In its final home game of the season NIU men’s soccer came out with a big 1-0 conference win over West Virginia Saturday. With the victory NIU moved into second place in the MAC.

The Huskies (5-8-3, 3-1-1 MAC) started strong against the Mountaineers (8-5-2, 3-2-1 MAC) as junior midfielder Karim Darbaki found himself right in the middle of the action in the first five minutes.

After putting a wide-open header high in the first minute, Darbaki found himself on a breakaway just four minutes later, but failed to get a shot off after making one to many touches trying to fake out the West Virginia keeper.

Missed attacking opportunities have plagued NIU throughout the season but the Huskies pressed on putting pressure on the Mountaineers.

For most of the second half, things were even as no team created a real chance until the 84th minute when a perfect counter attack put the Huskies up 1-0.

Freshman defender Miles Stockman-Willis got the ball after a West Virginia set piece and found freshman forward Matt Pritchard who made a terrific run beating a Mountaineer and found sophomore midfielder Isaac Kannah at the top of the 18-yard box.

Kannah took one touch and put the ball past the West Virginia keeper for his second goal of the season and the only goal of the game.

“Pritchard got the ball from I think Miles,” Kannah said. “He made a wonderful run and I saw him on the run so I thought I might as well start my run. He crossed it and I just touched it and hit it one time cause I knew the keeper was coming off his line.”

NIU coach Eric Luzzi was proud of the way his team played.

“I’m happy for the guys,” Luzzi said. “It took us 15 games for us to get a 90-minute performance and we are fortunate enough to have two in a row. At least this week the guys got some reward for all the belief they’ve maintained and all the work they’ve put in.”

The Huskies have been much better in conference play this season. Senior captain Mike Mascitti said things have just been falling offensively.

“From a soccer standpoint it’s been there the entire season,” Mascitti said. “In conference [play] we have just found a way to get a goal and that’s what we’ve been missing for a good chunk of the season.”

A representative from West Virginia was not available to comment after the game.