Northwestern Opens 2023 Campaign with 2-1 Victory over St. Thomas

Thursday, August 24

Evanston, Ill.

5 p.m. CT

Northwestern

1-0-0, 0-0-0

St. Thomas

0-1-0, 0-0-0

St. Thomas (MN)

Northwestern

Northwestern Opens 2023 Campaign with 2-1 Victory over St. Thomas

8/24/2023 10:27:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Alex Cervantes

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern had 60 seconds to find a winner.

As junior defender Ibrahim Obeid prepared to take the corner kick, a gaggle of gray jerseys crowded the 18-yard box. Obeid's cross found the head of Peter Riesz, the first-year midfielder making his collegiate debut, at the back post. Riesz's header was redirected to sophomore defender Nigel Prince, who proceeded to knock the ball down. Senior forward and team captain Justin Weiss was the first to the ball, and before any St. Thomas defender could react, the Syosset, New York, native fired his volley into the back of the net.

With 42 seconds left on the clock, the Wildcats had found their winner.

For the first time in five years, Northwestern emerged victorious in its season-opening matchup. Following a turbulent 2022 campaign, which saw the 'Cats finish eighth in the Big Ten and narrowly squeak into the conference tournament, Thursday's 2-1 victory saw the team turn a new leaf, according to Weiss.

"We know this program hasn't had the best history, but the history is in the past," Weiss said. "We're moving forward and we all just want to win."

Northwestern and St. Thomas played a chippy, but scoreless opening 45 minutes. The 'Cats and Tommies combined for 21 fouls and three bookings. Northwestern registered just two shots on target and three total shots in the first half, but the team's backline was able to hold the visitors at bay.

With graduate student defender Reese Mayer sidelined, Russell Payne tabbed a pair of underclassmen — Prince and first-year Owen Noverr — as his center-back duo.

"We had young guys back there and the more minutes they can get together, the more they'll grow," Payne said.

Prince, who became a fixture in Payne's starting eleven last season, logged the fourth-most minutes (1,083) on the team in 2022. On a team which boasts 14 newcomers, such experience is vital, especially as the first- and second-year players continue to stack minutes and mature.

Gallery: (8-24-2023) Men's Soccer vs. St. Thomas

Out of halftime, the 'Cats only needed a little counterpressure and a window of space to bag the season's first tally. Eighty-two seconds in, sophomore forward Christopher Thaggard saw his opportunity.

"I just noticed the defender was sleeping a little bit and I wanted to take advantage of that," Thaggard said. "I took the ball from him, made a play and scored.

Thaggard's season-opening score was just the second of his career. The Harrisburg, North Carolina, native featured in 16 of Northwestern's 17 games last season as a first-year, tallying one goal. Thaggard, who arrived in Evanston last fall as a 17-year-old, said that his first season with the 'Cats was difficult.

This year, however, Thaggard's mentality is simple.

"I'm ready to go, ready to fight for this team," he said. "I want to have a great season with the boys, that's pretty much it."

The one-goal advantage provided by Thaggard's left foot lasted for all of 10 minutes. In a manner eerily similar to Weiss' game-winning goal, St. Thomas was able to equalize off a chaotic set piece.

Payne was matter-of-fact in his assessment of his team's defending at that moment, calling it an "avoidable goal" and one that was "a bit soft."

Still, he expressed optimism about the team's ability to learn from a teachable moment.

"They've got to get reps (on set pieces)," Payne said. "It's not going to happen through osmosis. They've got to see it and do it over and over again. Glad we (conceded the goal) in the first game of the season — better now than in the Big Ten."

In the end, the Tommies' equalizing score was all for naught. Weiss' goal in the dying moments of Thursday's clash secured the all-important energy booster for the 'Cats and a 1-0-0 beginning in Year 3 under Payne.

"It's extremely important to get off to a start where the guys can feel the fruits of their labor right away," Payne said. "I told the guys we've got plenty of time to analyze how we played, but we found a way to win the game. That's the most important thing in a short college season like we have right now."