INDIANAPOLIS - The IU Indianapolis men's soccer team was on the wrong side of a lopsided result as the Jaguars fell at home to Northern Kentucky on Saturday night (Sept. 19), 5-1. After yielding just six goals in the season's first six games, the Jaguars allowed five first half goals to Northern Kentucky in the home defeat. Freshman
Tom Henry Berry provided the lone bright spot of the evening for the Jaguars, scoring his first collegiate goal in his first collegiate game late in the contest.
IU Indy finished with a 23-13 shot advantage and created 14 corner kicks but were unable to cash in on their persistent pressure.
"We created chances. We just weren't good enough between the boxes," head coach
Keegan Boom said. "We had more shots, more shots on target and didn't score them and the difference today was they've come in and they've taken care of their moments in the box and that's what wins and loses games."
The game was initially delayed by nearly an hour due to inclement weather in the area. When the match finally kicked off closer to 6:00 p.m., it was NKU (1-5-1, 1-2 HL) that hit like a bolt of lightning. Ibrahim Piracha tallied the game's first goal in the 13th minute and then setup Bennett Gerak's tally in the 20th minute. Less than a minute later, Piracha scored off a Gerak assist to build a 3-0 lead in less than 20 minutes.
IU Indy (3-4, 0-3 HL) continued to build opportunities, but was unable to get a shot past NKU keeper Caleb Pearson. An already dire start got even worse in the 38th minute when the Jaguars allowed an own goal as a cross hit off an IU Indy defender and easily past rookie keeper
Peter Field. NKU's Michael Luechauer added insurance just before halftime when he maneuvered through Jaguar defender before calmly lacing his first score of the year.
After IU Indy was unable to solve the NKU defense for the bulk of the second half, the waning minutes became an opportunity for both sides to empty their benches. Berry took advantage of his first collegiate minutes, weaving through NKU defenders before angling a shot just inside the far post in the 82nd minute to break up the shutout.
Fellow freshmen
Milan Bozic and
Marcos Neto also made their collegiate debuts as the Jaguars entered play incredibly short-handed. In addition to a contingent sidelined due to injury, usual starters
Luke Gonda and
Thomas Weinrich were unable to play after receiving red cards in the Jaguars' last contest.
Freshman
Micah Eldridge had a team-high four shot attempts, all on target, and both
Santiago Sanchez and
Christian Nielsen had three each. Field registered four saves while Pearson had 10 for the victors.
The Jaguars will continue the homestand on Tuesday night (Sept. 22) when they host Western Illinois at 6:00 p.m. at Carroll Stadium.
