Northwestern was always going to have its hands full when it took on No. 17 Indiana at Martin Stadium Friday night. But the Wildcats (7-5-3, 2-4-2 Big Ten) held their own throughout the first half, and in the 59th minute, they broke the stalemate.
Following a corner kick, senior forward Alejandro Martinez Santamaria received a header and knocked the ball into the goal with a header of his own.
NU tacked on another goal just a few minutes later and hunkered down on defense, clinching a 2-0 upset victory over the Hoosiers (11-5-1, 4-5-0 Big Ten). It was the ’Cats’ first ranked win since defeating No. 18 Michigan late last season.
NU came into the match with just one conference win, looking to nab a big result before the end of the regular season.
The first half saw little action, with both teams attempting just one shot on target. Indiana outshot the ’Cats 6-3 and won four more corners than its opponent, but NU’s defense held strong and the match remained 0-0 at halftime.
The ’Cats got off to an aggressive start in the second half, attempting three shots in the first six minutes, two of which were saved by Hoosier graduate student goalkeeper Holden Brown. At the end of the 58th minute, NU earned a corner and looked to break the tie.
Graduate student midfielder Joe Suchecki took the corner, finding junior defenseman Bryant Mayer on the right side of the goal. Mayer headed the ball to Martinez Santamaria, who glanced a header past two defenders for the match’s first goal.
Having taken a 1-0 lead, the ’Cats controlled the match and looked to add to their advantage. After an offside call, senior goalkeeper Rafael Ponce de León sent a goal kick deep into the opposition half. Junior midfielder Peter Riesz headed the ball toward the goal, where freshman forward Aaron O’Reilly took possession in stride. He fired a powerful shot into the bottom right corner of the goal, beating the diving goalkeeper for the goal.
NU wasn’t done yet, and less than a minute later, Suchecki gained possession after an Indiana clear attempt. He sent in a strike from just outside the penalty box that hit the bottom of the crossbar, just inches from the ’Cats’ third goal. The referees reviewed the play and confirmed it had not crossed the goal line.
Throughout the remainder of the match, the Hoosiers attempted 11 shots but were unable to get back into the game. Ponce de León made a save with 18 seconds remaining, and, from there, the clock ticked down to the end of the match, with NU taking down its ranked foe 2-0.
Ponce de León didn’t concede a single goal and recorded six saves, his second-most in a game this season. Riesz recorded an assist and O’Reilly scored — just as they have in now consecutive games. Martinez Santamaria’s goal was his second of the season.
The ’Cats take on Wisconsin on Tuesday for their penultimate regular season game.
Email: [email protected]
X: @jemccl125
Related Stories:
— Men’s Soccer: Late penalty gives No. 13 Michigan 2-1 comeback win over Northwestern
— Men’s Soccer: Northwestern defense overcomes injuries in 0-0 draw with Michigan State
