NIU dueled Illinois State to a 1-1 tie Wednesday night, coming from behind with a late second-half goal from senior Barry Garofolo.

Freshman Rob Lisek got the assist on Garofolo’s goal with 7:41 remaining in regulation.

“He centered it, and I chested it down,” Garofolo said of Lisek’s pass. “The goalie came out, and I got it off quickly.”

Huskie coach Willy Roy liked what he saw from Garofolo at the forward spot.

“He’s a little like Mike Farnham,” Roy said. “It’s a situation where neither of these guys played a lot last year, and now they are ready to take the bull by the horns.”

oy was equally pleased with sophomore Preben Halle’s effort on defense.

“He’s calm back there,” the NIU coach said. “He did a nice job. I’m going to keep using him back there.”

The Redbirds scored the first goal at 1:59 of the second half on Richard O’Brien’s 9-yarder from the right side on a double-assist from Alex Umansky and Stephen Lyons.

“The guy hit a good ball,” said NIU goalie Jeff Tweedell, who had no chance on the play.

Despite the ISU goal, NIU was the dominant team after halftime.

“In the first half we didn’t play as a team at all,” NIU freshman Willy Roy Jr. said. “We totally took the momentum of the game in the second half.”

Following the Huskies’ tying goal, NIU continued to pressure the Redbirds. With :51 left in regulation, Garofolo again beat the ISU defense, but his 22-yard shot skittered less than a foot wide of the right goal post.

“I should have kicked it with the inside of my right foot,” Garofolo said of his left-footed shot. “I wish I could have it back.”

The Huskies thought they had taken a 2-1 lead less than a minute into the second overtime when Lisek ran past a lone Redbird defender and beat goalkeeper Allen Adams. To the dismay of the NIU fans and players, the play was ruled offside.

“He fights. He’s a winner,” Roy said of Lisek. “When he learns good ball control, he’s going to be dangerous.”