MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The University of Northwestern Men's Soccer team created plenty of opportunities Tuesday afternoon but couldn't find the back of the net, falling 2-0 to North Central University.
The Eagles came out attacking, putting their first two shots on goal in the fourth and eighth minute.
Hayden McConnell (Lancaster, Calif./Quartz Hill) and
Josiah Mezey (Monument, Colo./Village) both challenged the North Central keeper, who turned away each attempt. Northwestern continued to generate offensive pressure throughout the opening half, recording nine shots, but the Rams' goalkeeper kept the Eagles off the scoreboard. The game remained scoreless until the final minute of the first half, when a deep ball broke through the Eagle defensive line and North Central found the back of the net to take a 1-0 lead into halftime.
Northwestern continued to push in the second half, with
Dutch Broughman (Eagle River, Alaska/Chugiak) leading the charge. Broughman put two shots on target in the 66th and 72nd minutes, but the North Central keeper again came up with the saves. The Rams added an insurance goal with 10 minutes remaining to secure the 2-0 victory.
The Eagles finished with 14 shots, putting 11 attempts on target. McConnell led UNW with three shots, while Mezey and Levi Harmes (Richfield, Minn./Homeschool) each added two. Joe Nyagaka (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) recorded one shot on goal, while Broughman and Sebastian Reyes (Hawthorne, Calif./Da Vinci Design) each put two and one on target, respectively. In goal, Logan Hutzenbiler (Billings, Mont./Billings Central Catholic) played all 90 minutes and made eight saves to keep Northwestern within striking distance throughout the match. Northwestern's offense created its chances throughout the night, but North Central's keeper stopped all 11 Eagle attempts to preserve the shutout.
UNW will play the top team of the conference, UW-Superior, on Homecoming Saturday this weekend, with kickoff scheduled for 5:00 PM.
