Box Score BOX SCORE

CINCINNATI – For the third-straight match, the University of Evansville men's soccer team needed overtime to decide a winner, as sophomore Faik Hajderovic scored the game-winning goal in the 93rd minute to give the Purple Aces a 3-2 win over Northern Illinois on the opening day of the Bearcat Soccer Classic in Cincinnati Friday afternoon.
 
"This team is physically strong, but the reason I love being around these guys is that they are mentally tough, which is even more important when you're competing against teams of the caliber of Northern Illinois," head coach Mike Jacobs said.  "We lost a game like this last week and we know how tough that can be."
 
All four goals in regulation were scored in the opening 27 minutes and the two sides combined for a total of 34 shots, including 17 on goal.  Evansville (1-1-1) got goals from freshman Jared Robinson, junior Charlie Macias and Hajderovic, and Issac Kannah and Cody Witkowski combined for both of the tallies for Northern Illinois (1-2-0)
 
The Aces set the tone for the first half in the opening minute, as Robinson elevated over the Huskies defense to head in a service from Hajderovic just 56 seconds into the match for his first-career goal, giving UE a 1-0 lead.
 
Robinson recorded his first collegiate assist just under 12 minutes later, when he delivered a pass to Macias, who then fired a shot past the NIU keeper to push Evansville's advantage to 2-0 in the 13th minute.
 
Northern Illinois quickly responded, cutting the Aces' lead to 2-1 in the 15th minute, when Kannah found the back off the net after a pass from Andrew Palumbo.
 
Later in the stanza, the Huskies pulled even at 2-2, when Witkowski took advantage of a miscue by UE goalkeeper Eric Teppen and scored the equalizer from 25 yards out.
 
The goal would remain tied at 2-2 heading into the locker room, with Evansville holding a 13-8 advantage in the shot column at the break.
 
After a scoreless second half in which NIU outshot UE, 7-5, Hajderovic scored the game-winner just 2:45 into the extra period by finishing a pass from senior Alex Kapsalis from 30 yards out.
 
"Faik's goal was absolutely magic," Jacobs said.  "To hit a shot like that in overtime for a golden goal is pretty special, but to be fair, Faik is a player that is capable of creating special moments."
 
Junior Dylan Terry led Evansville off the bench with five shots, while Hajderovic and Robinson fire three apiece.  Teppen collected seven saves in goal to earn the victory.
 
"This team continues to not only get better game to game, but also day to day," Jacobs said.  "We're looking forward to a well-earned rest and recovery tonight and tomorrow, and will be ready for a good Cincinnati team on Sunday."
 
The Aces will wrap up play at the Bearcat Soccer Classic Sunday at 1:30 p.m., when they take on host Cincinnati.