Winning streaks and timely goals have brought the NIU men’s soccer team to first place in the MAC.

With its best record since 1999, NIU (9-4 overall, 3-0-1 MAC) will host Valparaiso at noon today at Huskie Soccer Field before taking a nine-hour bus trip for a 2 p.m. match Sunday at Buffalo.

The Huskies will defend a six-game home winning streak against Horizon League opponent Valpo (3-5-3).

NIU coach Steve Simmons said players who normally don’t play will see time, but he doesn’t want to lose any of the momentum the team has.

“Any time you can establish momentum, you want to keep it,” Simmons said. “If things are coming around and we can get players time, that’s great. But we’re still going to get after it.”

Valpo brings 10 players to DeKalb who have scored goals, but sophomore Jon Brighton is the only player with more than one goal, notching five this season.

NIU has 11 players who have cracked the scoreboard. It’s led by freshmen Curt Zastrow and Fraser Gibson’s five goals. Last year, junior Tony Deldin led the team with three goals but has not scored this season.

Gibson, the MAC men’s soccer Player of the Week, scored his fifth goal of the year Sunday in NIU’s 1-0 win over Kentucky, marking UK’s first loss to a non-Top 25 team this season and its third home conference loss since joining the MAC in soccer in 1995.

If the Huskies defeat Buffalo (7-4-1, 1-2) Sunday, they then will be the MAC’s regular season champion – if they top Akron Oct. 24.

Buffalo takes on Cleveland State today before heading home to host NIU. The team is coming off its first MAC win in two years after beating Bowling Green 2-1 in overtime Sunday.