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Northern Star

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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

NIU men's soccer sophomore goalkeeper Atahan Arslan (1) catches a corner kick from Drake University on Nov. 1 in NIU's 3-2 loss against Drake. The Huskies finished the 2024 season at the bottom of the Missouri Valley Conference standings, ending with a 1-6-1 record within the MVC. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

SCHAEFER: Men’s soccer wraps up disappointing 2024 season

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | November 12, 2024

NIU men’s soccer has wrapped up a disappointing season, ending with a 3-12-1 (1-6-1 MVC) record and sitting in last place of the Missouri Valley Conference standings.  Throughout the season, the Huskies looked like a vastly different team from last...

Senior forward Zachariah Thomas (7) shoots the ball between defenders on Friday at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. Thomas scored a goal in the 63rd minute on Wednesday as NIU men's soccer tied Bradley University in the season finale. (Northern Star File Photo)

Men’s soccer ties Bradley in final match

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | November 7, 2024

NIU men’s soccer (3-12-1, 1-6-1 MVC) earned its first draw of the season in the closer against the Bradley University Braves (4-8-4, 1-5-2 MVC). The Huskies came back from a 2-0 deficit to tie up the match in the final minutes.  “The game probably...

Sophomore defender Ethan Wilson (5) passes the ball on Friday at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. NIU men's soccer was eliminated from playoff contention with a 3-2 loss to Drake University on Friday. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

Men’s soccer ends playoff hopes after loss to Drake

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | November 2, 2024

Scoring more than one goal for the first time since Sep. 28, NIU men’s soccer (3-12, 1-6 MVC) dropped a 3-2 loss against the Drake University Bulldogs (9-3-3, 5-0-2 MVC) on Friday. The Huskies were eliminated from Missouri Valley Conference Tournament...

Freshman midfielder Grant Paskus (13) dribbles towards centerfield on Oct. 12 at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. Paskus scored his first career goal in the 89th minute on Friday as NIU men's soccer won 1-0 against the Belmont University Bruins. (Northern Star File Photo)

Men’s soccer breaks losing streak with win over Belmont

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | October 26, 2024

NIU men’s soccer (3-11, 1-5 MVC) snapped a six match losing streak and earned its first Missouri Valley Conference win with a 1-0 victory against Belmont University Bruins (4-8-3, 1-5-1 MVC).  The defeat of the Bruins marks the first win for the...

Sophomore forward Sam Divis (11) pushes forward with possession of the ball on Oct. 12 at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. Divis scored the only goal for NIU men's soccer as the Huskies lost 2-1 to the University of Evansville on Saturday. (Northern Star File Photo)

Men’s soccer falls late to Evansville, loses 6th straight

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | October 19, 2024

NIU men’s soccer (2-11, 0-5 MVC) dropped its sixth straight match, losing 2-1 against the University of Evansville Purple Aces (7-5-2, 3-2 MVC).  The Purple Aces found the back of the net in the 23rd minute, when redshirt freshman midfielder Jacopo...

Sophomore defender Luka Vasic (4) clears the ball from the net. NIU lost 1-2 against #14 Western Michigan on Saturday, making them 2-10 overall and 0-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

Gallery: Huskies face undefeated Western Michigan

By Totus Tuus Keely, Senior Photojournalist | October 14, 2024

NIU sophomore forward Sam Divis approaches the Western Michigan University Broncos' goalie box after speeding past a Western Michigan defender Saturday at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex in DeKalb. Divis scored the Huskies' lone goal as NIU lost to Western Michigan 2-1. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

Huskies fall to Western Michigan in narrow defeat

By Edison Miller, Assistant Sports Editor | October 12, 2024

DeKALB – NIU men’s soccer (2-10, 0-4 MVC) remains winless in the Missouri Valley Conference after losing to the undefeated and no. 14 ranked Western Michigan University Broncos (8-0-5, 2-0-3 MVC) 2-1 on Saturday.  “I thought that the guys really...

The NIU men's soccer team forms a huddle during its match against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix on Sept. 1. The Huskies fell to Missouri State University by a score of 7-0 on Sunday. (Northern Star File Photo)

Huskies drop fourth straight to Missouri State

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | October 6, 2024

NIU men’s soccer (2-9, 0-3 MVC) suffered its worst loss of the season at the hands of the Missouri State University Bears (7-2-1, 3-0-1 MVC), in a 7-0 defeat.  In the 10th minute of the match, after coming out of the box and colliding with Bears...

Sophomore forward Sam Divis (11) races University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee freshman defender Ryan Beghauer (12) to the ball near midfield on Tuesday at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. NIU men's soccer lost 4-2 to the University of Illinois Chicago on Saturday. (Northern Star File Photo)

Men’s soccer burned by UIC Flames

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | September 29, 2024

NIU men’s soccer (2-8, 0-2 MVC) fell short of a comeback, losing in a 4-2 defeat against the University of Illinois Chicago Flames (5-4, 1-1 MVC).   NIU men’s soccer head coach Ryan Swan reflected on the match for the Huskies. “It’s another...

Redshirt freshman midfielder Joe Hernandez (left) battles for the ball with University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee redshirt sophomore defender Mitch Goodman on Tuesday at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. NIU men's soccer was shut out for the second game in a row as the Huskies lost 2-0 to Milwaukee. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

Milwaukee shuts out men’s soccer

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | September 24, 2024

NIU men’s soccer (2-7, 0-1 MVC) was shut out for the second straight game, losing to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers (3-1-3,  0-1-1 Horizon League) in a 2-0 defeat. With the loss, the Lewang Cup remains in Milwaukee for a second...

Redshirt freshman midfielder Joe Hernandez (22) fights to gain possession of the ball against Mercyhurst senior midfielder Callum Cleary (20) on Monday at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. NIU men's soccer lost 4-0 to Western Illinois University on Friday. (Marco Alvarez | Northern Star)

Men’s soccer shut down by Western Illinois

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | September 20, 2024

NIU men’s soccer (2-6, 0-1 MVC) was shut out by the Western Illinois University Leathernecks (4-3-1) in a 4-0 loss.  Western Illinois freshman forward/midfielder Ty Daux found the back of the net for the Leathernecks in the 10th minute, putting...

The NIU men's soccer team huddles together Monday at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. Despite Monday's win over Mercyhurst University, Sports Reporter Kalin Schaefer believe the Huskies are still in need of significant improvements. (Marco Alvarez | Northern Star)

COLUMN: Men’s soccer has a long way to go

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | September 17, 2024

Ending last season with a trip to the MVC Championship Tournament semifinals, NIU men’s soccer started its 2024 season with expectations to continue to grow. So far, those expectations have not been met.  NIU men’s soccer holds a record of 2-5...