INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI men's soccer team earned a critical, hard fought 2-1 home win over Northern Kentucky on Wednesday night (Oct. 12), getting a late penalty kick goal from Lukas Hackaa for the game-winner. Redshirt freshman Josemir Gomez tallied his team-high seventh goal in the game's first half and junior Lucas Morefield matched his season-high of seven saves in goal to help snap IUPUI's eight-game winless streak. Given the three points, the Jaguars climbed to a tie for No. 6 in the Horizon League standings heading into the final stretch of the season. 

"It feels really good. We haven't won here in awhile and it felt good to win after fighting (NKU) a lot. We worked together and it feels really good," Hackaa said.

"It was a really tough game. NKU came with a really solid gameplan in the first half. They caused us a lot of problems," assistant coach Lewis Dunne said. "(NKU) made us rethink how to approach the second half. They dominated the first half based on the tactical battle. 

"We changed shape in the second half and were able to grab a foothold of the game. The guys adjusted really well - we simplified everything. I thought we deserved to go ahead in the second half. We created 2-v-1's high and wide with our wing backs and making numerical advantages. Really good performance, really happy and the guys deserve it."

Things began ominously as the Jaguars yielded a goal in the game's 17th minute, but IUPUI (2-5-5, 1-1-3 HL) got level in the 28th minute. Medard Mikobi got Gomez free with a long lead pass between NKU's two center backs. Gomez did the rest, splitting the pair and then rolling a shot past NKU goalkeeper Nic Lemen for his seventh score and second in Horizon League play. The score remained tied for the remainder of the first half. 

The first half saw both side control possession for exactly 50 percent of the time, each side attempted eight shots and both teams put four on target. 

However, IUPUI tipped the scales in the second half, largely behind the attacking play of Hackaa, Gomez and Logan Finnegan. However, the game was decided when Dominic Breidenbach earned a penalty kick when he was pulled down by NKU's Craig Wellens on his way to goal in the 83rd minute. Hackaa took the ensuing penalty kick and blistered a shot past Lemen for his fourth tally of the season and second game-winner. 

It marked the third time in the second half the Jaguars thought they had earned a penalty kick opportunity. Earlier, Hackaa was pulled down inside the 18-yard box and moments prior to the winner, Gomez was trampled by an NKU defender inside the left edge of the penalty box with no whistle. 

IUPUI killed the clock down the stretch, dodging a dicey free kick in the closing 20 seconds before ultimately earning the celebration that came with a key victory. 

The Jaguars closed with an 18-15 shot margin and 8-4 advantage in corner kicks. Gomez led the IUPUI attack with five shot attempts and Kade Tepe and Hackaa had four each. 

IUPUI will continue the quick two-game homestand on Saturday (Oct. 15) when they host Green Bay at 2:00 p.m. at Carroll Stadium. The Jaguars will honor their nine member senior class prior to the game with Senior Day processions occurring at approximately 1:40 p.m.