Northern Illinois Slips Past Belmont in Single-Goal Road Affair Sunday

DEKALB, Ill. – Despite totaling a season-high 22 shots in Missouri Valley Conference road action Sunday afternoon, the Belmont University men's soccer team was unable to find the back of the net in a single-goal loss at Northern Illinois. The Bruins (8-5-2, 3-3-0 MVC) put together formidable attacks and earned seven corner kicks but fell victim to a 22nd-minute own goal.
 
In the first-ever meeting between the two programs, the host Huskies (5-7-1, 2-3-1 MVC) staved off 13 Belmont shots in the first half. Only seven of the Bruins' 22 shots on the afternoon were on target.
 
An attempted clearance inside the six-yard box off a Northern Illinois cross was the difference in the match as the Huskies scored 21:21 in.
 
The Bruins had six chances in the opening 21 minutes, including three shots on goal in the first 18 minutes of play. In the 32nd minute, senior midfielder AJ Chastonay placed a shot on target and Belmont threatened once again in the 38th and 39th minutes.
 
Early in the second half, graduate midfielder Jansen Wilson nearly converted his fifth goal of the season but came up empty. Junior defender Alex Clayton had an opportunity in the 79th minute before the Bruins' final three looks at an equalizing goal in the last eight minutes. Sophomore forward Brock Kiper's 88th-minute shot went out left of the post and junior goalkeeper Grant Calvert prevented a second Northern Illinois goal in the 90th minute.
 
Husky keeper Jakub Rojek finished the day with seven saves, while Calvert made four saves.
 
Of Note
- The loss snaps Belmont's three-match MVC win streak.
- The shutout is the Bruins' first since Sept. 22 at top-10 ranked Missouri State.
- Belmont had scored the opening goal in 10 of its first 14 matches of the season.
- The Bruins have not conceded more than a goal in seven of their last eight outings.
- Belmont entered the match having won five of its last six matches.
- The Bruins drop to 3-4 on the road this season.
- Senior defender Colton Milosch, a native of Oswego, Illinois, which is less than 45 minutes from DeKalb and Northern Illinois, got his second career start and played the entirety of the match.
 
Up Next
Belmont travels to Valley leader Western Michigan next Friday for an afternoon matchup against the Broncos. Kickoff from the WMU Soccer Complex in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is set for 2:30 p.m. CT.
 
Follow Belmont men's soccer on social media – @BelmontMSoccer on Twitter, @belmontmsoccer on Instagram and Belmont University Men's Soccer on Facebook – for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.