The NIU women’s soccer team fell to 0-3 in MAC play with two losses this weekend, one to Ball State and one to Miami-Ohio.

Friday’s game against the Ball State (4-2-1, 2-0-0 MAC), the coaches’ preseason favorite to win the MAC, began with a goal by Huskies senior Jill Heikkila. The goal, scored after 17:48 in the first half, marked Heikkila’s second of the season for the Huskies (1-6-0, 0-3-0).

The Cardinals added a goal with 31:40 gone in the first half, sending both teams into second-half play with the score tied 1-1.

In the second half, Ball State freshman Amy Holst scored, putting the Cardinals up 2-1, good enough for the win.

“We played like we did against Creighton,” NIU coach Frank Horvat said of his team’s win last Friday. “The only negative aspect was the result. This was a winnable game and we let it go by. We didn’t get the result we needed today, but if we continue to play like this we will win games in the MAC.”

The Huskies lost 5-1 Sunday to defending MAC Tournament Champion Miami-Ohio (3-3-1, 2-1-0).

The Red Hawks’ Ashley Swinehart scored a hat trick in the first half, giving her team more than enough offensive cushioning for the win. Swinehart’s three goals added to her six total goals scored over the weekend.

“[Swinehart] took advantage of her opportunities today,” Horvat said. “They had four really nice goals today. Miami got on the end of some good services and we broke down in our marking.”

NIU’s Maggie Nowicki scored the Huskies’ lone goal in the first half by heading a Denise Papke corner kick into the net.

The Huskies have yet to win a match away from home.