DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's soccer team tied Ohio, 0-0, on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 22) in the Huskies' Mid-American Conference home opener. NIU (6-1-3. 0-0-2 MAC) outshot Ohio (5-1-3, 0-0-2 MAC), 7-5 and put seven on goal to Ohio's three.
 
"I thought we battled hard," NIU head coach Michael O'Neill said. "They are the current MAC Champs so we knew we were in for a game and it was a crazy end-to-end game. With a slick surface and two teams that are winning games this year we kind of knew that it would likely end that way."
 
Rain throughout most of the match led to a slick surface.
 
"The rain made the game chaotic," O'Neill said. "It's part of the game but it is part of the Midwest. We will look to learn and grow for more games in these conditions. We made a very good team earn this point and I'm proud of the team and how they applied themselves."
 
Ary Purifoy (Machesney Park, Ill./Oklahoma State) made three saves and earned the draw. Purifoy also collected her fourth clean sheet of the season.
 
Kelsi McLaughlin (Greenfield, Ind./Illinois State) put two shots on goal to lead the Huskies.
 
The match started out back-and-forth as neither team saw a look on net early. 
 
Ohio earned a penalty in the 21^st minute. Aubrey Rea took the shot and booted it off the post, a follow up chance went wide to give the Huskies a goal kick.
 
Isabel Struble (Mount Pleasant, Mich./Mount Pleasant), Lea Gruennagel (Homburg, Germany/Saginaw Valley State) and Chantelle Parker (Milton, Ontario/Pittsburgh) got the ball on net in the closing minutes of the first half for NIU.
 
In the second half, Mckenna Campbell-Turkalj (Kitchener, Ontario) and Jordyn Saddler (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper) put the ball on frame while McLaughlin did twice. Ohio forced the ball deep late, but Purifoy made a save in the closing minute and booted the ball away to end the match.
 
The Huskies will stay at home on Thursday, Sept. 26 when they host Central Michigan. The game is set for a 1 p.m. kickoff and admission to NIU soccer is always free.
 
-- NIU --