With all forms of adversity in its face week after week, the Penn State men's soccer team simply refuses to back down.

Down 1-0 with less than 10 minutes to go in the game -- and the season -- sophomore Ryan Badaracco netted the first goal of his short career. Then, in double overtime, senior Simon Omekanda scored his fifth goal of the season to vault the Nittany Lions (7-10-2, 4-3 Big Ten) to a 2-1 victory against Northwestern in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at Ohio State University in Columbus yesterday morning.

The win was Penn State's second this year -- both 2-1 scores -- against the Wildcats (11-7-0, 2-5). It sets the Lions up for a rematch with the top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers in the semifinal round today at 5 p.m., exactly two weeks to the day since the Lions' huge upset of the No. 9 Hoosiers back on Oct. 20.

Penn State coach Barry Gorman was quick to give praise to his players after the game.

"First of all, it's good for Ryan, because he's been playing well all year long," Gorman said. "It's a just reward for him. In this game today he just kept plugging away."

For Penn State, a pair of firsts was vital to the win. In addition to Badaracco scoring for the first time this season, Omekanda's goal gave the Lions their first win in four overtime games.

Badaracco's goal also broke a scoreless streak spanning nearly four matches. The Lions last scored a goal when David Gray tallied one just two minutes into their monumental victory over Indiana.

"The guys didn't give anything up in the back in overtime," Gorman said. "We weren't leaving ourselves exposed. If you can do that, something will open up for you."

Despite the illness of injury plaguing the Lions all season, they got a welcome addition to the lineup from Andy Machi, who was filling in for an injured Geordie MacNeill in the overtime session.

Machi, taking advantage of a golden opportunity, fed Omekanda for the game-winner early in the second overtime.

"It was just an excellent feed from Andy Machi," Gorman said. "Credit to Simon though, he just tucked it away."

Having beaten the perennial powerhouse Hoosiers three straight times, Penn State knows it won't be taken lightly. As per usual in the rivalry, the stakes are high. A loss would almost certainly send the Lions home until next fall.

The Hoosiers had a first round bye, so Gorman insisted his players rest up immediately after the game. MacNeill was nursing hip and hamstring tweaks, but should be available for the game, he told Gorman.

"[Indiana's had] a chance to see us twice. They're coming in fresh. Our thing is to rest as much as we can over the next day," Gorman said. "It's gonna be a matter of 'suck it up and let's get the job done.' "