Fresh off his team’s 5-1 loss against No. 1 Akron Friday and lacking ideal field conditions, NIU men’s soccer coach Steve Simmons knew Sunday’s game wasn’t going to be easy.

“We knew it’d be a challenge,” Simmons said. “But we responded. We had enough guys committed to get the result.”

The Huskies (10-4-2 overall, 3-1-0 MAC) defeated No. 20 Buffalo (12-3-1. 2-2-1) Sunday 1-0 while battling the rain. The lone goal came on a header by sophomore Chris Rufa off freshman Bryan Abdallah’s assist.

“We played well,” Buffalo coach John Astudillo said. “Northern was sharper today. They played harder.”

The win puts NIU in the position to get the No. 2 seed in the MAC tournament and receive a first-round bye.

Senior goalkeeper Steve Goletz knew the game was important.

“It was a big win,” Goletz said. “We responded from Akron. [This win] gives us more confidence.”

The first-round bye would mean as much to both player and coach.

“The first-round bye means everything for us,” Goletz said. “In the MAC, anything can happen.”

Simmons agreed and also knows about MAC tournament history.

“In the last three years, the No. 1 seed hasn’t made the championship,” Simmons said. “[The first-round bye] puts us a game away from the championship.”

The bye would also mark the first time in five years NIU has gotten past the first round of the MAC tournament.

“We haven’t gotten past the first round of the tournament,” said Goletz about his and his teammates’ soccer careers. “It’s something the seniors are shooting for and the younger guys are on board.”