DEKALB, Ill. – Two goals in the opening 17 minutes helped lead Western Michigan to a 2-0 victory over the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 9) in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at the NIU Soccer Complex.

"Hugely disappointed for the season to end like this at home," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "You have to give credit to Western Michigan, they defended really well, they restricted our opportunities, and we just seemed flat, especially in the first half. At this stage of the season, everyone is good, especially in the playoffs."

The visitors nearly took the lead inside the opening minute as a shot from Connor Burkett was cleared off the line by Tomasz Slawek (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South) 

Just three minutes later from a corner, NIU had a couple of opportunities as Jose Gomez's (Roatan, Honduras) corner came to the near post where Slawek and Grant Paskus (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) both had opportunities but couldn't get the ball through a mass of bodies from both teams inside the six-yard box. 

Western Michigan went in front from a free kick in the 11th minute. Braxton Arpachinda took the free kick from about 25 yards and hit the post to the right of Atahan Arslan (Ismir, Turkiye). The rebound fell to Roni Sylejmani whose shot was stopped by Arslan, but the rebound fell to Liam Smith who headed home from close range to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead. 

Six minutes later, the visitors scored off another set piece. Arpachinda took a free kick from near the corner of the box and Sylejmani prodded the ball past Arslan from inside the six-yard box as Western Michigan took an early two-goal lead. 

NIU had an opportunity in the 28th minute as a low cross from Paskus was half-cleared by the Bronco defense, but only as far as Niko Angulo (Dallas, Texas/Allegiance Academy) who volleyed high from just inside the box. 

Just before halftime, Vance Sheffield (West Linn, Ore./La Salle Catholic College Prep) nearly found the back of the net for NIU as Amara Kamara (Monrovia, Liberia) played the ball into the Huskie center forward who rolled a defender before firing a low shot that beat Western Michigan goalkeeper Alex Lindewirth but hit the post and fell kindly right back into the arms of the Bronco goalkeeper as the visitors went into halftime with a 2-0 lead. 

NIU was on the front-foot early in the second half as, from a corner in the 53rd minute, Sheffield had a chance that was blocked and Katai Mukuka (Lusaka, Zambia) then curled a shot just wide off the rebound. 

Arslan made a couple of saves less than two minutes later, the first on Alek Markovski from close range before a second at full stretch on Liam Biggers from near the top of the box. 

In the 79th minute, Jakub Drazek (Des Plaines, Ill./Elk Grove) whipped in a cross from the left side and Sheffield found space inside the box, but he couldn't redirect his header on target. 

The hosts continue to push in the final minutes as NIU found Kamara for a chance in the 86th minute as Luka Vasic (Toronto, Ontario/Maple) fed Martin Montoya (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) who found Kamar for a shot from 15 yards, but the effort sailed just over the crossbar as the sixth-seeded Broncos claimed the 2-0 victory. 

NIU finishes its season with an 8-5-4 overall record, Western Michigan advances to play second-seeded Drake on Wednesday, Nov. 12, in the tournament semifinals in Des Moines, Iowa.