During his first season with the NIU men’s soccer team, senior forward Marcus McCarty developed a knack for coming up with clutch goals.

Last year, McCarty’s 11 goals led the MAC, but the more impressive stat was his seven game-winning goals, which also led the conference.

McCarty wasted no time picking up where he left off last season, scoring the game-winner on Sunday in overtime on a free kick in 2-1 win against Colgate. The game was NIU’s second at the Northwestern Lakeside Classic.

McCarty said he isn’t sure how he always finds himself coming up with key goals.

“Maybe I’m lucky,” he said. “I want to contribute to the team. It’s everyone’s job to help produce goals. [But] as long as we’re getting Ws, I don’t care who scores. As long as we win.”

The Huskies (1-0-1) played to a 1-all tie in their season opener against Bucknell Friday.

But the highlight of the weekend was McCarty coming through yet again for the Huskies.

“I wanted to make sure I got a good shot off and not rush it,” McCarty said of the free kick. I wanted to catch the goalie off guard.”

The Huskies needed all the offense they were afforded, as they faced a 1-0 deficit after a Colgate goal in the 68th minute.

McCarty said the Colgate goal should never have happened.

“They shouldn’t have scored. They were down a man,” McCarty said. “It was a mental error. But we were quick to score.”

Indeed, the Huskies were quick to score, netting the tying goal only 43 seconds later. Chris Rufa scored the goal on a header off a corner kick from Brad Bahr.

In the Huskies’ Friday game, junior defender Drew Jeskey scored the lone goal on a free kick from sophomore defender Josh Karsten.