Winning four of its last five games, the NIU men’s soccer team has a chance to extend its three-game winning streak this weekend.

The Huskies (4-3) stay home for both contests. The first game begins at noon on Friday as NIU welcomes Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne. NIU then begins MAC play with a 1 p.m. Sunday showdown against Western Michigan.

IPFW (5-3) has scored 20 goals on the season, with 18 coming in its five wins. Its offense will go against NIU’s goalkeeper Brent Hartman.

Hartman, a junior transfer, leads the MAC with his .842 save percentage in the absence of Steve Goletz, who was out one week with a contusion in his right knee.

Goletz, who started the season as the No. 1 goalkeeper, began working out with the team this week, said Coach Steve Simmons. However, Hartman will remain in the net as NIU is 3-0 when the Pennsylvania native starts.

“It’s been great being able to train with three keepers again,” Simmons said. “We’ve been able to get more done in practice.”

After one day of rest, NIU then welcomes Western Michigan to DeKalb. The Broncos will have had six days to prepare for their second MAC contest, losing their first to Kentucky, 3-0.

The Huskies lost 1-0 to WMU last season. This year the Broncos come in at 1-4, having scored two goals in the season.

NIU has notched 11 goals this year and are led by sophomore Justin McGrane’s five points.

Simmons said his players approached him in the locker room and told the second-year coach they realize the importance of their MAC games.

“We have enough guys that have been around the block to know how important MAC play is,” Simmons said. “But Western will be telling their players it’s a new season, and they’ll be ready to go as well.”