DEKALB, Ill. – Jose Gomez (Roatan, Honduras/Clarke University) and Martin Montoya (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) both scored but the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team fell to Drake, 3-2, on Friday night (Nov. 1) at the NIU Soccer Complex. The Huskies opened the scoring through Gomez in the 13th minute but the Bulldogs scored the next three to earn the road win. 

"Tonight kind of sums up our season," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "I thought there was some really good stuff, both goals that we scored were really good, but the three goals we conceded were really disappointing. It was things we talked about all week in training, Drake are very direct, they are good in the air. They can't go uncontested in the box and they scored two uncontested headers, and we got caught in a bad spot and gave away a penalty. 

"From our perspective, it was really poor defensively. For as much possession as I thought we had and getting the ball in decent areas, we didn't get into dangerous areas. You have to credit Drake for some of that, they are very hardworking and committed to the defensive side and didn't allow us to create much."

The Huskies struck first as Grant Paskus (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) took a free kick quickly from midfield and found Gomez just outside the box. Gomez took an excellent touch with his chest to move into the box before beating Drake goalkeeper Tomas Butkovic at the near post. 

Drake (9-3-3, 5-0-2 MVC) answered just four minutes later as Barrett Kitts whipped in a cross from the left side that found Eloge Iradukunda just outside the top of the six-yard box. Iradukunda snapped a header down off the turf and past NIU goalkeeper Atahan Arslan (Ismir, Turkiye) to pull the Bulldogs level. 

Just before the interval, the visitors went in front from the penalty spot. Kai Knuchel converted from the dot in the 41st minute to give Drake a 2-1 lead at halftime. 

In the 74th minute, the Bulldogs added a third as J.P. Pascarella's cross from the right side found Cole Schrage in the box. Schrage made no mistake with his header, flicking it back across goal and into the back of the net to give Drake a 3-1 lead. 

NIU (3-12-0, 1-6-0 MVC) pulled a goal back as Montoya scored his second goal of the season in the 83rd minute. Wiktor Kwiatkowski (Brussels, Belgium/Athebee Royal De Ganshoren) played a ball into Montoya just outside the top of the box. The Huskie freshman slid past one Drake defender and curled a low shot into the corner of the net to bring the home side back within a goal. 

NIU pushed for a late equalizer, but Drake was able to hold on for the victory. Results of games elsewhere meant NIU was eliminated from contention for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament regardless of its result tonight. 

The Huskies will close the 2024 season on Wednesday, Nov. 6, when they travel to Bradley. Kickoff against the Braves is slated for 7 p.m.