DEKALB, Ill. – After Kevin Kelly (Dublin, Ireland/Daytona State College) levelled the game from the penalty spot, a Green Bay penalty helped gave the Phoenix a 2-1 victory over the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 1) at the NIU Soccer Complex. 

"I thought the first half was really poor," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "It was another game that was all transitional and I don't think either team had control of the ball for a sustained period of time. We looked flat. The second half was a little bit better, but really, we were waiting on the referees to bail us out, calling for penalty kicks all over the place. Obviously, there were two in the game, but I don't remember us creating too many great opportunities, which is very disappointing."

Green Bay (2-2-0) took the lead in the eighth minute as Luke Nicholson cut in from the left just outside the top of the box and fired a shot into the upper corner to give the Phoenix an early lead. 

The Phoenix could have had a second in the 37th minute as a low cross found Andrew Paolucci all alone eight yards from goal, but he skied his effort as the visitors took a one-goal advantage into halftime. 

Four minutes after the interval, NIU was level as Kelly converted his first Huskie goal from the penalty spot. Sam Divis (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) was judged to have been fouled in the box as the referee awarded the Huskies a penalty. Kelly stepped up and smashed the spot kick past Green Bay goalkeeper Alvaro Rodriguez to tie the game at 1-1 in the 49th minute. 

NIU (1-3-0) had another penalty shout in the 61st minute as Jakub Drazek (Des Plaines, Ill./Elk Grove) appeared to be taken down just on the edge of the box, but the referee waved play on. Less than a minute later, a Huskie turnover led to a chance from Chis Album for Green Bay, but his shot hit the post. 

In the 67th minute, Green Bay regained the lead as Album converted a penalty for the Phoenix. Album tucked his penalty just past the reach of NIU goalkeeper Caleb Pearson (Fort Worth, Texas/LD Bell) to give the Phoenix a 2-1 advantage. 

NIU's best chance to even the game again fell to Kelly in the 84th minute as the Dublin, Ireland native tried to clip a ball over the head of Rodriguez from a tight angle, but the Green Bay goalkeeper made an acrobatic play to tip the ball over the crossbar and out for a corner. Moments later, the Huskies had one more appeal for a penalty waved away as the Phoenix held on for the 2-1 victory. 

Pearson finished with two saves in goal for NIU, Rodriguez made four save in goal for Green Bay. 

NIU will return to action on Friday, Sept. 6, when the Huskies host Kansas City. Kickoff against the Roos is slated for 7 p.m. and admission to all NIU Soccer matches is free of charge.