Box Score

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team and IPFW played out to a 1-1 draw. Caleb Eastham's early goal was not enough to see the Norse past the Mastodons.
 
The Norse dominated the opening of the match all over the pitch. NKU was commanding the pace of the game and the offense was in full swing. Cian McDonald opened the offense up in the 2nd minute when he took a long shot from just outside the penalty area. This shot went just over the crossbar but the Norse attack continued.
 
Caleb Eastham and Alwin Komolong were applying pressure on the Mastodon defenders and it was Eastham who took advantage of a misplaced back pass to open up the scoring. Eastham intercepted the ball from 25-yards out, took one touch and powered a shot past the 6'7 IPFW keeper Raphael Kotzock. The Norse continued to create chances in the opening forty-five minutes, but they took the one goal lead into halftime.
 
"We have an element on the team, some pretty technical players, and at times during the game we break teams down," said head coach John Basalyga. "Later, in the last part of the first half, you could see a trend starting that went into the second half. It's a common theme. We have to be focused for 90 minutes."
 
The Mastodons came out in the second half building offensive momentum. After being outshot, 8-2, in the first half by the Norse, IPFW went on to outshoot NKU, 14-8, throughout the rest of the contest. In the 65th minute, the Mastodons played a ball in the box that saw a big cluster form around A.J. Fleak. The official awarded IPFW with a penalty and the Mastodons' Tom Corey stepped up to put the spot kick past Fleak, leveling the game at one goal apiece.
 
The Norse had a great chance to but the game away late when Christian Johnson broke past the IPFW defenders. Johnson found himself on the receiving end of a ball played over the top by Ian O'Reilly in the 90th minute. He touched the ball past Kotzock, had an open look at goal but was unable to direct the shot on target.
 
The Norse attempted a late surge in regulation behind the freshman duo of Kobie Qualah and Jacob Cunningham. Both freshmen were leading the Norse attack and creating the services into the box that the team required. There were no goals to be found and the Norse headed for their fourth overtime in five games this year.
 
"Kobie goes out there and just works," said Basalyga. "He creates problems for teams because he works. Those are the guys that win games. All the freshmen have done nice, from Cunningham, Morris, Massey and Carss, they have all contributed for us in different ways that help the team."
 
Overtime held many moments of panic for the Norse. A.J. Fleak was called on to make three saves in the second overtime period, while the Norse failed to register a single shot on target. The final whistle blew and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
 
"We have to move the ball and to stop trying to be cute with it," said Basalyga. "IPFW was more committed to playing better because they didn't play well in the first half. We went the opposite direction because we lacked composure. You have to take care of the chances you get when you get them. It's another tie."
 
The Norse moved to 1-1-3 on the season and will hit the road next weekend to take on IUPUI in Indianapolis on Sunday, Sept. 21. For updates on the team during the 2014 season, follow NKUNorseMSOC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.