Last Saturday the NIU men’s soccer team played the most meaningless game they will play this season. This Saturday in sharp contrast, they will play a game that could possibly make or break this season.

Last weekend the Huskies took on Kishwaukee Community College in an exhibition game in which they ran a clinic on Kishwaukee. Saturday at 2 p.m. the Huskies will butt heads against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. UWGB not only won the Mid-Continent conference championship last year, but went undefeated in the conference.

There is no doubt that this will be a tough game to win for the Huskies. It is the first game of the season, it’s on the road and their playing a tough experienced team. But the Huskies expect to pull this game out and get this year’s season off to a good start.

“We are going in as underdogs as a team that is expected to finish fourth in the conference,” said head coach Willy Roy. “(UWGB) is a team that is picked to finish first in the conference, but I would be disappointed to walk away without a win this Saturday.”

Against the Phoenix last season the Huskies suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss at home.

“It was a very tight game that could have went either way,” said Roy.

This effort against Green Bay last year should give the Huskies the confidence that will be needed to sneak into Green Bay and pull this game off.

Last year the Huskies got off to a 1-7-1 start which brought an end to dreams of a conference championship and post season play before the season was even half expired.

This single game could have the same effect on the Huskie’s season as those first nine games did last year. Even though this is just one game, it is a must win for the Huskies. Roy commented that “the University of Wisconsin Green Bay is one of the top four teams on our schedule. This will be a big test for our team, but we have been preparing for this game for two weeks and our guys know what is expected of them.”

Last Saturday when the Huskies played Kishwaukee not only did it give the Huskies a chance to tune up for this Saturday’s game but it gave coach Roy a chance to get a look at every player in a live game situation.

“I already knew what Sigurd Slaastad was capable of doing, but I was somewhat surprised and definitely pleased with the play of freshman forward Rob Grapko,” Roy commented.

In the game against Kishwaukee Sigurd Slaastad scored five goals and Rob Grapko scored three goals.

After the Huskies take care of Green Bay on Saturday they will have to get right back to work on the following Monday at 2 p.m., and take on a Northwestern team of which they beat 3-1 last year. This will be the first home game for the Huskies this season as will it be the inaugural regular season game for the Huskies at their brand new soccer stadium.

When asked about the Northwestern game on Monday coach Roy said, “We have are hands full in taking on Green Bay Saturday, and we will let the Northwestern game take care of itself.”