The NIU women’s soccer team lost 3-0 to South Dakota State on Friday and 2-0 to North Dakota on Sunday at home.

Opening up their first home game, the Huskies (0-2-0) squared off against the Jackrabbits and allowed three goals in the first half.

Christa Nyblom scored the first goal for South Dakota. The ball hit the crossbar and came down into the net. The second goal hit the crossbar as well, but was headed into the net by Jackrabbit Kelsey Ferguson. Kayla Braffet added the third and final goal of the game.

The Huskies held the Jackrabbits scoreless the second half, but it was not enough as they could not mount a rally to threaten the game.

On Sunday, the Huskies matched up against North Dakota and lost 2-0. NIU managed to tally 14 shots with seven on goal but could not break through against North Dakota goalkeeper Kristi Hestdalen.

In the first half, NIU’s Courtney Ksiazek blasted a shot from about 30 yards out that nearly went in, hitting the crossbar and deflecting away.

The game was tied at 0-0 going into the second half, but at the 56-minute mark North Dakota broke through with a goal. It was an odd play; North Dakota’s Rachael Loomis scored the goal but was assisted by goalkeeper Hestdalen.

The goal let the air out of the crowd as well as the team.

“There’s a lot of momentum changes that occur in a game.” said NIU women’s head soccer coach Carrie Barker. “Today, look at the stats and we dominated, but we couldn’t put our chances away. We need to control the highs and lows of the game.”

Huskie forward Kelsey Passaglia had two shots with one goal – a golden opportunity at the time to tie the game. The shot rolled half a foot wide of the net.

“We had our chances, me included,” Passaglia said. “We should have put them away. It’s a bummer but it’s early in the season, so we’re keeping all the girls’ heads up and coming back out for practice Tuesday ready for Friday’s game.”