Amber Best (Southfield, Mich./Mercy) scored less than two minutes into the contest and again just after the half-hour mark to lead the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Eastern Michigan on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 20) at the NIU Soccer Complex. The victory is the sixth of the season for the Huskies, the most for the program since the 2017 campaign.
"We started off extremely well," said NIU head coach Michael O'Neill. "On the front foot and that always bodes well when you come out of the blocks quick. Three 'Cup Finals,' the first one is down and hopefully we can use this win and win with growth. We learned a ton today about some scenarios that present themselves and how we can respond better to help us on Sunday because it is another 'Cup Final' and it is sudden death now."
With the win, NIU maintained its position inside the top-eight in the conference standings, which would earn the Huskies a spot in the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
It took NIU less than 120 seconds to go in front as Best scored her first goal of the contest. Aubrey Robertson (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) whipped an excellent corner inside the six-yard box and Best poked it into the net to give the Huskies the early advantage.
Best doubled the NIU lead with her second goal of the game, third of the season, in the 31st minute. The Huskies created a turnover in their attacking third and Claudia Muessig (Paw Paw, Mich./Paw Paw) slipped a ball into the run of Best. From just wide right of the penalty spot, Best fired a low shot across goal and inside the back post to give NIU a 2-0 lead.
Six minutes later from a corner, Katie Bennett (Liverpool, England/Carmel Sixth Form) forced a save from Eastern Michigan goalkeeper Rebecca Przybylo with a volley from near the top of the 18-yard box as NIU took its two-goal lead into the interval.
Ten minutes into the second half, Sadie McGill (Fort Worth, Texas/L.D. Bell) made an outstanding double save. Meagan Lukowski got in behind the Huskie defense and fired a shot from the top of the 18-yard box that was parried away by McGill, the rebound fell to Sophia D'Ambra all alone eight yards from goal by McGill recovered and made another stop at close range to preserve the shutout.
McGill was called into action again just after the hour mark, making her third terrific save of the season half. Eastern Michigan floated a corner to the back post where Lukowski had an open header, but McGill made a save with her right foot, deflecting the ball up and over the crossbar, as the Huskies maintained their 2-0 advantage.
In the 72nd minute, Abby Adams (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) nearly added a third for the Huskies. Adams lofted what initially looked like a harmless ball toward goal from beyond 30 yards, but the ball dipped near the goal, caromed off the inside of the post and stayed out of the goal.
With five minutes remaining, McGill made one final save to maintain her clean sheet. Mary Grimes took a shot from just outside the box that was comfortably stopped by the Huskie goalkeeper as NIU claimed the 2-0 victory.
McGill made seven saves in the victory, five of which came in the second half, while picking up her second shutout of the season; Przybylo had five saves for the Eagles.
"We were hoping that she wouldn't have to have that much of an impact (in the second half)," said O'Neill of McGill. "We were 2-0 up, we felt we could continue to build off that lead, but she kept us in the game those first 10 minutes (of the second half) with our lackluster effort and energy. Kudos to her, she has come in late in the season and made some big-time saves and we needed it tonight, she was a big part of the win."
NIU will head on the road for the final time in the regular season on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 23, as the Huskies travel to Miami. Game time against the RedHawks is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT.
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