NIU women’s soccer coach Frank Horvat hoped his team would add another win to its record with a pair of games against MAC Tournament-bound teams this weekend.

The Huskies (3-14-1, 1-10-1 MAC) fell short, getting shut out 2-0 by Central Michigan on Friday and losing to Eastern Michigan 2-1 Sunday.

Central Michigan (8-6-2, 6-4-1 MAC) came to Huskie Soccer Field on Friday needing a win to enter the MAC Tournament over several competing teams.

“There were times early when we played well and found our forwards to exploit some things,” Horvat said.

Jacquie Lacek scored two goals in the first half for CMU, who out shot the Huskies 28-6. With 16:23 gone in the first half, NIU’s defense tried to clear a ball out of the penalty box, but CMU’s Ashleigh Burke intercepted the kick and passed to Lacek, whose shot beat NIU goalkeeper Leigh Steigerwald.

“The first goal was a bit of a fluke, with a missed clearing that just happens to go right to their player standing in the right spot,” Horvat said. “That’s just one of those things that happens when you’ve had the kind of season we have.”

Lacek added another goal 14 minutes later on a breakaway pass.

Eastern Michigan’s win over NIU on Sunday gave the Eagles a share of the conference championship with Kent State and the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament.

Like CMU, EMU (9-7-3, 8-2-2 MAC) had a striker score two goals. Cyndi Mullins scored with 12:32 gone, and added another later in the second half.

Just after Mullin’s second goal, Christie Ehrhardt scored on an open net for her second goal of the season. EMU’s goalkeeper deflected a shot which NIU’s Katie Klaas passed to an open Ehrhardt, putting the Huskies within a goal.

Eastern Michigan’s two goals proved enough, however, as NIU’s close scoring attempts failed.

“We did everything we needed to do, but we were just unlucky in a couple of areas today,” Horvat said. “We were working very hard, but the breaks didn’t go our way.”