DeKALB | A dramatic overtime goal on Saturday at Huskie Soccer Field gave the NIU men’s soccer team a 1-0 victory over Loyola.

Senior midfielder Justin McGrane tallied his first goal of the season with a left-footed shot from point-blank range.

“One in a million right now,” an emotional McGrane said seconds after the goal. “Hey, we are moving on, and the next place we are headed is Indiana.”

Senior midfielder Kevin Woerner and junior forward Marcus McCarty picked up assists on the play.

NIU overcame a brisk north wind, a waterlogged pitch and a physically determined Loyola (11-8-2) team that played a man down most of the game.

Referee Abbey Okulaja ejected Kevin Harrigan when the sophomore defender ran cleats-up into freshman midfielder Kyle Knotek.

“I was pretty upset with the way things happened early,” Loyola coach Brendan Eitz said “In all the years I’ve coached a referee has never decided a match. I wouldn’t blame this loss on the referee because we put ourselves in a position to win in regulation.”

NIU fired off 19 shots, one of which, a 35-yard blast by junior forward Fraser Gibson as time expired in the first half, found the crossbar and nearly ended the shutout.

Keeper Joe Zimka picked up his 11th shutout of the season — both saves from the sophomore were sprawling snags from close range.

No. 19 NIU (15-5-2) moves into the second round of the NCAA Tournament and will play No. 6 Indiana at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Bloomington.

“Opportunity,” NIU coach Steve Simmons said. “Indiana is a massive opportunity for us. They have a lot of tradition, but this is why we play such a tough schedule; to be prepared for teams like Indiana.”