kickoff against the Colonels is scheduled for 1 p.m.