NIU women’s soccer concludes the home portion of its regular-season schedule with a pair of games against Miami (Ohio) and Ball State this weekend.

The Huskies (6-5-2, 2-2-2 MAC) are coming off a weekend split against Bowling Green and Central Michigan.

Coach John Ross said it is key for his team to get some points this weekend, before NIU finishes conference play with three consecutive road games.

“It’s really important…I think just to stay on track to make the playoffs, to make the conference tournament,” Ross said. “We want to be getting the points out of every weekend and this is our last home weekend, so it’s really important to stay on track [to] make the conference tournament.”

The RedHawks (12-2-0, 6-0 MAC) have won seven games in a row and are undefeated in MAC play this season. Last weekend Miami defeated Western Michigan, 3-0, and Eastern Michigan, 1-0.

Ross said it will take a defensive effort from all 11 Huskies on the field if his team wants to pull off the upset.

“I think we have to do what we’ve kinda done all year,” Ross said. “And that’s, you know, rely on our defense, but defend with all 11 and rely on all 11 to do their job defensively and take advantage of our opportunities that we do get.”

Junior defender/mid-fielder Courtney Ksiazek said in order for a team to pull off an upset, the team has to remain a confident bunch.

“The big thing that’s going to help us right now is our confidence,” Ksiazek said. “We know that we’re a good team and that going into this game, we kinda have to forget it’s about the pressure, and do what we do best, and realize what we’ve done to get in this position we’re in now and I think confidence is going to help us do that.”

NIU plays its home finale against Ball State University (6-4-4, 3-1-2 MAC) on Sunday. Last weekend, the Cardinals earned four out of a possible six points with a 1-0 win against Eastern Michigan and a 0-0 draw against Western Michigan.