Huskies falls to CMU in extra time

Graduate+student+forward+Haley+Hoppe+dribbles+the+ball+in+a+game+against+Chicago+State+on+Aug.+26.

Zulfiqar Ahmed | Northern Star

Graduate student forward Haley Hoppe dribbles the ball in a game against Chicago State on Aug. 26.

By Davione Barrow, Sports Reporter

DeKALB — Senior midfielder Samantha Kaye-Toral scored for the Central Michigan University Chippewas in overtime to defeat the Huskies 1-0 Thursday. 

In the early stages of the match, the Huskies actively got to the box and created shot opportunities with early corners and shots on goal. 

The Chippewas would match the intensity by the Huskies, with redshirt freshmen Gaelle Wells having multiple shot opportunities in the first half of play. 

Senior goalkeeper Sadie McGill had three saves in the first half for the Huskies and was all over the box, making sure not to let the ball get to the back of the net. 

Graduate forward Haley Hoppe was big for the Huskies, providing energy and effort on both sides of the ball to try to rally her team. Hoppe had five shots and played every minute for the Huskies. The Huskies were very physical as well, with five fouls in the first half. 

The Huskies started off the second half of play sloppy, committing an early offside and multiple fouls to follow. 

The Chippewas would respond with two shots in the 56th and 57th minutes. The first was a shot by senior defender Maria Kaschalk and by sophomore forward Jaelyn Dobrowolski. Both shots would be blocked. 

Both teams were getting to the box frequently in the second half, finding ways to get shots up with a combined total of twelve shots attempts. 

The Huskies would turn around their second half start and became the aggressive team they were in the first half. 

In the 86th minute of the game, CMU sophomore forward Laila Arab attempted a shot that would be saved by McGill. The game still remained scoreless, resulting in overtime play. 

In the 97th minute of play, Kaye-Toral would score the game-winning goal for the Chippewas to beat the Huskies. 

“We came in ready to fight, for as long as it took, and I think overall there was some pretty good execution of what our game plan was,” head coach Julie Colhoff said in a Thursday NIU Athletics news release. “The thing we said at the end was there were just a couple mental lapses that if we had tightened up, I think would have helped us secure the tie, but hopefully get us the win.”

The Huskies will return home to battle the Eastern Michigan University Eagles at 2 p.m. Sunday.