It’s make or break this weekend for the NIU women’s soccer team.

The task is simple for the Huskies (6-4-5 overall, 3-1-5 MAC): Win both games and get a bid to the MAC championships for the first time since 1999, or go home.

The Huskies first will travel to Bowling Green (4-9-1, 2-4-1) for a 3 p.m. matchup today. They then will make the 25-mile trip to Toledo (6-6-3, 3-4-2), where they will wrap up their regular season schedule at 1 p.m. Sunday.

“I think we are in a perfect position right now,” NIU coach Frank Horvat said. “We control our own destiny and we have had some success on the road, so we are pretty confident.”

Against Bowling Green, the Huskies will face the task of shutting down Kristy Coppes, who is tied for the MAC lead in goals scored with 13, also a team record. The Huskies’ leading goal-scorer is freshman midfielder Beth Matus, with four.

“We are really psyched knowing that we can make the tournament,” Matus said. “We are ready to knock out these two games.”

There are nine teams left that are competing for only six remaining spots in the tournament – making the race wide open – and the Huskies stand in seventh place, but they are just one point ahead of eighth-place Miami.

Toledo is in the ninth position and only trails the Huskies by three points. Both Toledo and Bowling Green also can clinch a tournament spot if they win all of their remaining games.

“We are really looking forward to this weekend,” Horvat said. “We have played very consistent, solid defense and stayed on top. This is an opportunity for us to step-up and show what we can do.”

The tournament field will be finalized when the MAC season concludes with a matchup between Eastern Michigan and Miami Oct. 29.