Oct. 14, 2011

Final Stats

DEKALB, Ill. - Senior Kelsey Passaglia (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) fired four shots, one on goal, against Eastern Michigan today on a windy NIU Soccer Complex pitch. Though NIU outshot EMU, 11-8, the Eagles converted a goal in the 38th minute to defeat the Huskies, 1-0.

"Eastern Michigan plays a very similar possession-based style of soccer and I thought our girls did a good job defending and attacking against it today. We outshot them in the match but we just weren't able to put one in today," said Head Coach Carrie Barker after the match.

Northern Illinois knocked on the door offensively, pressuring the EMU defense in the opening stages of the first and second half, even through the steady North-South winds on the East-West pitch.

In the 14th minute, Passaglia received a cross just outside of the goalkeepers box and positioned herself in front of the defender for possession of the ball and an open header. The eye-level cross whizzed to the Cary, Ill. native and sailed just wide of the right post for the early go-ahead goal.

Kayra Thompson (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) also threatened offensively, posting up at the 18-yard box and spinning past the defender but the ball was just outside of her reach on her left foot before the goalkeeper collected the ball and ended her threat.

Eastern Michigan's Chelsea Detrick struck for the Eagles in the 38th minute, scoring the only goal of the match. Bianca Rossi worked through the left side of the midfield sent a through ball to Detrick who ran to the ball and without collecting it, fired the ball immediately and slipped it into the net.

Early in the second half, Thompson slipped a through ball past the Eagles defenders to Gwen Sabo (Alton, Ill./Alton), who was unable to settle and shoot, before EMU cleared the ball for a Huskie throw-in.

Northern Illinois falls  to 2-112 and 1-6-0 in Mid-American Conference play, while Eastern Michigan improves to 2-10-2 and 2-4-1 in the MAC. The Huskies will return to action Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., facing Central Michigan at NIU Soccer Complex and continuing its Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend.