Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Northern Illinois
Rodrigues Nets Last Minute PK To Best Huskies, 2-1
10/18/2009 4:41:18 PM | Soccer
Ashley Rodrigues converted a penalty kick with 31 seconds remaining to give EMU the 2-1 victory over Northern Illinois.
DEKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) – A last minute penalty kick goal by Ashley Rodrigues propelled Eastern Michigan to a 2-1 victory over Northern Illinois Sunday, Oct. 18. The Eagles pushed their record to 8-3-5 overall, 4-1-3 with the win in their final Mid-American Conference road match of the regular season.
It looked as if the Eagles were going to play in its seventh overtime game of the season until they caught a huge break with 31 seconds remaining in regulation. NIU was called for a foul inside the box, giving Rodrigues a chance to add her seventh goal of the year with a penalty kick opportunity. She converted and the Green and White staved off the feisty Huskies for their fourth MAC win of the year.
Prior to that, both teams battled to a scoreless first half of soccer. Northern Illinois out-shot Eastern, 5-4, but stopped all four shots on goal by the Eagles.
In the second half, Katie Lozar broke the scoreless tie with a header from Stephanie Janssens, who neatly placed the corner kick inside the box. Lozar's shot snuck inside the left post and past Northern Illinois keeper, Lindsey Curnock, in the 50th minute. It was her first goal of the season after scoring six in 2008.
It didn't take long for the Huskies to respond off a corner of their own. Kelsey Passaglia scored her second goal of the year in the 51st minute by getting a foot on Mo Smunt's serve from the corner. It wasn't until the waning moments that either team gained any sort of advantage and that was on Rodrigues' penalty kick goal. It was the second loss late game loss in a row for the Huskies. Central Michigan escaped with a 1-0 win Friday, Oct. 16.
NIU out-shot the Eagles 13-10 in the game, but EMU goalkeeper, Monique Budani, made three saves in the second half and five total to record her third win of the season.
The Eagles will close out the MAC regular season schedule with three home matches at Scicluna Field. Their highly-anticipated rematch with Toledo is next on the docket before meeting Bowling Green and Central Michigan leading up to the MAC Tournament.
The Eagles and Rockets will meet Friday, Oct. 23 for a 3 p.m. kickoff at Scicluna Field.
