ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA - Wednesday, the North Central University men's soccer team traveled to Reynolds Field for a UMAC matchup against the University of Northwestern. The Rams delivered another strong performance against the Eagles, securing a 2-0 victory and completing the regular-season sweep of their conference opponent for the first time since 2016. Santiago Grams led the way with both goals, while Samuel Tivane Jr. recorded an assist. Goalkeeper Alex Gianikas added four saves to secure his second consecutive shutout against Northwestern.
FIRST HALF
North Central wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Just over three minutes into the contest, Tivane Jr. connected with Grams, who found the back of the net to give the Rams an early 1-0 advantage.
The Rams continued to generate opportunities, and in the 20th minute, Francisco Ramirez put a shot on goal that was turned away before Grams capitalized on the ensuing opportunity to double NCU's lead to 2-0.
North Central maintained its offensive pressure throughout the remainder of the half. Rodrigo Burgos generated a pair of shots, while Steven Griffith put an attempt on goal in the 27th minute. The Rams also earned three corner kicks in the opening period.
NCU entered halftime with a commanding 2-0 lead, holding a 7-4 advantage in shots and a 4-2 edge in shots on goal.
SECOND HALF
The Rams continued to play with confidence after halftime, creating several opportunities while protecting their two-goal advantage. Grams nearly completed a hat trick in the 60th minute, putting another shot on target that required a save.
Ramirez followed with an attempt on goal in the 68th minute before David Ajayi generated another scoring opportunity just moments later. Ajayi continued to pressure the defense late in the contest, recording another shot on goal in the 89th minute.
North Central finished the afternoon with 11 shots and eight shots on goal, compared to 12 shots and four on goal for Northwestern. The Rams also earned six corner kicks, just one fewer than the Eagles.
Grams led the offensive effort with two goals on three shots, putting all three attempts on target. Ramirez and Ajayi each contributed two shots on goal, helping NCU maintain pressure throughout the match.
On the defensive end, Gianikas delivered another impressive performance, playing all 90 minutes and recording four saves to secure the clean sheet. The shutout marked his second against Northwestern in just over a week, as the Rams held the Eagles scoreless across both regular-season meetings.
UP NEXT
With the victory, North Central improves to 3-11 overall and 3-4 in UMAC play. The Rams have now won two of their last three conference matchups, highlighted by their first regular-season sweep of Northwestern in a decade. NCU will look to build on that momentum as the team continues its push through the UMAC schedule. They play Martin Luther College on Saturday in New Ulm, MN. That game will begin at 1:00 PM.
As always, fans are encouraged to follow the official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (X) pages for updates on men's soccer and all things NCU Athletics.
