DEKALB, Ill. – Down a player for nearly the final 20 minutes due to a red card, the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team fell, 1-0, to a late Bowling Green goal on Thursday evening (Oct. 16) at the NIU Soccer Complex.
"We can't fault the effort and endeavor," said NIU head coach
Michael O'Neill. "Eleven players, 10 players, they work their socks off and put pressure on (Bowling Green). We denied them creating many chances, outshot them 10-5 (in the second half) … The final product is just not there."
NIU (4-7-3, 2-4-2 MAC) goalkeeper
Lauren Pearson (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) was called into action for the first time in the sixth minute, palming away a shot from Minah Syam. Pearson made her second save of the half direct from a free kick by Emme Butera in the 25th minute.
The Huskies forced the first save from Bowling Green goalkeeper Payton O'Malley in the 34th minute on a shot from distance by
Sarah Roy (Saint-Julie, Quebec/College de Montreal) that forced the Falcon goalkeeper down to her left to make the stop.
Tyra King (Menifee, Calif./Metea Valley) had the final chance of the opening 45 minutes as she cut onto her left for a shot from the corner of the box that was easily held by O'Malley.
Bowling Green (8-1-6, 3-0-5 MAC) had the first look at goal in the second half as Pearson smothered a shot from Emma Stransky in the 56th minute.
NIU's best spell of the contest came shortly after the hour mark off a corner as
Lauren Mrugala (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) had the first chance stopped and the rebound eventually fell to King who whistled a shot over the crossbar.
The Huskies were reduced to 10 in the 72nd minute as
Aubrey Robertson (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) received a second yellow card.
Nine minutes later, Bowling Green broke the deadlock as a corner kick from Michelle Hochstadt went through the box to the far side to Ellie Pool who sent it back inside the six-yard box where Stransky nodded home her seventh goal of the season from close range to give the Falcons the victory.
NIU will return to action on Sunday, Oct. 19, when the Huskies travel to Athens, Ohio, to face the Ohio Bobcats. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. CT.
