Trying to clinch their third win in conference play, NIU women’s soccer (4-6-3, 2-3-2 MAC) fell on the road against the Kent State University Golden Flashes (7-4-4, 5-2-1 MAC) in a 1-0 loss. 

“Tough result,” said NIU head coach Michael O’Neill via NIU Athletics. “We started the game very well. The game plan we executed was working, we created good chances, stopped them from building out of the back but didn’t convert. We were fairly comfortable, and I didn’t feel a threat at all.”

With the loss, the Huskies currently sit three points off a MAC playoff spot after narrowly missing out last year.

In the first half of the game, the Huskies and the Golden Flashes both registered 5 shots, with four of NIU’s shots landing on target.

The Huskies were outshot 9-1 in the second half, with the lone shot coming from freshman defender Elle Wainscott.  

The only goal came in the 68th minute of the match, when Kent State junior forward Kiyomi McCausland converted from the penalty spot to give the Golden Flashes a 1-0 lead. 

Junior midfielder Sarah Roy, senior forward Kelsi McLaughlin, sophomore forward Alyssa Stephenson and junior midfielder Isabel Struble all added a shot on goal for the Huskies, but were unable to find the back of the net. 

Sophomore goalie Lauren Pearson recorded 2 saves, both of which came in the second half, while the Huskies forced Kent State junior goalkeeper Leah Shaffer to make 5 saves. 

“In the second half, our intensity dropped off significantly in the middle third and attacking areas and (Kent State) was able to play through us,” O’Neill said via NIU Athletics. “Our backline and holding midfielder did all they could to prevent them but we didn’t really have anything going forward, we gave away a PK and it’s a 1-nil game.”

UP NEXT

The Huskies continue MAC play at 7 p.m. Thursday at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex against the Bowling Green State University Falcons. The game will be streamed on NIU All-Access and live stats will be updated on SIDEARM Sports.