Even its best effort was not enough for the NIU men’s soccer team to get its third win of the season.

The Huskies Bernard Hagevik had three shots on net for NIU (2-11-2, 1-3-0 MAC) before Akron managed to get one shot off in NIU’s 1-0 loss on Friday. The Zips (10-3-1, 5-0-0) didn’t allow a shot on goal in their previous two games.

“This was our best game yet this year,” NIU coach Steve Simmons said. “We hit the post, we hit the crossbar, everything but putting the ball in the net.”

Akron’s Yohann Mauger scored his first goal of the season with 21:58 left in the first half for Akron, No. 12 in the nation according to Soccer America.

NIU freshman goalkeeper Matt Corcoran could not hold onto a shot by Akron’s Alex Odwell and Mauger converted off the rebound. Corcoran had five saves in the game.

“We just lacked the finish,” Simmons said. “But we left [Akron] thinking tonight.”

The Huskies outshot their opponent five to two Sunday, but were held scoreless for the fifth time in six games in a 1-0 loss to Western Michigan.

WMU’s Giusseppe Ianni scored his fourth goal of the season off a header past Corcoran at the 15:59 mark of the first half.

Senior defender Jason Sullivan and the NIU defense shut down WMU’s top-scorer Jeff Hughes, who has 12 goals on the season – one less than NIU has scored as a team this year.

“It’s the same song and dance,” Simmons said. “But the attackers didn’t get the job done. They did everything we needed, except for the one goal.”