Playing at home for the first time this season, NIU men’s soccer opened up the NIU/Adidas Invitational against Rhode Island Friday night.

In the first half it was all Huskies, (0-2-2) moving the ball through the mid-field.

The best scoring opportunity of the first half came in the 18th minute, when sophomore Paul Hogan played a through ball to fellow sophomore Isaac Kannah, shaping his body to slot the ball to the back post. The Rhode Island goalie made a great save, pushing the ball wide.

The game got physical as six players were given yellow cards in the second half. As regular time ended the game was scoreless and went into overtime.

It was more of the same in both overtime periods, as the Huskies pushed the play but couldn’t find a final ball to put them on the score sheet.

“I think Friday we played really well,” said senior Rocco Taglia. “[We were] unlucky with the result with the draw in double O.T.”

Sunday, the Huskies were back into action facing the Drake Bulldogs (1-4-1). It was a back-and-forth game, but it was the Bulldogs who struck first off a set piece in the first half.

Drake mid-fielder Michael Thaden ripped a free kick from 30 yards out that found the corner of the net as the ball went through some traffic in the box.

At the end of the half, the Huskies offense was thriving, but just like in Friday’s game, they couldn’t find that final ball.

Eight minutes into the second half, the Huskies finally got on the score sheet as Karim Darbaki played a ball through to a cutting Gael Rivera. River put the ball in, first touch.

“It was a good play through and I just finished one time,” said Rivera.

As the game ended in a draw, it went into overtime. This was a familiar feeling for the Huskies as this was their third straight game that went into O.T.

The game was back and forth in overtime as NIU continued its possession play and Drake looked dangerous in the counter, but team found the net, ending the game in a 1-1 tie.

Though the Huskies are winless in their first four games coach Eric Luzzi does not seem to be worried.

“The quality of soccer is absolutely fantastic.” Luzzi said. “We’ve been a bit unlucky not to finish the plethora of chances we’ve been creating every game. I’d rather as a coach have to worry about solving the problem of finishing the chances we create rather than having to solve the problem of not creating chances at all.”