Western Illinois midfielder Jonathan Sandoval was shedding defenders as he ran into the box, trying to get his team’s first goal. Three Northwestern defenders swarmed to block his shot and did, but midfielder Noah Suter grabbed the rebound.
When it looked like Suter might score the game-tying goal, a Wildcats defender blocked the shot. Even in a game when the NU defense was giving up shots, they were still doing what it took to get the win.
The Cats’ defense bent to the Leathernecks’ offense, but kept Western Illinois from getting any real chances at the net in a 2-1 win Wednesday.
NU (11-3-2) put the pressure on early, getting four corner kicks in the first half. The Cats got on the board midway through the first half and held on to their one-goal lead for much of the game.
Junior midfielder Tyler Voigt crossed the ball from right of the goal in the 25th minute. It bounced in the box and senior midfielder David Roth dove for it, sending the ball into the back of the net for Roth’s first goal since Oct. 6 and his fourth this year.
Sophomore forward Eamon O’Neill added another goal in the 88th minute, which Voigt also set up.
“(David’s goal) was a hustle goal,” coach Tim Lenahan said. “It was good to see Tyler with two assists today, both on services, both goals on head goals, which we haven’t scored too many of those this year. So it was good to see both Dave and Eamon get head goals.”
Voigt earned his second assist of the game when he sent a cross from the right side deep into the box to O’Neill in the 88th minute. O’Neill headed it past the goalkeeper for a 2-0 lead.
The insurance goal paid off a minute later when Western Illinois finally broke down the defense and scored.
Midfielder Phil Duret blasted a shot from 25 yards away into the top right side of the goal in the 89th minute.
On Oct. 24, NU gave up a game-tying goal in the 88th minute in a 2-1 loss to Northern Illinois.
“We couldn’t let it happen again,” junior defender Pat Coleman said. “We just had to be more focused and be alert the whole time. We gave up another one at the end, but we had a two-goal lead so it was a little better. So we’ve got to stay focused until the end.”
The Cats have struggled to get the offense going in their midweek games this year.
Against Western Illinois, NU came out focused on getting a good start and a win in its final midweek game of the season.
“Some days you want to play great. I thought we played great on Sunday and we got a win,” Lenahan said, referring to the Cats’ 2-0 win against Michigan State. “Today is the last midday game we will ever play. The next time we play a midweek game, there are going to be lights and a different atmosphere than 50 people in the stands. We got through it. We got a result.”
The Cats still went 3-1-0 on midweek games since school started Sept. 25.
“Today, we played a team that probably took it to us, even though they aren’t as good a team as we are,” Lenahan said. “They took it to us a little bit. We know we can play with anybody. I think the Michigan State game, the Ohio State game and even the Indiana game proved that. We can play with anybody when we are on our game.”
Reach Philip Rossman-Reich at [email protected].
