DEKALB, Ill. – Sarah Roy (Saint-Julie, Quebec/College de Montreal) scored in the 87th minute to give the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team a 1-0 victory over Wright State on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 27) at the NIU Soccer Complex.
The Huskies outshot the Raiders, 18-5, in the contest and did not allow a shot on target in the game.
"Super proud of the performance," said NIU head coach
Michael O'Neill. "It was front-footed, all-out attack from the first minute. We stuck to the game plan and dominated in the stat categories and the on-field flow of the game was definitely in our favor. So proud of the effort after a tough loss on Thursday, the response, the character and the willingness to go again against a team that (was) 2-0 (in the conference) couldn't be better."
With less than four minutes to play,
Monica Correa (Des Plaines, Ill./Saint Viator) drove down the right wing before sending a low cross that
Mckenna Campbell-Turkalj (Kitchener, Ontario/Resurrection Catholic) nodded into the path of Roy who was all alone 10 yards from goal. Roy took a touch and fired a shot over a diving Leigha Lauer in goal for Wright State for the game's only goal.
It took more than 30 minutes for the first good chance of the contest as NIU forced a turnover from Wright State in its defensive third that led to a chance for
Julianna Hill (Burlington, Iowa/West Burlington) that was palmed away by Lauer.
NIU (2-5-2, 1-2-0 Horizon) had another chance before halftime as, off a free kick from midfield,
Dahlia Rodriguez (Round Lake, Ill./Grayslake Central) sent a header just wide.
Wright State (4-6-1, 2-1-0 Horizon) nearly broke the deadlock in the 68th minute as the Raiders worked the ball toward the endline before it was played back to Alyssa Peh just inside the top of the 18, but Peh put her shot just wide of the post.
Hill had a great chance to open the scoring in the 76th minute as a cross from the right side from
Abbey Kijewski (Nobleton, Ontario/Brill Crothers Secondary) found Hill near the edge of the six-yard box but her shot was held by Lauer.
Three minutes later, a Huskie turnover led to a one-on-one opportunity for Taliah Pellizzari on Huskie goalkeeper
Alexandra Devory (Ruckersville, Va./William Monroe) from 40 yards. Pellizzari dribbled to the edge of the 18-yard box before sending a shot that came back off the post and was scrambled away by the NIU defense.
Both teams continued to push for a winner until Roy found the only goal of the game in the final minutes.
Prior to the contest, NIU celebrated the life of former Huskie goalkeeper Amy Carr who passed away from brain cancer earlier this year.
"We were delighted to have the alumni turnout as they did for Amy," said O'Neill. "I hope we did her proud in honoring her life and her impact on the program and her teammates. She was here with us today, getting us over the line and I'm sure she will be delighted with three points and a clean sheet."
NIU will return to action on Thursday, Oct. 1, when the Huskies travel to Purdue Fort Wayne. Kickoff against the Mastodons is slated for 4 p.m.
