By Ethan Schroeder, news correspondent
Courtesy of a goal from redshirt senior forward Nick Goo nine minutes into overtime, the Northeastern men’s soccer team was able to cap off a remarkable comeback against Stony Brook University (SBU). The Huskies won 3-2 on Sunday night for their first away victory of the year.
The Huskies (3-6-0) came into the match looking to put a stop to their three-game losing streak. The team was able to create opportunities at the beginning of the first half, but following goals from the Seawolves’ junior midfielder Martin Giordano and redshirt freshman forward Fernando Wadskier, Stony Brook (2-6-1) was able to garner a 2-0 lead after 30 minutes.
As the game progressed towards halftime, it seemed as if Northeastern’s misfortune was bound to continue. Luckily, sophomore forward Christian McKenna kept the Huskies in the game by beating two Seawolves defenders and putting a shot past redshirt freshman goalkeeper Tom McMahon with 18 seconds left in the half for his first score of the season.
“It’s always tough to come back from two goals, but if you can go into the locker room down 2-1, it really gives you a lift and the momentum going into halftime,” Head Coach Brian Ainscough said. “Then you can regroup and push on from there.”
The second half featured physical play from both teams, with yellow cards from Stony Brook’s Giordano and Northeastern freshman defender Daniel Korman. NU kept its momentum though, and in the 85th minute, McKenna was able to capitalize from a give-and-go with freshman forward Frantzdy Pierrot and tally his second goal of the match to tie up the game at 2-2.
“I was extremely happy that I was able to get the second [goal],” McKenna said. “Luck hasn’t really been on our side the past few games, but we kept working at it and got what we needed.”
McKenna’s second goal was enough to force overtime, and the Huskies controlled the tempo from there. The team was able to counter a Stony Brook set piece, and on the attack, freshman midfielder Charlton Muhlauri fed Goo a through ball that he was able to poke in amongst scrambling Stony Brook defenders to give the Huskies the win.
Pierrot’s play in this game and at Harvard last Tuesday earned him Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Week.
“Going into the season, the way our schedule was set up, we had a lot more away games than we would’ve liked,” Ainscough said. “It was nice to be able to turn the tables after being down 2-0. They could have easily folded after the losses they’ve had, so I was very happy for the players to get a victory.”
McKenna was especially proud of the team’s attitude, even while enduring a losing streak.
“It’s been tough for us the past few weeks, but we’ve kept working away, and after the game everyone was delighted,” McKenna said.
With their first road win under their belt, the Huskies return home to face the College of the Holy Cross at Parsons Field on Wednesday night in their final game before conference play begins. They will face the College of Charleston in their first CAA game next week.
Photo by Jim Pierce, Northeastern Athletics
