DEKALB, Ill. – Claudia Muessig (Paw Paw, Mich./Paw Paw) scored her team-best fourth goal of the season and Jamie Ward (Cherry Valley, Ill./Rockford East) netted the first goal of her collegiate career as the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team defeated Central Michigan, 2-0, on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 2) at the NIU Soccer Complex. 

"We earned the right to play because our midfield won the 50/50s," said NIU head coach Michael O'Neill. "Abby Zipse and Aubrey Robertson were fantastic winning those balls, Kylee (Hermeyer) and Jordyn King, the two center backs, were brilliant in disrupting any forward threat (from Central Michigan). Whilst we did have good territory and good possession, we earned that and then had the composure to move the ball, and exploit wide areas, which was key to dominating possession."

Sadie McGill (Fort Worth, Texas/L.D. Bell) was the first of the two goalkeepers called into action as she comfortably held a shot from just outside the box by Elizabeth Chlystun just past the quarter-hour mark. 

NIU (5-4-2, 2-2-0 MAC) began applying significant pressure on the Central Michigan defense near the half-hour mark. A cross from Madison Looby (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central) found Reegan Kingpavong (Rockford, Ill./Guilford) near the penalty spot. Kingpavong turned and fired a shot toward the low corner, but CMU goalkeeper Emma Shingler got down to make the save. Moments later, the Chippewas were called for a handball in the box, giving NIU a penalty kick. 

Muessig stepped up to take the penalty, which was saved by Shingler, the Huskie junior midfielder was quickest to react to the rebound however, pouncing on it and firing into the net from inside the six-yard box to give NIU a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute. 

The Huskies took that one-goal advantage, on Muessig's seventh career goal, into halftime. 

After the intermission, NIU came out the quicker of the two sides. Aubrey Robertson (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) had a shot inside the box blocked in the 47th minute and a minute later Edith Delgado (Aurora, Ill./East Aurora) cut inside the box and had a shot from a tight angle that was stopped by Shingler. 

NIU doubled its advantage in the 50th minute as Ward scored her first career goal. Muessig played a ball in behind the Central Michigan defense for Ward to run onto, the Cherry Valley, Ill., native took a touch inside the box and then fired a rising shot that hit the palm of Shingler and bounced over the line to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead. 

The goal gives Ward points in three consecutive games dating back to Sept. 25 at Toledo. 

"She has really come into her own," O'Neill said of Ward. "She was on the fringes early in the year and is now really stepping into her winger role. She has two assists and a goal now in the last three games and the production is adding some credibility to her work rate, her courage and her bravery on the ball. She has cemented her place in the team through hard work and long may it continue."

Just a minute after the goal, McGill made an excellent stop to preserve the two-goal advantage as a long ball was knocked down to Matilda Melin inside the six-yard box and McGill reacted well down to her right to make the stop. 

Kierah Meier (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) had a pair of chances to add a third for the Huskies. In the 69th minute, Meier cut in from the left and sent a shot through traffic that was scrambled away by Shingler Two minutes later, Meier had another try from just outside the top of the box which was held by the Chippewa goalkeeper. 

Central Michigan (1-8-2, 0-3-1 MAC) created one final opportunity to end the Huskie shutout in the 86th minute as Melin found space on the right wing and tried to beat McGill at the near post from just inside the box but the Huskie goalkeeper made the stop as NIU picked up its first home win of the season. 

McGill made five saves in the contest as she earned her first shutout of the year; Shingler had six saves in goal for Central Michigan.

"I know with this group it is a really coachable group," said O'Neill. "They listen, they care, they want to do well, so even though we had a tough result on the road on Thursday, I knew we would bounce back, it was just a case of if we would have the quality to win the game."

NIU will head back on the road on Thursday, Oct. 6, when the Huskies travel to Ohio before returning home for Alumni Day on Sunday, Oct. 9, as the Huskies entertain Akron. Game time against the Zips is slated for 1 p.m.