NIU women’s soccer fell to Miami (Ohio) and Bowling Green on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

The contest started off ominously against Miami (9-7-0), as the RedHawks opened the scoring early with a goal from Jess Kodiak registering in the fifth minute of the match.

NIU (2-14-2) was able to hold off any further goals in the first half, but failed to get anything going offensively.

Miami came out hot to start the second half as well, scoring in the 50th minute with a goal from Kodiak.

The RedHawks third and final goal was scored two minutes later, put home by Katy Dolesh, unassisted, which left the final score at 3-0, Miami.

“They have some really dangerous forwards who can score a lot of goals,” said Carrie Barker, NIU head women’s soccer coach. “In the beginning of each half, they throw a lot of numbers forward. We didn’t do a good job of defending their forwards, and they got in and scored quick goals.”

The Huskies were outshot 19-8 and only got one corner kick in the game.

They did, however, have another potential goal go off the cross-bar, a very familiar and disheartening event this season.

“We had our opportunity [but] it hit the cross-bar,” Barker said. “I can’t believe how many times we’ve hit it. You would think by now one or even two would go in. It’s kind of a funny joke now, ‘How many times can we hit the cross-bar this year?'”

To get into MAC tournament play, the Huskies would have had to win the remaining of their games, so following Friday’s loss, they were out.

“Going into the first game [against Miami], we had a lot of pressure that we put on ourselves,” said NIU forward/midfielder Shelbi Johnson. “After Friday we were told we wouldn’t be able to get into the tournament, but we still wanted to go out on Sunday and win.”

On Sunday, NIU squared off against Bowling Green (6-13-0) on the Falcon’s Senior Day.

The Huskies played Bowling Green to a nothing-nothing first half.

But in the 50th minute of play, Falcons’ senior Megan Amann put in her first goal of the season, which proved to be the game winner.

The second goal of the game was scored in the 82nd minute by Sidney Huth.

Madeline Wideman assisted on both goals, as well as Kaitlyn Tobin on the second goal, which would put the final score at 2-0.

“Any game situation is good for the younger players to develop” said NIU senior captain Meaghan Bennett. “If anything, they are able to play now with less pressure. Playing these last few games here is especially important just to get touches on the ball.”