The NIU women’s soccer team was faced with a bittersweet weekend.

Heading to Buffalo on Sunday for the MAC opener against the Bulls, the Huskies hoped to ride momentum gained from their 1-0 overtime win over Creighton on Friday at the Huskie Soccer Field.

Momentum didn’t prove to be enough, as Buffalo topped NIU 4-0.

After the win against Creighton (1-3-2), an expression of relief swept over the Huskies’ faces.

NIU topped the defending Missouri Valley Conference Champion Creighton 1-0 in overtime for its first win.

With the game remaining scoreless after 90 minutes of regulation play, both teams faced sudden-death play in a new overtime format for the NCAA.

In the new rule, play continues into two sudden-death overtime periods of 10 minutes, and the first team to score is the winner.

NIU freshman defender Elaine Eliadis got a breakaway attempt after a long pass from senior Jill Heikkila and landed the ball into the top left corner of the net

The goal, scored 5:33 into the first overtime, gave the Huskies the win.

“We got a good opportunity in overtime,” NIU coach Frank Horvat said. “[Eliadis] stuck the ball extremely well.”

The goal not only broke the pressure for NIU with its first win, but for Eliadis, who scored the first goal of her collegiate career.

“The momentum is really going our way,” Eliadis said. “It’s the first win that’s the icebreaker, and it’s still the beginning of the season. This team has really got potential.”

Creighton, which reached the NCAA Tournament last year, just came off its first win against Iowa on Sept. 7. The Blue Jays were preseason favorites to win the Missouri Valley Conference.

“We’re doing a lot of the little things right,” said Horvat, after Friday’s game. “When you do the little things, big things happen.”

Buffalo, now enjoying a five-game winning streak against the Huskies, outshot NIU 24-6.