Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Eastern Illinois
Wildcats and Panthers Tie, 2-2
9/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 12, 2003
NU vs. EIU Box Score in PDF Format
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EVANSTON, Ill. - Things were wet and wild on the first day of the Best Western Lakeside Classic at the Leonard B. Thomas Sports Complex. Literally.
A total of nine goals were scored in the two men's soccer matches played there Friday, and the second match -- between Northwestern and Eastern Illinois -- was played in heavy rains at times.
However, when all was settled in the second match, NU's young charges had most definitely earned their tie with Eastern.
Playing nearly 30 minutes of the match down a man due to a red card -- and the overtimes down TWO men due to another red -- the Wildcats (0-2-3) kept their composure defensively through the 20 minutes of extra time to hold off the Panthers (2-2-1) and remain unbeaten on the Thomas pitch this season.
Northwestern was put in that position when freshman Brad North was flagged for his second yellow card in less than a minute after he dove to try and win a penalty kick with just eight minutes left in regulation. That second yellow earned him a red and sent him off.
Then, in the final minute of regulation, freshman Kyle Moore was given a straight red card after a hard foul in front of the EIU bench. Those were the most serious offenses in a second half that saw nine cards pulled by the ref and a member on the EIU bench ejected.
The match had already had its share of drama to that point. The Panthers jumped out in the 10th minute when Jeff Stewardson nodded a header off the far post from Kurt Krupa's corner kick, but NU responded with 10 minutes left in the first half when Daniel Chille was brought down in the EIU box. Gerardo Alvarez converted the penalty kick to bring NU back even at 1-1 by the break.
"It's a shame that we didn't show up until we were faced with some real adversity," said Wildcats' head coach Tim Lenahan. "We showed tremendous resolve a few times out there."
Eastern went up again on the hour, when Justin Ongaro re-directed Matt Galanes' cross from the right side past NU goalkeeper Brian Heckenbach. However, the 'Cats took less than eight minutes to again equalize, as Brad Napper headed home a free kick from the left side by Alvarez.
Chille had NU's best opportunity -- and probably the best chance for either team -- when he broke in alone with 12 minutes left. However, EIU goalkeeper Casey DeCaluwe was equal to the task, kicking away Chille's shot from out front.
"We showed great focus when we were down two men in the overtimes," Lenahan said. But that is the way we should have been playing when it was 11 v. 11." Heckenbach came up big in the overtime sessions, and made eight saves overall. At the other, DeCaluwe had six stops.
In Friday's first match, Lafayette defeated DePaul, 3-2. The Blue Demons got on the board first, but Lafayette stormed back and scored three goals in less than a 15-minute span, capped by Jamie Mullarky's second goal of the day in the 37th minute.
DePaul's Edwin Arreola scored in the 70th minute, but it was not enough as the Leopards held on to the one-goal lead.
The Best Western Lakeside Classic continues Sunday, as part of a soccer tripleheader at the Thomas Sports Complex. The Northwestern women will kick things off that day, hosting DePaul at 11 a.m. Following that, Lafayette and Eastern Illinois will get men's action started (approximately 1:30 p.m.) and then the Wildcat and Blue Demon men will conclude the day (approximately 4 p.m.).
MATCH SUMMARY
Score by Half
Eastern Illinois (2-2-1) 1 1 0 0 - 2
Northwestern (0-2-3) 1 1 0 0 - 2
Goal Summary
EIU - Jeff Stewardson (Kurt Krupa), 9:11
NU - Gerardo Alvarez (penalty kick), 35:27
EIU - Justin Ongaro (Matt Galanes), 60:07
NU - Brad Napper (Alvarez), 67:53
Shots: NU 16, Eastern Illinois 15
Corner Kicks: NU 4, Eastern Illinois 3
Fouls: Eastern Illinois 20, NU 13
GK Saves: NU - Brian Heckenbach 8; EIU - Casey DeCaluwe 6
