BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Jakub Rojek (Chicago, Ill./Von Steuben) stopped a first half penalty while Diego Maynez (El Paso, Texas/Lone Star) and Camilo Estrada (Dallas, Texas/Lone Star) scored after the interval to lead the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Bowling Green on Sunday night (Nov. 5) in the Missouri Valley Conference Quarterfinals. 

Rojek was credited with a career-high 11 saves in the contest as the Huskies advance to face Western Michigan in the semifinals on Wednesday (Nov. 8).

"Absolutely delighted to extend the season," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "I thought the guys were really good today, especially in the second half. They were outstanding, Dylan (Banker) and Luka (Vasic) were phenomenal and the attacking guys, Camilo (Estrada) and Diego (Maynez) getting the goals, there was some good play all around and I'm delighted."

The first chance of the night came for Bowling Green from the penalty spot as NIU was whistled for a foul in the box in the 12th minute. Alberto Anaya stepped up to take the penalty for the Falcons but Rojek dove to his right to make the save and keep the contest level in the early going. 

"He has been phenomenal," Swan said of Rojek. "The penalty save was huge for the momentum of the game. Going in at 0-0 to halftime, we felt good that we could make some adjustments and work on things, but if we had gone a goal behind, that can change things drastically. He came up huge for us on several occasions."

Bowling Green (7-8-3) had a free kick in a dangerous position in the 24th minute as the Falcons drew the foul five yards outside the top of the box. Nathan Masters took the shot from the free kick and fired harmlessly high. 

The first half featured just three total shots on target with NIU's coming in the 42nd minute on a long-range effort from Jakub Drazek (Des Plaines, Ill./Elk Grove) that was held by Graves as the Huskies and Falcons went into the interval scoreless. 

NIU (7-8-1) opened the scoring three minutes before the hour mark as Maynez finished from the top of the six-yard box. A slip in midfield by the Falcons led to a turnover and Kevin Kelly (Dublin, Ireland/St. Joseph Rush) darted down the left wing into a dangerous position. Kelly's low cross found the run of Maynez who swept the ball into the back of the net past Graves to give the Huskies a 1-0 advantage in the 57th minute.

Four minutes after NIU's opening goal, Kyle Cusimano had a diving header for Bowling Green inside the six-yard box that was straight at Rojek who made the save.

The Huskies doubled their advantage in the 63rd minute as Estrada scored to make it 2-0. Zachariah Thomas (Burnaby, British Columbia/Moscrop Secondary) switched the point of attack from the right to the left where he found Patrick Coleman (Antioch, Ill./Antioch Community) just outside the box. Graves came out from in front of goal to attempt to intercept the ball, but Coleman got to it first and slid it into the path of Estrada who finished into an open net to put the Huskies in front by a pair. 

Estrada nearly added his second goal in the 72nd minute on a shot from near the top of the box that was tipped just around the post by Graves. From the ensuing corner, Sam Divis (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) had a chance to add to the NIU advantage, but he couldn't direct his shot on target. 

Bowling Green pulled a goal back nine minutes from time as a slip by a Huskie defender allowed a cross from Bennett Painter who found the head of Cusimano. The header from Cusimano went back across the frame of goal and inside the back post to cut the NIU lead to 2-1. 

Desperate for an equalizer, the Falcons had one last chance in the 88th minute as Painter found the ball with space for a shot near the top of the 18-yard box, but his shot was hit straight at Rojek who comfortably made the save as NIU finished off the road victory.

The fifth-seeded Huskies will now take on Missouri Valley Conference regular season champion, and top seed, Western Michigan on Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 8) in Kalamazoo. Kickoff for Wednesday's quarterfinal is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+.