Conditions were not ideal, but the NIU women’s soccer team played their way to a 15-0 rout of Teikyo-Marycrest University.

The game was the program’s first ever home game, and the result was not a disappointment to any Huskie fans.

By no means were the weather conditions helpful or pleasant for the home opener. Constant rain made play throughout the game difficult. Puddles drenched the field, contributing to a slower paced game at times.

“In weather like this if you send anything long it usually ends (up) right out of bounds,” explained head coach Frank Horvat.

This proved true in the second half of play. The first goal of the second half was a header, put in by freshman midfielder Andrea Swing. She added two other goals later in the second half.

Short goals were dominant in the game, but sophomore defender Beth Pomles connected for back-to-back scores from long-distance mid-way through the first half.

Freshman midfielder Megan Fitzpatrick followed Polmes cue with back-to-back goals of her own.

The game plan for the day included looks at both the level of the opponent and the weather conditions. In this weather Horvat likes to keep the ball down so it is in control.

“What we tried to do is wing attacks, where we could finish with a header or volley,” Horvat said.

Early on in the first half the combination of freshman midfielder Michelle Anger and junior forward Olga Perez combined for a volley which lead to a goal. Anger assisted Perez directly in front the goal, catching the Teikyo-Maycrest goalkeeper off guard.

“They did everything I asked them to do and they survived it,” Horvat commented.

This was the team’s first game after dropping two this past weekend in the Wisconsin-Green Bay/Nike Classic.

“Our effort was a big improvement, especially after Sunday’s game,” said Horvat

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“They were highly motivated,” Horvat said of his team, after the defeats over the weekend.