Starting conference play against the pre-season Missouri Valley Conference title favorites, NIU men’s soccer (4-3-2, 0-0-1 MVC) earned a point in the 1-1 draw with the Drake University Bulldogs (5-0-4, 0-0-1 MVC) on Saturday.
“I think it was a kind of typical first conference game in the season,” said NIU men’s soccer head coach Ryan Swan. “Both teams obviously want to get off to a good start. It was very physical, pretty hectic. Disappointed to concede, I thought it was a little bit sloppy from us defensively to allow them to get into that position, but I was delighted with the response from us. I’m happy with the tie, but I also think there were opportunities for us to go find a winner, which is really encouraging since Drake was picked to finish first in the conference.”
The Huskies created chances early, recording 3 shots, one of which was on goal, in the first 16 minutes of the game.
The Bulldogs started the scoring in the 25th minute, when redshirt junior midfielder Damian Segura stepped up to the penalty stop. Junior goalkeeper Atahan Arslan saved the penalty, but Segura collected the loose ball and sent it into the net, putting Drake up 1-0.
The Huskies found the equalizer in the 64th minute when redshirt junior midfielder Jakub Drazek scored his first collegiate goal. Sophomore forward Katai Mukuka sent a low cross across the box, with Drazek sliding to send the ball past Bulldogs sophomore goalkeeper Tomas Butkovic.
“I thought Kuba (Drzaek) was brilliant today,” Swan said. “We bounced him around a couple of different positions, and he’s going to give you everything in every game. He’s got into good positions in other games this season. He was coming from the back left and he had to run, I don’t know, 60 or 70 yards to get into that position. Most of the time the ball doesn’t get to you, but when it does, it’s important that you’re there.”
Drake was inches away from taking the lead in the 81st minute when sophomore forward Preston Kipnusu’s shot bounced off the crossbar in a lucky break for the Huskies.
NIU’s best chance at the game-winner came in the 87th minute, when sophomore midfielder Grant Paskus’s free kick went over the top of the goal.
The battle between the Bulldogs and Huskies was physical, with 41 total fouls and 10 yellow cards issued.
“I think it didn’t affect us as much today as it has in some other games,” Swan said of the physicality of the match. “I think that teams have identified the fact that we like to possess the ball, we like to play, and one of the ways that they can disrupt that is by fouling us and things got really physical today. I thought we stepped up and matched the physicality, so I was happy about that.”
The match ended with a tie in both scores and stats. Each side recorded 7 shots, four of which were on goal, while each side’s goalkeeper recorded 3 saves while allowing 1 goal.
UP NEXT
The Huskies return home to continue MVC play at 7 p.m. Saturday against Bradley University at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. A stream will be available on NIU All-Access with live stats updated on SIDEARM Sports.
