CMU Soccer Falls At Northern Illinois

Sunday, October 14

DeKalb, Ill.

3:00 p.m. ET

Central Michigan University

6-10 (4-4MAC)

NIU

2-14 (1-7MAC)

Central Michigan

Northern Illinois

Photo by: Allissa Rusco

10/14/2018 6:46:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score

Chippewas finish weekend MAC road trip 1-1

By: Mitch Vosburg

Mitch Vosburg, CMUChippewas.com

DeKALB, Ill. -- Despite finishing with a decided advantage in shots and corner kicks, the Central Michigan soccer team dropped a 2-1 Mid-American Conference game to Northern Illinois on Sunday at the NIU Soccer Complex.

The loss, which came two days after CMU's 3-2 victory at Western Michigan, left the Chippewas 6-10, 4-4 MAC. NIU, which snapped an eight-game losing streak, is 2-14, 1-7.

HOW IT HAPPENED
NIU seized a 2-0 lead, scoring both goals before the game was 30 minutes old.

"We dug ourselves a really big hole in the first half," CMU coach Peter McGahey said. "We certainly gave a championship effort in the second half to try and dig ourselves out of it, but we ultimately ran out of time."

The Chippewas applied the pressure throughout the second half, finally breaking through in the 75th minute when senior forward Lexi Pelafas scored her eighth goal of the season off a Mary Carlson assist.

The Chippewas outshot NIU 20-7, and eight of the Chippewas' shots were on goal to three for the Huskies. CMU finished with a 13-3 advantage in corner kicks. NIU goalkeeper MacKenzie Lee finished with seven saves.

"(Lee) made a couple of spectacular saves," McGahey said. "She made a couple of really good saves in the second half to keep them in the game."

NEXT
The Chippewas return home to play host to Ball State on Thursday, Oct. 18 (7 p.m.), in a MAC game, and then entertains Miami (Ohio) on Sunday, Oct. 21 (1 p.m.).