DEKALB, Ill. – Vance Sheffield (West Linn, Ore./La Salle Catholic College Prep) and Martin Montoya (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) scored and assisted on each other's goals in the final five minutes as the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team came from behind to beat Bradley, 2-1, on Saturday night (Oct. 4) at the NIU Soccer Complex. 

Montoya tied the contest in the 87th minute with his second goal of the season before Sheffield won it in the 89th with his fifth goal of the year, which is tied for fourth-best among freshmen in NCAA Division I soccer. 

"A fantastic result," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "First conference game at home, we identified that we have to win those, good crowd out, guys were fired up to play at home. I thought we played really well in the first half, Bradley defended really well, but we felt in the second half there would be more opportunities, and it would open up. When we conceded, it was disappointing, but there is a lot of determination and belief in this team, I always thought there would be a way back in it for us. Exciting finish, not the way I would draw it up, but delighted with the three points."

NIU (5-3-2, 1-0-1 MVC) was on the front foot right from the opening kickoff as the Huskies outshot the Braves, 8-1, in the opening 45 minutes. 

In the 27th minute, Jakub Drazek (Des Plaines, Ill./Elk Grove) had a chance to open the scoring as his shot from distance was parried over the crossbar by Bradley goalkeeper Drew Berry.

Six minutes later, Joe Hernandez (Bensenville, Ill./York Community) collected the ball on the half-turn and whistled a shot from about 23 yards that cannoned back off the crossbar before Bradley scrambled it away. 

Hernandez had another opportunity in the 43rd minute that went just wide of the post as the contest went into halftime scoreless.

Bradley (2-4-4, 0-1-1 MVC) nearly opened the scoring in the 55th minute on a free kick from midfield that was headed into the path of Stephen Saladin who flicked the ball past NIU goalkeeper Caleb Pearson (Fort Worth, Texas/L.D. Bell) but Grant Paskus (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) was there to clear the ball off the line for the Huskies. 

The Braves did go in front just past the hour mark as Dominic Woolley played a ball to Mitch Coughlon who rolled a NIU defender on the edge of the 18-yard box before sliding a shot under Pearson to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. 

Just as they had prior to the Bradley goal, NIU continued to have more of the possession as they looked for an equalizer. Katai Mukuka (Lusaka, Zambia) had a chance in the 72nd minute as he cut in from the left near the top of the box and fired just over the bar. 

The breakthrough finally came for NIU in the 87th minute as Tomasz Slawek (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South) played a ball from midfield toward the top of the box that deflected off a Bradley defender to Sheffield. The freshman forward knocked it into the path of Montoya on the left side who fired from a tight angle past Berry to pull the Huskies level. 

Sheffield and Montoya combined again just 86 seconds later as NIU won a free kick just outside the box on the right side. Montoya clipped a ball in toward the top of the six-yard box and Sheffield rose highest to power a header past a helpless Berry into the back of the net to give the Huskies the 2-1 victory. 

The hosts finished the contest with a 20-4 edge in total shots, Berry made eight saves in goal for Bradley while Pearson recorded a pair in picking up the victory for the Huskies. 

NIU will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 11, as the Huskies travel to Kalamazoo, Mich., to face Western Michigan. Kickoff against the Broncos is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT.