Two steps forward and two steps back has been the MAC pattern of play for the NIU women’s soccer team.

To get back to .500 in conference, NIU (4-7-2, 2-4 MAC) must pass the tough tests posed by Central Michigan today at noon and Eastern Michigan at noon Sunday. Both games will take place at Huskie Soccer Field.

First-place CMU has started MAC play with a 5-0-1 conference record. Reigning MAC player of the week Anne Decker patrols the CMU penalty box, and will test the offensive prowess of NIU.

NIU assistant coach Paul Jobson will call the shots this weekend, with head coach and wife Marci Miller at the U.S. National Team Camp. He will count on Karen Enockson and Jenna Clausen, who are first and second on the team in points, to provide NIU with scoring opportunities.

On Sunday, Katie Sturges, Carrie Dvorak and the NIU defense will face one of the MAC conference’s most prolific scorers, Michele Lawrence of EMU (5-7-1, 3-2-0). Lawrence has six goals and 13 points on the season, and earned MAC Player of the Week honors when she posted a hat trick against Buffalo Sept. 29.

Jobson said his defensive unit will be up for the challenge of marking Lawrence and notes the NIU defense has been a consistent performer throughout the season.

“I’m confident in our defense,” Jobson said. “We marked Kimberly Dimitroff at Kent State, and she’s one of the best in the league. Every game they’ve stepped up back there. We will be tough and bring our best game.”

– By James Nokes

Homecoming couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time for the NIU volleyball team, as the Huskies’ begin a five-game homestand after being on the road for two weeks.

“It feels really good being back at home,” middle blocker Joelle Beisel said. “Its tough being on the road, we are more comfortable at home; this is our gym.”

The Huskies (10-10, 3-3 MAC) will start a five game campaign at 7 p.m. tonight on Victor E. Court against Toledo (11-7, 4-2) and will face off against rival Ball State (10-6, 4-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Outside hitter Laura Baetzel agrees with Beisel that Homecoming is a welcome change of pace for the team.

Baetzel also sees the homestand as a time for the Huskies’ to make an important statement.

“We’ve been on the road for the past couple of weeks, and those are hard matches,” Baetzel said. “When you’re at home you have to fight and take those matches.”

The Huskies hope for a large attendance at both games this weekend.

In particular, they hope Saturday night will be packed. A ticket from the NIU vs. Eastern Michigan football game will allow anyone into the volleyball game for free.

“We want to have a bunch of folks come out to the game,” coach Ray Gooden said.

Baetzel and Beisel agree it would be great to have large crowds at this weekend’s games because it would give the Huskies’ an advantage over the competition.

“It’s more intimidating for the other team to play us when we have a large crowd,” Beisel said.

The team knows in order to be successful this weekend it will have to rely on more than a large crowd.

Baetzel believes there are other decisive elements that need to come together for the team to be successful.

“We’ve been trying to touch the ball more on the block,” the sophomore said. “By getting more touches we give our defense the ability to run the ball down.”

– By Ben Gross