YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University women's soccer team picked up their second straight road win on Thursday (Oct. 5) against Eastern Michigan. The match was delayed by weather just five minutes in, but NIU was able to come out strong after the delay and used goals from
Lea Gruennagel (Homburg, Germany / Intergrierte Gesamtschule Contwig) and
Edith Delgado (Aurora, Ill. / East Aurora) to earn the win.
"I think that was a really good performance from start to finish," NIU head coach
Michael O'Neill said. "Obviously, the conditions did not help with the game being delayed and the start-and-stop. But the focus remained and I think this was our best game and the best performance of the season,"
Gruennagel opened the scoring in the 26
th minute, she got the ball at the top left of the box and kicked the ball perfectly into the top right corner of the net past EMU goalie Ella Holland.
NIU's second goal came in the 60
th minute,
Sahara Zingano (Grimsby, Ontario / Grimsby Secondard) got on the end of a corner kick and got it on goal. Holland made the save but Delgado got there for the rebound and flicked the ball right into the top of the net.
NIU controlled the play outshooting the Eagles 12-4 and leading in shots on goal 8-2.
Redshirt senior goalkeeper
Sadie McGill (Fort Worth, Texas / L.D. Bell) kept yet another shutout for NIU, her fifth of the year. McGill also moved over 230 minutes since she allowed a goal.
"I give credit to the girls because they were ready to play and they came out and didn't let the conditions or the delay impact them," O'Neill said. "Delays can impact teams, and you know sometimes you switch off the focus but this group of girls rose above that and they didn't let that impact their mindset and I think it paid off."
NIU (4-5-3, 2-2-1) picked up another MAC win, the team's second in a row after the win at Akron on Sunday, October 1. EMU fell to 1-6-6 and 1-2-2 in MAC play.
"I was just really proud and impressed with the group and their application today. We were deserving winners and probably could have had maybe one or two more (goals) but a clean sheet and two goals is great. When you get a MAC win on the road, it's definitely a great day," O'Neill said.
NIU returns home on Sunday, October 8 and takes on Miami. The team will honor their nine seniors before the 1 p.m. kickoff.
