TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati men's soccer suffered a 1-0 overtime defeat to the visiting Northern Illinois Huskies on Friday night at Gettler Stadium in both teams' season openers.
A goal in the 94th minute by NIU's Nick Markanich was the difference in a tightly-contested matchup.
In front of nearly 1,000 fans on a beautiful night for soccer in the Queen City, the Bearcats were aggressive in the first half with four shots – including one on goal – and five corner kicks. The defense kept the opposition at bay in the opening period, featuring a big save by sophomore goalkeeper Noah Lawrence (Mitchellville, Md./Sacred Heart) in the 29th minute. Ultimately, the two teams went into the halftime break with the match scoreless.
The Huskies began the second half energized, but the Bearcats countered with intensity of their own. Throughout the second half, UC made advances with diagonal crosses from distance that didn't quite materialize in scores.
Sophomore Moritz Schaller (Austria/Vienna University) fired a rocket from inside the box in the 69th minute that was saved by the NIU keeper. Redshirt junior Ryan Melink (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) followed with strike that went wide of the net in the 71st minute off of a feed from freshman Paul Bangura (Woodbridge, Va./West Potomac). With time in regulation winding down, UC's best chance at the go-ahead score came in the 86th minute when Melink fired a shot from distance that bounced off the wide post.
Just missing a chance, UC went into overtime armed with some momentum. The two teams went back and forth over the opening few minutes of the extra period before NIU got behind the defense with a cross through the 18 from the left side that found Markanich in front of the goal who punched home the match-winning score.
The game was played evenly in regards to shots with both teams notching 12. UC held a sizeable advantage in corner kicks with a 7-1 edge. Melink led the way with four shots, while sophomore Sean Clarke (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield), redshirt junior Austin Smythe (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day/Radford), and newcomers Bangura and Schaller each added two. Lawrence had four saves on the night.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will be back at Gettler on Monday, Aug. 27, when they host Eastern Illinois for a 7 p.m. first touch. Admission to the match will be free as part of the season-long Experience UC initiative. Thundersticks will be given away to the first 500 fans in attendance.
A goal in the 94th minute by NIU's Nick Markanich was the difference in a tightly-contested matchup.
In front of nearly 1,000 fans on a beautiful night for soccer in the Queen City, the Bearcats were aggressive in the first half with four shots – including one on goal – and five corner kicks. The defense kept the opposition at bay in the opening period, featuring a big save by sophomore goalkeeper Noah Lawrence (Mitchellville, Md./Sacred Heart) in the 29th minute. Ultimately, the two teams went into the halftime break with the match scoreless.
The Huskies began the second half energized, but the Bearcats countered with intensity of their own. Throughout the second half, UC made advances with diagonal crosses from distance that didn't quite materialize in scores.
Sophomore Moritz Schaller (Austria/Vienna University) fired a rocket from inside the box in the 69th minute that was saved by the NIU keeper. Redshirt junior Ryan Melink (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) followed with strike that went wide of the net in the 71st minute off of a feed from freshman Paul Bangura (Woodbridge, Va./West Potomac). With time in regulation winding down, UC's best chance at the go-ahead score came in the 86th minute when Melink fired a shot from distance that bounced off the wide post.
Just missing a chance, UC went into overtime armed with some momentum. The two teams went back and forth over the opening few minutes of the extra period before NIU got behind the defense with a cross through the 18 from the left side that found Markanich in front of the goal who punched home the match-winning score.
The game was played evenly in regards to shots with both teams notching 12. UC held a sizeable advantage in corner kicks with a 7-1 edge. Melink led the way with four shots, while sophomore Sean Clarke (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield), redshirt junior Austin Smythe (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day/Radford), and newcomers Bangura and Schaller each added two. Lawrence had four saves on the night.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will be back at Gettler on Monday, Aug. 27, when they host Eastern Illinois for a 7 p.m. first touch. Admission to the match will be free as part of the season-long Experience UC initiative. Thundersticks will be given away to the first 500 fans in attendance.