VALPARAISO, Ind. – Haley Hoppe (Austin, Texas/Rouse) scored the lone goal in the 86th minute as the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team topped Valparaiso, 1-0, on Friday night (Sept. 3) at Brown Field. 

"It was a really good team win," said NIU head coach Julie Colhoff. "We were able to create some really good opportunities, Haley put the ball in the net again and the defense made a lot of big stops for us, including our goalkeeper Sadie (McGill). Our bench was really driving energy throughout the game, and I think, overall, it was a good team win."

NIU (3-2-0) and Valparaiso looked destined for overtime when Hoppe netted her conference leading fifth goal with less than five minutes to play. Jenna Lewey (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) won the ball in midfield and Abby Zipse (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) played it beyond the Beacon defense and into the run of Hoppe whose left-footed shot from the corner of the box went low and just inside the back post to break the deadlock. 

The lone goal was all the Huskies needed as goalkeeper Sadie McGill made eight saves while recording the first shutout of her NIU career. Nikki Coryell made three stops for the Beacons. 

"We have been hunting a shutout for a couple of games, that was definitely a point of emphasis for us," Colhoff said. "Sadie led that from the back, she came up clutch a couple of times. One thing that she has done well is be composed in those big moments and deliver on her strengths." 

Valparaiso (1-3-1) had the first chance of the contest as a shot from near the top of the box from Lindsey Dusatko was stopped by McGill in the sixth minute. 

NIU's first shot of the contest came in the 14th minute as Lewey cut in from the wing and fired a shot that was held by Coryell.

Just before the half-hour mark the Huskies created a turnover and Zipse had a go from about 25 yards that had Coryell scrambling before it sailed high. 

McGill made an outstanding save in the 33rd minute as Dusatko came down the right wing before playing a ball into the run of Kelsie James whose shot from close range was held by McGill to keep the contest scoreless. 

The NIU goalkeeper came up with another save three minutes later when another ball from the right wing by Dusatko found Natalie Graf whose shot from near the penalty spot was held by McGill and the teams went into the intermission still looking for an opening goal. 

Valparaiso nearly found that opener just three minutes into the second stanza as an attempt from inside the six by Peyton Evans came back off the post. 

The contest sprung to life in the final 10 minutes with both teams pushing for a winning goal. Edith Delgado (Aurora, Ill./East Aurora) helped NIU move quickly in transition in the 83rd minute as the Huskies won a corner. From the resulting set piece, Hoppe climbed the highest in the box and headed just wide. 

A minute later, Valparaiso found James inside the box and McGill saved her low shot as the contest remained level.

With just under five minutes to play, it was the Huskies who finally went in front as Hoppe beat Coryell to give NIU what would prove to be the winning goal. 

The tally is the 11th for Hoppe in her NIU career, tying her for 10th on the all-time Huskie goal scoring list with Renay DeNicolo (1996-99) and Lauren Gierman (2014-18). 

"The biggest thing with Haley is that she has been working really hard for a long time to get to this level," said Colhoff. "It is great to see her executing in those big moments. It is credit to her work rate throughout the years and her persistence. Also, her teammates giving her the ball in dangerous areas and she is capitalizing on it. 

NIU will return to action next Thursday, Sept. 9, as the Huskies travel to Green Bay. Game time against the Phoenix is scheduled for 5 p.m.