MACOMB, Ill - After a two week layoff, the IUPUI men's soccer team picked up where it left off by collecting a critical 2-1 win at Western Illinois on Saturday afternoon. The win kept the Jaguars perfect in Summit League play and ran IUPUI's winning streak to three games.
Senior Vangel Nacovski scored the game-winner in the game's 82nd minute.
After trailing 1-0 at halftime, junior Nick Lance scored an unassisted goal in the 63rd minute to pull IUPUI (5-7-1, 3-0-0) even. The crafty midfielder laced a left-footed shot past WIU goalkeeper Charlie Sales for his first tally of the season.
Nacovski then came up with his 13th career game-winner with just 8:03 left. Senior Chris Wey took a quick throw-in and spotted fellow senior defender Adrian Conrad.
Conrad was able to shake his defender before setting Nacovski up on a breakaway. The veteran midfielder did the rest, scoring his team best fifth goal of the season.
"You'd think we won the national championship, the way the guys ran on the field," IUPUI head coach Steve Franklin said. "This was a good, good win though. They're a quality opponent.
"We hadn't beaten them here since we won the Mid-Con Championship here (in 2000)."
Junior goalkeeper David Barszczowski had a relatively light day in net in the victory. After allowing a goal in the 36th minute, partly due to a bad clearance by the back line, the 5-foot-10 keeper didn't even record a save in advancing his record to 4-2-1 on the year.
Western Illinois (4-8-3, 0-2-1 Summit) had seven first half shots, but was held without a shot in the second half. IUPUI outshot the Leathernecks 12-7 on the afternoon. Nacovski led all players with four shots, three of which were on frame.
"It was a good day for our (defensive) backs," Franklin said. "We moved Wes (Hawkins) back in there and put Adrian back up top, and both played well. Adrian really helped our possession today."
Jonathan Sandoval scored WIU's lone goal in the first half, staking the hosts to an early lead in front of 250 fans on Homecoming weekend.
IUPUI returns home this week to host Butler University at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on campus. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m..
