Nov. 2, 2006
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Fifth-seed Northwestern bowed out of this year's Big Ten Men's Soccer Tournament with a 2-1 loss in double overtime to the fourth-seed Penn State Nittany Lions Thursday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
The loss drops Northwestern to 11-7 on the year and will now await their NCAA fate when the announcement is made Monday, Nov. 6, between 3 and 4 p.m. CT on ESPNEWS.
The scene on the field after the game said it all as the Northwestern players lay on the field in disgust and disappointment after keeping the Nittany Lions on the ropes for most of the game.
"Penn State is a tough team," head coach Tim Lenahan said after the game. "We let them score the late goal and that really hurt us. We just can't do that in a tournament situation. They took it to us and got the equalizer. During the first overtime, we had a great chance to put it away.
"But we will continue to play after this. I think our season has been good enough to earn a bid in the NCAA tournament. We've done a good job this year and our season is not over."
Brad North put the Wildcats in front 1-0 in the 25th minute when Mark Blades fed the senior inside the 18-yard box. North beat his defender on the play and knocked it past Penn State's Conrad Taylor for the goal.
The goal moved North into sole possession of second place on NU's all-time goals list with 26 and third on the all-time points list with 60.
Penn State had a golden opportunity to tie the game right before halftime, but NU goalkeeper Justin Pines made a terrific diving save off a header from PSU's Chris Germani, keeping the Wildcats up by one at halftime.
Early in the second period, NU's Geoff Fallon nearly recorded his third goal of the season when his rocket shot from 30 yards out was tipped in the air and snagged by Taylor just under the cross bar.
Later in the half, with NU still clinging to its 1-0 lead, Penn State tied the game in the 81st minute on Ryan Badaracco's first career goal who knocked the ball in off a deflection inside the 6-yard box.
Right after the Penn State goal, North had two chances to tie the game, as his open shot from 25-yards out 30 seconds later sailed just high. Then five minutes later The Woodlands, Texas native had another chance on a breakaway, but was denied by Taylor.
Both team's traded shots in the first overtime until Penn State finally made good on Simon Omekanda's shot in the 103rd minute. Omekanda took the pass from Andy Machi and was able to fire the ball past Pines who was charging on the play.
"It was a tough, typical Big Ten game," Penn State head coach Barry Gorman said. "In reality, it's a shame that anyone had to lose."
Pines (3-1) took the loss, making three saves while Taylor (7-10) picked up the win with five saves.
Penn State out shot the Wildcats 18-12 for the game, but NU had six shots on goal to five for the Lions. North had three shots on goal as did senior Gerardo Alvarez whose diving shot early in the first half was snagged by Taylor just inside the 6-yard box.