MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – A pair of goals on either side of halftime helped lead Minnesota to a 4-0 victory over the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 31) at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Mariah Nguyen scored a pair of goals to help lead the Golden Gophers to the victory.
"Very frustrating result," said NIU head coach
Michael O'Neill. "We were playing a good team in Minnesota, of course, but there is a bit more frustration in the game relative to our start. I thought in the first 20 minutes we were on the front foot (and) organized defensively, if it wasn't for the width of a post we could have been 1-0 up in the first five minutes.
"Morgan (Lucich) getting injured and that stoppage for a number of minutes, it just went flat after that, for whatever reason. We conceded a goal 30 seconds to a minute after that substitution was made and then never really got back into it after that first goal, which was a shame because I thought momentum was actually on our side, frustrating them and doing some good things."
NIU (1-2-1) nearly opened the scoring less than two minutes after the opening whistle as
Lauren Mrugala (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) hit the post with a shot from distance off an early Huskie corner.
The hosts went in front in the 27th minute as a cross from the right found the back post run of Nguyen who finished past
Amy Stineman (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) from close range to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead.
Minnesota (2-1) added a second in the 38th minute as a cross from Kate Childers found Nguyen near the penalty spot and her header slipped inside the post to double the Golden Gopher lead.
After halftime, Sawyer Danielson added a third for Minnesota just past the hour mark as Stineman made an excellent save on a chance from Tenley Senden, but the rebound fell kindly to Danielson who finished to give Minnesota a 3-0 advantage.
Minnesota added another goal in the 74th minute as Davy Moklke jumped on a loose ball just inside the 18-yard box and slotted a low shot into the back of the net to close the scoring.
NIU will return to action next Sunday, Aug. 31, when they host Eastern Michigan. Game time against the Panthers is slated for 1 p.m.
