Three goals in the span of 10 minutes won the game for Marquette, as senior attacker Josh Coan led the way with two. The Golden Eagles defeated Northern Illinois University 3-1 Friday night to improve to 2-1-1.
Coan scored both goals on free kicks. He said free kicks have been a point of emphasis in practices.
“Every day at training, (the) day before a game we make sure to get some set pieces going,” Coan said. “We make sure the team is sharp on all of that.”
His first goal in the 23rd minute tied the game, and he scored another shot off a set play in the 32nd minute to give Marquette some insurance against the Huskies. He had nine total shots, seven of which were on goal.
“I thought (Coan) was appropriate,” head coach Louis Bennett said. “He worked really hard defensively. He did what I would expect from an experienced senior player that wants to score goals and wants to contribute. That’s what our guys can do.”
Coan said the second goal was a bit of luck and a team effort. As he saw it, his teammates made a good run in the box on the free kick, and sophomore forward Lukas Sunesson got out of the way at the last second before the goal.
Senior attacker Connor Alba provided Marquette its other goal of the night in the 31st minute.
The Huskies scored the first goal of the game in the 10th minute on a shot from NIU sophomore Nick Markanich. Bennett said he was concerned but not worried.
“(I wasn’t) nervous … I felt there was enough time on the clock to be able to reestablish play and get back on the horse and start riding, which we did,” said Bennett. “We had four good chances before they broke on us. I think that was their first shot.”
Bennett also gave credit to Sunesson for his work off the ball. Bennett said forwards freshman Christian Marquez and redshirt freshman A.J. Franklin “added a little something something” to the team as well.
Coan said he hopes this is a stepping stone for Marquette. He said if the team keeps doing what it should do, things are going to fall into place.
Marquette’s next game is at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Tuesday at 7 p.m.
