DeKALB | A rematch of epic proportions and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament will be on the line this weekend.

The NIU men’s soccer team will square off with Buffalo at 2 p.m. today at Huskie Soccer Field in a semi-final round game of the MAC Tournament.

No. 1 seeded NIU (12-5-1) gets a chance to avenge a 1-0 loss at Buffalo (10-6-2) on Oct. 20. The senior night win at UB Stadium prevented NIU from being outright MAC champions.

A physical team very much like NIU, Buffalo will rely on their defense and the execution of timely scoring chances.

Senior forward Andrae Clarke has tallied a team-high eight goals and senior goalkeeper Daniel Bell uses a sturdy 6’5,” 185-pound frame to patrol the goal.

“We need to play soccer, take chances when we get them and continue to be stingy,” NIU coach Steve Simmons said. “I’m sure it will be an emotional game like any playoff game. We need to be at our best.”

NIU will turn to Marcus McCarty for the timely scoring Simmons prefers. The junior forward has nine goals and 22 points on the season.

Sophomore goalkeeper Joe Zimka leads the NCAA in save percentage and goals-against average by wide margins, and will spearhead a defensive front that has posted 11 shutouts on the season.

Freshman forward Luis De La Cerda has been a key sub and is second on the team in scoring and goals.

The Waubonsie Valley product said that stringing passes together and doing some good switching will be the key for NIU.

“It’s going to come down to soccer,” De La Cerda said. “Both teams come with everything they got; it will come down to which team can make good plays. That will be the difference.”

NIU is 6-0 at home on the season and has extra motivation to get into Sunday’s 1 p.m. title game.

“In ‘04 and ‘05 they knocked us out,” Simmons said. “I can only imagine revenge goes through some guys’ minds, but at the end of the day we’ve still got to play the game.”

James Nokes is a men’s soccer beat reporter for the Northern Star.