You could hear the concern of NIU soccer fans whenever Chicago Power player-coach Pato Margetic touched the ball.

“Ut, oh,” the fans exclaimed.

Their concern was justified as the Power, on the strength of two Margetic goals, beat NIU 2-1 Sunday in an exhibition match at Huskie Soccer Field.

You could also hear the enthusiasm of Chicago Power fans whenever Margetic controlled the ball. “Take ‘em to school, Pato,” they yelled.

“I love playing outdoors,” said Margetic, who has been confined to indoors after the Chicago Sting folded. “I grew up playing outdoors.”

Margetic’s first goal came with just 8:02 remaining in the first half. Margetic found a loose ball on the right side and blasted it past a diving Markus Roy for the first goal, after NIU freshman defender Sam Cece deflected the ball to him with his head.

NIU senior forward John Kelly supplied the tying goal with 34:25 left in the match. To set up the goal, John Lechner drove the ball from the right side. After a struggle with a Power defender the ball came loose. Dave Weichman gathered the ball and shot wide left. Kelly ran the ball down, faked, and put the ball past Power goalie Russ Prince.

“I just concentrated on the near post,” Kelly said. “That’s where the opening was.”

Kelly’s goal not only tied the game, it also won him more playing time in future games.

“John’s lacks a little speed, but he’s a good player,” NIU coach Willy Roy said. “I think I’ll be using him more.”

Kelly’s goal was the only opening NIU cashed in on the whole afternoon as the Power outexperienced the Huskies.

“The key was their passes were a lot crisper than ours,” Kelly said. “They knew how to conserve their energy, and they always made the right passes.”

Margetic scored the winning goal with 15:32 left in the match with the assist coming from Mirko Castillo.

“I thought NIU did some nice things,” Margetic said. “They just need more experience. Willy will find a way to win with them.”

NIU had a chance to tie the game with 1:48 left in the match when Karsten Roy set up a free kick to Dave Weichman, whose open shot went high.

“I had my head up,” Weichman explained. “I might have rushed it a little bit also.”

A big game will rush up on NIU this Wednesday when intrastate rival Illinois State comes up for a visit at Huskie Soccer Field in a 4 p.m. match. Illinois State handed NIU a key loss last year which kept the Huskies from getting a bid to the NCAA Tournament.