DEKALB, Ill. – A 70th minute goal from Marissa Foster is all that separated first-place Buffalo from the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team on Thursday night (Oct. 13) at UB Stadium. 

"We are a bit frustrated because we thought we could have come away with a result," said NIU head coach Michael O'Neill. "We created some decent chances, but it is a sign of progression that we are leaving Buffalo, number one in the MAC and probably top-50 RPI, and we are upset that we are leaving empty-handed. We are on the right path and, if we were to define our season right now, we need to improve in the 18-yard boxes. 

"That is an easy solution for any team that is up-and-down, but we create decent chances, sometimes they are against the run of play, but can we capitalize in those moments? And defensively, can we stay focused and deal with teams that put pressure on you and get numbers forward? That's what wins and loses games."

NIU's first sight of goal came just before the quarter-hour mark from a corner as Kylee Hermeyer (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) got a head to Lea Gruennagle's (Homburg, Germany/Intergriete Gesamtschule Contwig) set piece, sending her effort just wide. 

In the 25th minute, Sadie McGill (Fort Worth, Texas/L.D. Bell) made an outstanding save as Jasmine Guerber got in behind the NIU defense as the Bulls were on the counterattack and found herself one-v-one with the Huskie goalkeeper inside the box. McGill made herself big and came up with the stop to keep the contest scoreless. 

Buffalo (11-1-2, 5-0-2 MAC) was credited with an 11-1 edge in shots at halftime but very few of those attempts troubled the NIU goal. 

In the 58th minute, Guerber had the first real chance of the second 45 minutes from just inside the corner of the box as her shot skimmed the top of the crossbar.  

Just a minute later, NIU nearly caught the home side on the counter as Amber Best (Southfield, Mich./Mercy) got in behind the Buffalo defense and fired a low shot from about eight yards that went inches wide of the far post. 

NIU (5-6-3, 2-4-1 MAC) began to grow more into the game and Abby McHugh (Wauconda, Ill./Wauconda) had a shot from distance in the 67th minute that look a slight deflection before it grazed the crossbar. 

The home side broke the deadlock 20 minutes from time as Foster latched on to a long ball out of the back and fired a looping shot over the head of NIU substitute goalkeeper Deighton Wamer (Oregon, Ohio/Clay), giving Buffalo a 1-0 advantage. 

In the 79th minute, Wamer made a good save on a shot from distance by Taylor Caridi, tipping it over the bar to keep the Huskies close.

NIU had one final chance in the 88th minute from a corner as the initial ball deflected toward Best at the back post but Buffalo goalkeeper Emily Kelly pounced on it before Best could sort out her feet as the Bulls survived for the 1-0 victory.  

Kelly had three saves in goal for the Bulls, McGill made three stops and Wamer recorded one save for the Huskies. 

"From 18-to-18 we are really competitive," said O'Neill. "We are tough, gritty, organized and we can compete against any team, we have proven that against the top teams in the MAC already. It is just about can we have a little more quality in the 18-yard boxes, but that is a process, and we know that. We are leaving here upset and frustrated, but as a coaching staff we are leaving here proud and ready for the next challenge." 

NIU will return home on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 16, as the Huskies welcome Kent State to the NIU Soccer Complex. Game time against the Golden Flashes is scheduled for 1 p.m.