MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - Tuesday, the NCU men's soccer team returned home for a UMAC matchup against the University of Northwestern. The Rams put together a complete performance on both ends of the field, scoring once in each half to secure a 2-0 victory at Parade Park Field. Junior forward David Ajayi opened the scoring, while senior forward Rodrigo Rocha added a goal and an assist. Goalkeeper Alex Gianikas delivered an outstanding performance in net, making 11 saves to secure the clean sheet.
FIRST HALF
The opening half featured opportunities at both ends, with Gianikas called upon several times early. The NCU goalkeeper made seven first-half saves to keep Northwestern off the board while the Rams began creating chances of their own.
Ajayi was at the center of the attack, putting three early attempts on goal, while sophomore forward Steven Griffith nearly broke through in the 35th minute when his shot struck the crossbar. Rocha entered the match midway through the half and immediately provided another spark, putting a shot on goal in the 40th minute.
NCU's persistence finally paid off just before halftime. In the 45th minute, Rocha connected with Ajayi, who finished the opportunity to give North Central a 1-0 lead heading into the break. The Rams outshot Northwestern 11-9 in the opening 45 minutes.
SECOND HALF
North Central continued to apply pressure after halftime, generating another 11 shots. Griffith, Rocha and midfielder Santiago Grams all put attempts on frame as the Rams searched for an insurance goal.
That second goal arrived in the 80th minute. Defender Anthony Lopez Romero helped create the opportunity, finding Rocha for the finish to double NCU's advantage at 2-0. The Rams protected the lead the rest of the way to secure their second UMAC victory of the season.
North Central finished with a commanding 22-14 advantage in shots and put 13 attempts on goal. Ajayi led NCU with six shots and four on goal, while Rocha recorded five shots, four on goal, a goal and an assist.
Gianikas was equally impressive on the defensive end, playing all 90 minutes and turning away all 11 shots on goal he faced to earn the shutout.
UP NEXT
The rams play UW-Stout in their next matchup. That will be at 3:30 PM on Thursday, October 8th back at Parade Park.
