Men’s soccer defeated Green Bay on Friday at the NIU Soccer Complex, while women’s soccer traveled to Nebraska and took losses to both Creighton and Nebraska-Omaha, falling to 0-2 on the year.

Men’s soccer

Soccer opened its season with a 1-0 win over the Phoenix, making it the first time in two years the team opened the season with a win.

The game lasted two overtimes, with NIU finally taking the 1-0 lead in the 106th minute on a goal by junior defender Richard Hall. He scored on a free kick from 30 yards, earning his first goal of the season. The Huskies outshot the Phoenix by a margin of 20-5 but couldn’t manage to pick up the win in regulation.

Green Bay racked up eight fouls in the first period, compared to only three by NIU. Three of Green Bay’s shots also came in the first period, while the Huskies picked up most of their shots in later periods.

NIU struggled with finishing close games in past seasons and could finally be figuring out how to do so. Starting the season with a win is important as men’s soccer works to put together an improved record.

Women’s soccer

Women’s soccer traveled to Omaha, Neb. for a pair of games against Creighton and Nebraska-Omaha, both of which they took losses in. The team fell to Creighton Friday in a 4-1 bout and dropped a 2-1 contest to Nebraska-Omaha on Sunday.

Creighton

The first period was fairly even as both teams traded shots to get the game going. The Huskies managed to rack up six fouls in the first stanza compared to only three by Creighton. In the second period, the Bluejays took the 1-0 lead on a goal by senior forward Alyssa Jara, her first of the season.

Creighton raised the lead to 4-0 in the same period on goals by freshman forward Emma Braasch and junior forward Lauren Sullivan. Redshirt junior midfielder Mackenzie Lewis would go on to score the Huskies’ lone goal, but it wouldn’t be enough to break a dent in the lead as the Bluejays won by a final score of 4-1.

Nebraska-Omaha

NIU took an early first period lead, scoring on a goal by freshman forward Taylor Sarver, her first of the campaign.

The rest of the period would see back and forth action, but neither team was able to make any game-changing plays.

The Huskies led 1-0 heading into the second period, the start of which followed much of the same paths as the first, but resulted in a late run by the Durangos that would ultimately decide the game. In the 72nd minute, Nebraska-Omaha scored on a goal by senior defender Kyla Booker, her first goal of the year.

Five minutes later, sophomore midfielder Marin Dregelid scored her first goal of the season to give the Durangos the lead. Shot attempts throughout the period by the Huskies would prove to be unsuccessful, as Nebraska-Omaha went on to win the contest 2-1.