Northwestern vs. Western Kentucky box score
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Sept. 2, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's men's soccer team opened its season in exciting fashion Friday, Sept. 2, beating Western Kentucky University 2-1 as part of the Third Annual Lakeside Classic. Wildcats forward Brad North (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands) scored a game-winning goal with a little over two minutes remaining to give Northwestern its first regular-season victory of the season.
To start the match, neither team was able to find a way to score. While statistically the game was relatively even in the first half, the Wildcats offense was dominating the match. A majority of the first 45 minutes was spent in Western Kentucky's territory, but the Wildcats kept missing scoring opportunities by just inches.
Early in the first session, sophomore midfielder David Roth (St. Louis, Mo./Chaminade College Prep) dribbled down the left side of the field deep into Hilltoppers' territory. Roth found Tyler Voigt (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South) near the top of the box. As the Hilltoppers defense collapsed, Voigt found a wide-open Kevin Earnest (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) streaking down the right sideline, but Earnest's shot flew just wide of the goal.
The `Cats were back at it later in the first half. In transition, senior Dave Vargas (North Olmstead, Ohio/St. Ignatius) sent a low centering pass towards toward Brad Napper (Dallas, Texas/Jesuit College Prep) who was all alone running towards the Western Kentucky goal. But Vargas' pass was just a bit too far in front of Napper who dove but was still unable to get a touch on the ball.
Despite the difference in scoring opportunities, the two teams went into halftime all knotted up at zero. While Northwestern's offense had the ball a majority of the first half, its defense stifled the Hilltoppers' offense. Western Kentucky was only able to muster one first half shot, which was stopped by freshman goalkeeper Misha Rosenthal for his first collegiate save.
With renewed energy and intensity, the Wildcats came out looking to score early in the second half. At 64:30, the Wildcats' efforts were rewarded as Adam Sirois (Dover, NH/Berwick Academy) rebounded a shot in traffic and sent it to the back of the net, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
Roughly ten minutes later, however, the Wildcats would once again be in a tied ball game. Following a Hilltoppers shot, the ball was being battered around by a group of players in the center of the Northwestern box. The Hilltoppers' Will Fancher was able to gain control and sent in a point blank shot, tying the game at one.
As the clock wound down, the feeling of urgency emanated from both benches. With five minutes to play, North had a chance to put the Wildcats ahead, but his powerful shot ricocheted off of the right post.
Then at 87:45, North came through. Roth had dribbled the ball down the left sideline, juked his defender, then made his way towards the center of the field. As the defense collapsed, Roth found North on the right side of the Hilltoppers' box, about 10 yards out. Roth's pass was a bit high, but North made a spectacular play to control it, and send it home for the game-winner.
"The last two times Brad (North) touched the ball, he rocketed one off the post, then on the goal, his leg was above his head. That's a big-time finish," said Northwestern head coach Tim Lenahan.
The Wildcats improve to 1-0 on the season, and will play the second half of the Lakeside Classic at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 4.
The first game of the Lakeside Classic had Northern Illinois University matching up against St. Francis (Pa.). In that game, NIU outshot the Red Flash by a margin of 12-4 en route to a 2-1 win.
After going into halftime with a one-point lead, Northern Illinois scored again roughly 15 minutes into the second session.
St. Francis did make it interesting, however, as Aaron Clapham was able to put the Red Flash on the board at 74:55.
That would be the end of the scoring, however, and the Huskies were able to walk away with the win in what was mostly a defensive-battle.
The Third Annual Lakeside Classic will resume on Sunday, Sept. 4, with NIU taking on Western Kentucky at noon. Then at 2:30 the Wildcats will square off against St. Francis.