ST. PAUL, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Men's Soccer team played the Crown Polars in the second UNW Athletics event of three hosted at Reynolds Field today. The two young clubs came into the game hoping to equalize their 0-1 record in conference play. Crown is coming off of a successful 2022 season, clinching a UMAC Playoffs berth as well as making a run in the NCCAA tournament last fall. UNW and CC matched up twice last year, each snagging a 3-1 win. In a similar fashion, the Polars secured the win tonight with a 2-1 score.

Crown came into tonight's match ready to play, scoring quickly in the 4th minute. Less than 30 minutes later, Northwestern had an answer. An opportune foul in the box gave Simeon Friesen (Mounds View, Minn./Mounds View) a penalty kick chance. A stutter step followed by a rocket to the back of the net gave Friesen his second goal of the season and evened the score for his club.

A beautiful pass followed by a bounce off the post in the 81st minute, provided a bookend for the Polars to finish the game on top.

Both keepers were put to the test tonight, with each team putting up shots in the double digits. UNW's freshman goalkeeper Kyle Dipzinski (Ionia, Mich./Ionia) had 8 saves on the night, in contrast to the Polars' 6.

The Eagles will be making the drive to take on the reigning UMAC Champion Yellowjackets in Superior on Tuesday September 19th.