With 25:39 remaining in regulation, and the game tied at one, a handball foul called on NIU’s Jason Sullivan led to a penalty kick for Bowling Green.

Sullivan, a senior defenseman, couldn’t even react before the ball bounced off his arm, but the referee thought it was intentional, NIU coach Steve Simmons said.

Sullivan’s situation is at the referee’s discretion if a player uses his hands on a play.

The Falcons Matt Martinka converted the penalty shot in a 2-1 loss for NIU (2-9-2, 1-1) on Sunday. It is the Huskies’ first conference loss of the season.

“We can’t blame our loss on that because we have to finish our chances,” NIU senior Matt Stukenberg said.

NIU was outshot 13 to 10 overall, and six to four on shots on goal.

It took the Falcons (5-5-2, 2-2-0 MAC) only 5:53 to claim a 1-0 lead. BGSU’s Cory Stevens knocked in a shot from 10 yards out .

NIU’s Bruce Conrad knotted the score at one with 1:59 left in the first half. A pass by Sullivan to Brandon Smick, who found Conrad five yards in front of the net, led to the tying goal going into the half. The goal was Conrad’s second of the season.

In net, Huskies freshman Matt Corcoran stopped four shots, giving him 41 saves on the season.

BGSU received seven of its 10 corner kicks in the second half, compared to four the whole game for the Huskies.

“It’s unfortunate,” Simmons said. “This was an even game for the most part before the [penalty kick] call went against us. I just hate to see that play make the difference between winning and losing, but that’s the nature of the game.”