BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Two goals from Bennett Painter, including the game-winner in the 87th minute, helped lead Bowling Green to a 2-1 victory over the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team on Friday night (Sept. 13) at Cochrane Stadium in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams. 

Luka Vasic (Maple, Ontario/Maple) scored his first career goal to level the match early in the second half for the Huskies. 

"I'm gutted about the result," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "I thought we showed so many improvements to our play, our attitude and our commitment to doing the hard work. To lose it so late, after having a couple of fantastic opportunities to win the game ourselves. I'm gutted for the guys, who I thought put in a good shift today."

Bowling Green (5-1-0) was on the front-foot from the opening kickoff and its pressure paid off less than five minutes into the contest as Painter opened the scoring with a right-footed shot from 10 yards out that took a deflection.

The Falcons had a chance to double their lead in the 18th minute as Atahan Arslan (Ismir, Turkiye) made an excellent save down low to his right on a shot from Anthony Hernadez. Arslan finished the contest with five saves.

Just past the half-hour mark, Taylor Davis (Wichita Falls, Texas/Wichita Falls) created a turnover for NIU (1-5-0) and got to the end line before firing a low cross in front of an open goal, but no Huskie to get on the end of the cross as Bowling Green cleared it away, helping the Falcons take a one-goal lead into the interval. 

Five minutes into the second half the Huskies equalized through Vasic. NIU earned a corner and Jose Gomez (Roatan, Honduras/Clarke University) whipped an in-swinger into the six-yard box where Vasic rose highest to power home a header to even the contest at 1-1.

"That is something we have been asking of Luka (Vasic)," Swan said of attacking set pieces. "He has been very good on our backline, but he's a big guy and he heads the ball well, so we do think he is capable of contributing some goals. He looked good in training this week, he came in buzzing and telling everyone he was going to score today. I was delighted for him; he attacked the ball and got us back in the game."

In the 74th minute, Gomez slid past a Falcon defender in midfield before trying his luck from long range, but the Huskie midfielder's rising shot went high as the game remained level. 

Davis had what looked to be the best chance to grab a winner for either side as his shot went just high in the 78th minute. Zachariah Thomas (Burnaby, British Columbia/Moscrop Secondary) did well down the right wing to zip a low cross into the feet of Davis. The NIU attacker collected the ball just outside the top of the six-yard box and his shot sailed just over the crossbar. 

Five minutes later, the Huskies had another great opportunity to go in front as Thomas hit the crossbar from close range. Bowling Green goalkeeper Brendan Graves was well off his line and lost the ball off a deflection to Gomez in midfield. Gomez played the ball to Kevin Kelly (Dublin, Ireland/St. Joseph Rush) on the edge of the box who slipped it to Thomas, but his shot hit the underside of the bar with Falcons scrambling back onto the goal line as the contest stayed even. 

With just three minutes to play, Painter grabbed the winner for Bowling Green. After an initial shot was blocked, the rebound fell kindly to Painter whose first-time volley found the lower corner past Arslan to give the Falcons a 2-1 victory. 

NIU will return home on Monday afternoon, Sept. 16, as they host Mercyhurst. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the NIU Soccer Complex and admission to NIU Soccer matches is free of charge.