Women’s Soccer traveling out west

By Krystal Ward

Women’s soccer (1-2-1) heads west to Arizona to take on two schools over the weekend.

The Huskies match up against the University of Arizona Wildcats (3-1-1) 8 p.m. Friday and the Arizona State University Sun Devils (3-0-1) at noon Sunday. Both games are at Tucson, Arizona.

NIU will have their hands full this weekend as the teams they are going up against have only yielded one loss all season combined, as well as one tie a piece.

Arizona is fresh off two shutout wins last weekend against the University of Denver and Columbia University. The Wildcats defeated Denver 3-0 and Columbia 2-0.

Arizona State lost 1-3 in its last match against Denver Saturday at the Sun Devil Desert Classic in Tempe, Arizona. 

The Sun Devils will play the University of San Francisco Friday before their Sunday matchup with the Huskies.

Arizona leads the Pac-12 Conference with 13 goals and goals per game, averaging 2.60 per game.

Junior midfielder Gabi Stoian ranks third in the Pac-12 in shots, shots per game and assists per game.

Senior midfielder Lexe Selman-Richards is tied for first in conference points as well as being tied for third in number of goals.

Arizona State is tied for third in goals with 11 and assists with 11. The Sun Devils average close to 20 shots per game as well as seven corner kicks a game.

Junior forward Jazmarie Mader is tied for first, along with Richards from Arizona, in points in the conference. Mader is also tied for first in the Pac-12 with four goals.

The Huskies rank 11 out of 12 in the Mid-American Conference in both points and goals but are tied for second in shutouts.

Junior goalkeeper Amy Annala has given up only one goal compared to 17 saves in her three starts this season.

Huskies will have their first home match of the season 2 p.m. on Sept. 18 against Illinois State University at the Soccer Complex.