With three MAC games left on the schedule, the NIU women’s soccer team controls its own destiny.

The Huskies (5-3-5 overall, 2-2-5 MAC) can guarantee themselves a spot in the MAC tournament if they sweep their three remaining conference matches.

“It’s still in our hands,” NIU coach Frank Horvat said. “It’s one game at a time and [Akron] is most important right now.”

NIU hosts Akron (3-9, 1-7), who has scored just six goals in 12 matches on the season, at 2:30 p.m. today at Huskie Soccer Field.

“We can’t take anyone lightly,” Horvat said. “They don’t have the record they had last year, but they can gain confidence and be tough.”

With their win over Buffalo on Sunday, the Huskies now own eighth place in the MAC with a one-point lead over Toledo in the standings and will look to make their first MAC championship appearance since 1999.

“I’ve never made it to the tournament in my career here,” said NIU’s lone senior, Jamie Figura. “It’s a big deal to me because I’ve seen other teams get in. It would be fun, and I think I can step it up a little more than I have been.”

NIU will close out its home schedule at 1 p.m. Sunday with a non-conference matchup against Centenary College (9-4-1).

Centenary College had been on a four-game winning streak before losing to Oral Roberts Wednesday.

“We need to take care of business,” Horvat said. “We will look to our upperclassmen and we need Carrie [Dvorak] to do a solid job.

“It’s Homecoming weekend and we have to go on the road after this, so we should be fired up.”

Note: With last week’s tie against Kent State, the Huskies tied the NCAA record for most ties in a season with five. They previously had six ties in their entire 11-year history.