(Image Credit: GoNU)
by Milton Posner
BROOKLINE, Mass.–It wasn’t immediately obvious that it was going to be Katarina Nilsson’s day.
At first it appeared the star would be Hannah Rosenblatt, Northeastern’s–and the CAA’s–leading scorer, who had two second-half opportunities with a penalty shot and a point-blank header.
Then it seemed UNCW goalie Sydney Schneider would seize the spotlight, dismissing Rosenblatt both times with spectacular diving stops.
But ultimately it was Nilsson who found the back of the net in the 98th minute to give the Huskies (5-6-1, 2-0-0 CAA) a 1-0 overtime victory over the Seahawks (6-2-0, 0-1-0) Sunday afternoon at Parsons Field.
The first half saw a mere six shots as both teams struggled holding possession against stringent defense. Northeastern’s aggressive offense–which saw defenders playing more like forwards–took five of those shots without success. The second half saw 14 shots, as both teams attacked with transition chances and corner kicks.
⚽️ | Here's your #HowlinHuskies golden goal from today's 1-0 win, as scored by sophomore Katarina Nilsson (assisted by Valentina Soares Gache)! pic.twitter.com/9EKLfe6S1K
— Northeastern Women’s Soccer (@GoNUwsoccer) September 23, 2018
With just two minutes remaining in overtime, the Huskies took possession in transition. Midfielder Valentina Soares Gache flipped a pass to Nilsson sprinting down the right wing. Despite the tough angle, Nilsson sent the ball past the diving Schneider and buried it just inside the left goalpost.
Nilsson’s goal ended both UNCW’s four-game winning streak and 335-minute clean sheet streak. The Seahawks hadn’t played in 17 days, with Hurricane Florence postponing their last two games.
The Huskies’ next match is on Thursday, September 27 at Towson.