PEORIA, Ill. -- Despite outshooting Bradley, 19-5, the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team was unable to find a winning goal as the Huskies tied the Braves, 2-2, on Thursday night (Sept. 1) at Shea Stadium. Taisei Arima (Machida, Japan/Fort Hays State) and Patrick Coleman (Antioch, Ill./Notre Dame) each scored their first goals as Huskies in the contest. 

NIU opened the scoring just eight minutes through Arima. Malcolm Ward (Youngs, Australia/Newington College) played the ball into the feet of Arima and the Machida, Japan native cut inside and fired a shot back across his body and past a diving Nick Burke in goal for Bradley to give the Huskies the early advantage. 

The lead would only last 52 seconds as Bradley answered right back when Francesco Pettinaroli took advantage of a ball off the hands of NIU goalkeeper Nolan Cosgrove to find the back of the net and draw the Braves level. 

Bradley nearly doubled its lead in the 11th minute as Pettinaroli had a great chance cleared off the line by the Huskie defense. 

In the 35th minute, the Braves did add a second when a scramble in the NIU box fell to the foot of Alex Olson who fired a half-volley past Cosgrove to give the hosts a 2-1 lead. 

The Huskies closed the half on the front-foot as Harry Jolley (Liverpool, England/St. Margaret Academy) came forward and fired a shot just wide before Parker Jeppson (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southwest) nearly had two goals in as many games with a long-range effort that went just high as Bradley took a 2-1 advantage into the interval. 

Just over three minutes into the second half the Huskies were level as Coleman scored his first goal as a Huskie. Arima took a free kick from wide on the right, whipping it dangerously toward the top of the six-yard box where Coleman got a deft touch, just enough to guide it past Burke in goal to even the contest at two. 

After the goal, there was only one team that looked to find a winner as the Huskies outshot the Braves, 9-0 over the final 40 minutes. 

Jolley was the first to have a go at giving NIU the lead as his effort from distance was scrambled away by Burke in the 52nd minute. 

The junior captain from Liverpool, England had another chance stopped on the hour mark and Enrique Banuelos (Mexico City, Mexico/Virginia) saw his 64th minute attempt saved as well. 

NIU pushed for a winner all the way to the final minute when the Huskies earned a corner and the final chance fell to Camilo Estrada (Dallas, Texas/Lone Star), but Burke smothered the shot as the Huskies and Braves were forced to settle for a draw. 

Cosgrove made two saves in goal for the visitors; Burke had five stops for Bradley. 

The Huskies will return home on Monday, Sept. 5, when they host Milwaukee in the home opener for the Lewang Cup. Kickoff against the Panthers is scheduled for 7 p.m.