Sept. 18, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Misha Rosenthal (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) made four saves as the #25 Northwestern men's soccer team opened the 2009 Lakeside Classic with a 0-0, two-overtime draw against South Carolina Friday.
A balanced game throughout, NU had the better of the scoring opportunities late in regulation and in the overtime periods.
The 'Cats' best chance of the night came with 12:34 remaining in regulation. Mark Blades (Lakewood, Ohio/St. Ignatius) served a corner kick into the penalty box where Drew Pavlovich (Leawood, Kan./Rockhurst) drove a low header towards the net, but South Carolina goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer was able to make a diving stop of the ball.
Northwestern had a similar opportunity midway through the first overtime, but Matt Eliason (Lombard, Ill./Glenwood East) headed the ball just wide of the net off a corner kick by Piero Bellizzi (Rye, N.Y./Rye).
Eamon O'Neill (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) had one of the best chances of the first half, but his shot at the 37:52 mark was corralled by Maurer, one of three saves made by the Gamecocks keeper.
The match was a sellout and played in front of a Lakeside Field-record crowd of 2,211. NU will face Lafayette College on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the final game of the 2009 Lakeside Classic.
In the opening match of the night, Northern Illinois' Luis De La Cerda scored a pair of goals and added an assist, leading the Huskies to a 5-0 win over Lafayette. All of De La Cerda's points came in the first half and helped NIU open a 3-0 lead just over 24 minutes into the game.
De La Cerda served an indirect kick into the box that Josh Karsten headed home for Northern Illinois' first goal. De La Cerda then scored on a direct kick and added another goal at the 24:08 mark.
Northern Illinois will face South Carolina at 12 p.m. Sunday.