GREEN BAY, Wis. – Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) scored the lone goal in the 16th minute as the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team defeated Green Bay, 1-0, on Saturday night (Sept. 25) at Aldo Santaga Stadium. 

With the victory, NIU improves to 8-1 on the season, its seven consecutive wins is the longest win streak for the program since winning the final seven games of the 1968 season and the first three to begin the 1968 campaign. Green Bay fall to 1-5-2 with the loss. 

"The priority was obviously getting the win, so we are happy with that," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "Another shutout, which is also very nice, but I didn't think we were at our best today. Sometimes that happens, so getting the win when we weren't at our best, I'm happy in that regard.

"It did have a bit of a conference feel to it. Green Bay set out to make things difficult for us, they were very tough, very physical and very direct, so I think it was a good challenge for our guys because we have some testing games coming up."

NIU had the first chance of the contest in the fifth minute as the Huskies created a turnover and quickly played the ball into the feet of Nick Markanich whose low shot tested Green Bay goalkeeper Tobias Jahn. 

The Huskies opened the scoring in the 16th minute as Nick Markanich netted his 11th goal of the season. Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) fired a low cross in from the left wing and Nick Markanich guided it into the back of the net from near the top of the six-yard box to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. 

"I thought our build up play and Anthony's cross was fantastic," Swan said of the goal. "Nick sensed the area to get into, he arrived at the perfect time and the finish was clinical. You don't want to say it is expected right now, because there is so much more to his game, but he looks very dangerous in every game."

With the goal, Nick Markanich, who leads the nation in scoring, has now scored in seven consecutive matches, setting a new school record. The assist was the third of the campaign for Anthony Markanich. Nick Markanich's 11 goals are the most in a season by a Huskie since Marcus McCarty had 11 during the 2006 season. 

Four minutes after the goal, NIU had another opportunity as Zachariah Thomas (Burnaby, British Columbia/Moscrop Secondary) sent a low cross to Adrian Corona (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) at the top of the box. Corona's shot went just over the top of the Phoenix goal. 

Enrique Banuelos (Mexico City, Mexico/Virginia) had a chance in the 24th minute as he got on the end of a cross from the right side and tested Jahn with a low shot that was held by the Green Bay goalkeeper. 

In the 39th minute, Banuelos had another shot on the volley, but he fired it high of the Phoenix goal as NIU went into the interval with a one-goal lead. 

Three minutes into the second half, NIU earned a free kick wide of the Phoenix goal and Nick Markanich took it, forcing a save by Jahn as he tipped the ball over his crossbar. Diego Maynez (El Paso, Texas/Lone Star) had a shot from the ensuing corner, but his effort went wide. 

Green Bay had its best spell of the match just after the hour mark. Martin Sanchez (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) was called on for the first time in the 62nd minute as Andrew Paolucci turned in a tight space and fired a shot from the top of the box and the NIU goalkeeper got down well low to his right to tip it around the post. 

Four minutes later, Sanchez was called on again as he stopped a shot from outside the box by Ethan Hoard.  

After the brief spell of possession for the Phoenix, NIU regained control possession over the final 20 minutes and, despite not finding a second goal, saw the game out for another victory. The Huskies had 65 percent possession over the 90 minutes and outshot Green Bay, 15-5. 

Sanchez finished with three saves in the contest to record his sixth shutout of the season. NIU has now gone 501:33 without conceding a goal. Jahn finished with four saves in the contest for the Phoenix. 

NIU will return to action next Saturday, Oct. 2, when the Huskies open Mid-American Conference play at Western Michigan. Kickoff in Kalamazoo is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT.