Box Score  | Season Stats | Post-game Interview

BROOKLINE, Mass. – First half goals from Dante Marini and Christian McKenna, along with four saves from Dylan Faber led the Northeastern men's soccer team (6-4-3, 3-0-1) to a 2-0 victory against Delaware on Wednesday night at Parsons Field.

The win gives the Huskies three crucial points in the CAA standings, giving NU a four-point cushion over the Blue Hens atop the league. The victory also snaps Delaware's seven-game winning streak, which extended all the way back to Sep. 13.

The Blue Hens outshot Northeastern 11-9 in the match, and generated five corners to NU's three. Delaware was also assessed three yellow cards in the match, all coming in the second half.

The Huskies took advantage of a pair of Delaware mistakes early in the first half, turning each one into a goal for a 2-0 lead through 45 minutes of play.

Matt Callahan was in the middle of both NU goals during the first half, the first of which coming in the 17th minute when he sent a ball up into the box intended for Conner Alexander. Alexander corralled the ball, made a move toward goal and was hauled down, resulting in a penalty kick awarded to Northeastern. Marini buried the PK, his fifth goal of the season, to give NU a 1-0 lead.

Five minutes later, Callahan sent another ball from a similar spot to Alexander just outside the box. This time, however, Alexander let the ball continue up field to McKenna. McKenna caught a Blue Hen defender napping, raced by him and snuck a shot past Barbero for his first collegiate goal.

After the goal, Delaware began to apply pressure to Faber and the Northeastern defense. Faber made two saves during the first half, beginning with a low shot from Guillermo Delgado from the right side that Faber handled easily in the 26th minute. Five minutes later, Mark Garrity took a long pass from midfield and tried to get behind the NU back line. Simon Cox, however, caught up to Garrity to prevent him from unleashing a hard shot on goal.

Delaware nearly cut into the deficit in the 35th minute when Jaime Martinez settled a ball and rocketed a shot from 20 yards out that hit the crossbar.

Northeastern made a bid for a 3-0 lead with less than three minutes to play when Jonathan Eckford sent the ball up to Alexander, who then headed it towards Terence Carter in the middle of the box. Carter's shot, however, was blocked.

The Blue Hens continued to pressure into the second half, and almost made it a 2-1 match in the 53rd minute when Delgado got behind a NU defender and tried to lift the ball over Faber's head, but the ball sailed just over the net.

Minutes later, Robbie Schallmo made a great move to get past a defender and create a two-on-one with Marini. Schallmo then tried to thread a pass over to Marini, but the ball got caught in the legs of a Blue Hen and was sent out of danger.

Delaware would test the Huskies throughout the final 45 minutes, but the NU back line would not break, helping Faber make two saves in the second half.

NU nearly took a commanding 3-0 lead with less than five minutes to play when Marini crossed it into Alexander, but Barbero robbed Alexander's header with a glove save.

The Huskies will be back in action on Saturday when Northeastern travels to William & Mary for a 7 p.m. match.

Game Notes: Northeastern is now 15-4-2 all-time against Delaware … Northeastern now has three straight clean sheets, and hasn't allowed a goal since the third minute against James Madison (376:53) …  McKenna recorded his first collegiate point with his first half goal … Callahan picked up his first collegiate assist on McKenna's goal … Marini's first half goal gave him 43 career points, which is ninth all-time at Northeastern; he is also fourth all-time with 17 career assists.