Cori Frankenberg
Though the heavy rain from Hurricane Isaac missed Northern Illinois University, the Huskie women’s soccer team (2-2) made it pour with their offensive output against Loyola (1-4), defeating the Ramblers, 3-0.
Senior Shelbi Johnson and junior Cori Frankenberg each tallied a goal and an assist in the contest.
“The girls did a nice job of attacking the match,” said Head Coach John Ross. “We did a good job defensively to create those chances and finish them to score our goals.”
The Huskies opened the scoring early as Northern Illinois earned a corner kick two minutes into the match.
Johnson curled the ball from the corner to the far post and to the head of Lauren Noonan (Naperville/Neuqua Valley), who placed the ball into the middle of the box to the right foot of Frankenberg. Frankenberg volleyed the ball into the side netting and over the head of goalkeeper Monica Gonyo to give NIU a 1-0 lead in the third minute of play.
“When you can open the game early with a goal on a set piece, it really gives you chance to relax and move the ball around the field. Cori did a great job finishing on the play,” added Ross.
With 10-players on the field for LU after an injury, Frankenberg nearly put away a second goal in the match during the 15th minute when she worked her way up the near sideline and lead herself into the 18-yard box, firing a shot to the back post that only missed the post by a foot.
The Appleton, Wis. native made the exact same run in the 28th minute of play, this time crossing the ball near the end line to the middle of the box. The goalkeeper dove to try and catch the ball, but it spun out of her grasp and in front of Johnson who put the ball into the center of the net for NIU’s second goal of the match.
Shelbi Johnson
NIU only outshot Loyola at the half, 5-4, but put three shots on target to lead the Ramblers, 2-0. The Huskies were 3-for-7 in shots on goal in the match.
Twenty minutes into the half, freshman Sara Spaulding was in a two-versus-one situation as she worked the ball into the corner of the 18-yard.
Relying on her skill to create a chance and facing the end line, she volleyed over her head to change direction and faked out the defender. With the keeper advancing from the line to end the threat, Spaulding let the ball bounce one time, before swinging her right foot around and volleying the ball over the keepers head into back corner of the net for the Huskies third and final goal.
It was the first time since Aug. 29, 2010, against Northern Iowa that the Huskies scored three-or-more goals in a match. Northern Illinois last defeated an opponent by three-or-more goals Sept. 18, 2009, versus Oakland University (W, 4-0).
The clean sheet was Northern Illinois’ second of the season and the 11th of goalkeeper Amy Carr’s career in 13 career victories.
The Huskies will return to action Friday night at Northwestern, beginning at 7 p.m. on the lakefront. NIU will also head to Eastern Illinois for a Sunday matinee Sept. 9.
For more information on NIU women’s soccer and Huskie athletics, visit www.niuhuskies.com.
