DEKALB, Ill. – Tobias Crear (Carrollton, Texas/Creekview) scored a pair of goals while Vance Sheffield (West Linn, Ore./La Salle Catholic College Prep) and Katai Mukuka (Lusaka, Zambia) each added one as the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team claimed a 4-1 victory over Governors State on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 21) at the NIU Soccer Complex. 

All five goals in the contest came after halftime, with four of the five coming in the final 20 minutes. 

NIU's best chances of the first half just before the half-hour mark as Dasha Curiel (Rockford, Ill./Rockford East) had a shot from inside the box blocked. Sheffield's low cross was deflected to Martin Montoya (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) and his shot from about eight yards was stopped by Governors State goalkeeper Matias Gallego before another opportunity for Curiel went wide. 

The lone chance on target for Governors State in the opening 45 minutes came from Zaid Sibaai as he got a free header on a free kick from midfield, but it was directly at NIU goalkeeper Atahan Arslan (Ismir, Turkiye). 

NIU (4-3-1) broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute as Sheffield scored his fourth goal of the season. Mukuka carried the ball into the box down the left wing and sent a low cross that Jose Gomez (Roatan, Honduras) redirected into the path of Sheffield who tapped home into an empty net at the back post to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. 

Mukuka doubled the lead for NIU in the 72nd minute as he collected the ball from Niko Ladas (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) on the left wing. Mukuka spun past one defender and then split in between two more before firing a low shot off the hand of Gallego and into the corner of the net from 18 yards out for his fourth goal of the season to put the Huskies in front by two.

Just four minutes later, Governors State grabbed a goal back. After NIU was whistled for a foul in the box, Jose Antonio stepped up and converted from the penalty spot for the Jaguars to cut the NIU lead to 2-1. 

The two-goal advantage was restored in the 82nd minute as Crear scored the first goal of his collegiate career. Taylor Davis (Wichita Falls, Texas/Wichita Falls) fired the initial shot from outside the box that Gallego parried away, but right into the path of Crear who followed up with the finish from just outside the six-yard box to give NIU a 3-1 lead. 

Crear scored his second in the 86th minute as Davis played a ball into the run of Curiel down the left wing. The Rockford, Ill, native then bent a pass with the outside of his right foot into the back post run of Crear who tucked his shot underneath Gallego to give the Huskies a three-goal victory. 

NIU will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 27, when the Huskies host Missouri Valley Conference play at Drake. Kickoff against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 7 p.m.