DEKALB, Ill. – A pair of goals in the opening 17 minutes helped lead Miami to a 2-0 victory over the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 14) in the conference opener for both teams at the NIU Soccer Complex. Morhea Hoefen and Caroline Mortonson scored to help lift the RedHawks to the win. 

"Credit to Miami, they are a good side," said NIU head coach Michael O'Neill. "They are good at what they do, and they put us under pressure, but I felt our focus and intensity wasn't as high as it should be or as it got to in the second half, where it was much more end-to-end, as opposed to being pinned in. 

"The first 30 minutes of games has been a problem for us, so we need to solve that problem and see what we can do. The response in the second half was better, but I'm not sure it could get much flatter than the first half."

Miami (4-3-0, 1-0-0 MAC) opened the scoring after just eight minutes as Katie O'Malley's cross from the left side was headed on goal by Kayla Perfect. NIU goalkeeper Lauren Pearson (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) made the save on Perfect's header but Hoefen was first to the rebound, firing home from inside the six-yard box to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage. 

The RedHawks doubled their lead in the 17th minute. A Miami corner was half-cleared by the Huskies, but only as far as the top of the 18-yard box where an off-balance shot from Mortonson looped over the head of Pearson and into the back of the net to give Miami a 2-0 lead that it would take into halftime. 

Just before the hour mark, NIU had a great opportunity from a free kick just outside the Miami box. Zoe Mclauchlan (Gatineau, Quebec/Collège Nouvelles Frontières) took the free kick and rattled it off the crossbar. 

In the 72nd minute, Miami earned a penalty kick as the Huskies were whistled for a handball in the box. Sophia Penegor stepped up to take the penalty for the RedHawks but fired it high over the bar as the visitors lead remained 2-0. 

With six minutes left, Kelsi McLaughlin (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) slalomed through the Miami defense before trying to beat Miami goalkeeper Dominique Popa at the near post, but Popa was able to make the save. Moments later, Mckayla Harsley (Union, Ky./Randall K. Cooper) had a chance that went just wide of the post as the RedHawks preserved the shutout victory. 

Popa finished with three saves in goal for Miami, Pearson made six stops for the Huskies. 

NIU will return to action on Thursday, Sept. 18, when the Huskies travel to Toledo. Game time against the Rockets is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.