The NIU Soccer Practice Field will be buzzing this afternoon as the Huskies kick off against the University of Wisconsin at 4 p.m.

NIU will have its hands full as the Badgers have a five-game unbeaten streak (4-0-1) on the line. The 1-7-1 Huskies will be looking for their first victory since Sept. 18 when they defeated Loyola in overtime 2-1 at the practice field.

Wisconsin got off to a slow start at 1-5-0, but since then the defending Big Ten Conference champions have been on a tear. The Badgers are trying to prove that they still are for real after making the NCAA Tournament last season.

They will throw a balanced attack at the Huskies, led by Travis Roy (no relation to NIU’s Roy family) with nine points.

NIU coach Willy Roy will be looking to get his team out of its season-long slump after another disappointing loss last Sunday. The Huskies were shut out 1-0 by the University of Illinois-Chicago Flames on a fluke goal.

“Our team fought hard and lost,” Roy said of the effort displayed by his Huskies.

“We are the only ones to get us out of this mess,” he continued. “We put ourselves into this hole and we have to get out.”

The players are ready to crawl back into the win column as they are getting tired of losing. The intensity of the team is getting better, but as tri-captain Dave Weichman put it, “No one knows for sure” why this team is struggling like it is.

Part of the reason is the schedule. The team plays five matches against teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season.

“We’re not going to change the schedule,” Roy said. It may appear to be hurting the team now but “in the long run it will help.”

With scoring only eight goals in nine matches this season, the Huskies are anxious to score, maybe too anxious. Too many scoring opportunities are being squandered by over-excited players.

Coach Roy called it “self-inflicted pressure” that was hindering the team’s shooting. They have to “get over our nervousness.” How? The answer seems simple enough. “Score a goal or set up a goal,” Roy added.

Sounds easy. We will find out this afternoon.