After being eliminated from Mid-American Conference tournament contention last Friday, NIU women’s soccer coach Frank Horvat said the team is playing for pure pride in the last week of the season.

He also said the team’s character, heart and determination are going to have to stand forward.

The Huskies (3-11-1) finish this week with two Big Ten opponents starting with Northwestern this afternoon.

“There’s definitely a significance every time you play a Big Ten school and your school is located in the heart of four Big Ten schools,” Horvat said.

Although the Huskies didn’t play the Wildcats (6-9-1) last year, Horvat says they are an improved team this year and pointed out that they will be competing in the Big Ten tournament.

“This is their last tune-up game before they get into that,” Horvat said. “I expect them to come in here and not look past us.”

Senior Jane Mucci and sophomore Katie Klaas say it would mean a lot if the team can beat the Wildcats or Illinois on Friday.

“It would be great,” Mucci said. “We’re not expected to win so we really have nothing to lose.”

The Huskies and Wildcats have split the four games they have played, with the Wildcats winning the last two.

On Sunday, Mucci scored her 70th NIU point, making her only the third player in the program’s history to do so. She is now third on NIU’s all-time point list and four points away from surpassing former teammate Allison Wade for second all-time.