The Huskies lost two games in their conference play opening weekend. Unfortunately, defensive struggles and depleted rotation options off the bench handicapped the Huskies.

“Friday’s match, I think we played better soccer in terms of executing our game plan, keeping the ball and building our attack, but then they scored and we lacked the pride to fight back; from that, we wilted,” said NIU coach Julie Colhoff. “Today, I say it was the opposite. I think we showed a lot of pride, a lot fight, but we did not execute very well.”

NIU’s first conference match on Friday night against the University of Buffalo Bulls ended in a 5-0 defeat, making it the seventh time the Huskies have been shutout this season.

Sunday’s game was a new chance for the Huskies to get their second win of the year, and first conference win. However, NIU was unable to put their chances away, and they ended up falling to the University of Akron Zips 3-2.

The Huskies will travel to Bowling Green on Friday and the University of Toledo on Sunday to continue their fight for the MAC tournament.

“That’s still the goal, it’s not just to get by it’s definitely to make playoffs, and then push for the trophy,” Colhoff said. “For us I think our biggest task is pairing those two things I was talking about earlier [the pride and the energy] with the execution, the tactics, and also the technical component as well.”

Friday

Five goals in the second half by the Bulls were more than enough to hand the Huskies a loss in their MAC opening match.

After an even first half that ended at nil, the game took a turn three minutes into the second half when the Bulls opened up the scoring when sophomore midfielder Kaitlyn Walsh met a cross from senior midfielder Rebecca Bramble, and put it past NIU first year goalkeeper Megan Donnally.

Buffalo quickly followed with two more goals, making it 3-0 in less than one minute. Sophomore midfielder Marcy Barberic added the Bulls’ second goal, and senior forward Carissima Cutrona added the third.

NIU only recorded two shots throughout the game, shooting both in the first half. The Bulls’ dominating match was aided by their 18 total shots including 11 in the second half. Donnally finished with two saves before being replaced by senior goalkeeper MacKenzie Lee 54 minutes into the match.

Buffalo added a fourth goal at the 76-minute mark when first year defender Tess Ford scored from a second chance header. The Bulls closed the night with a fifth at the closing stages of the match from junior midfielder Carley Zoccali.

Lee finished her second appearance of the season with three shots saved.

Sunday

A last minute goal by the Zips dealt the Huskies’ a tough loss for their second game of conference play.

The match saw a total of two lead changes, and two ties in a back and forth game that featured three regular time penalty shots. Junior forward Kyleigh Dominguez and junior defender Kelsey Chope scored for the Huskies.

Chope’s goal at the 13 minute mark was assisted by first year midfielder Kaylee Hermeyer. Dominguez’s first goal of the year and second for the Huskies for the day came from the penalty spot with only four minutes left on the clock.

Junior midfielder Shea O’Brian opened the scoring for the Zips from the penalty spot.

The Zips took the lead at the 64 minute mark from first year forward Sydney Worthy’s second chance shot after an initial save by NIU’s MacKenzie Lee. Lee finished the match with six saves.

Sophomore midfielder Haley Hoppe had an opportunity to put NIU ahead 2-1 from the penalty spot, but her shot struck the right post and eventually cleared away by the Akron defense.

first year midfielder Carly Pcholinsky’s goal in the last minute put the Zips back up and ultimately flattened the Huskies. Pcholinsky’s goal came from a second chance shot after the first attempt came off the post from a corner kick.

The Huskies ended the match with 13 total shots to Akron’s 17.