DEKALB – The NIU women's soccer team (2-4-2, 1-0 MAC) defeated Central Michigan (8-1, 0-1 MAC), 4-0, Friday night in its Mid-American Conference opener at the NIU Soccer Complex.
 
The Huskies opened up the scoring in the 14th minute as Taylor Sarver (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) got behind the CMU defense to slide the ball past keeper Kristen Knutsen.
 
"I felt like it was important to use my speed even if I just came close and didn't score, it would have helped get us pumped and energized," Sarver said.
 
Sarver also notched the second goal for NIU in the 21st minute, once again outrunning the defense to the ball.
 
"They were putting a lot of pressure on us and for us to get that first goal early definitely helped," Head Coach John Ross said. "When we got the second goal they had to come out of what they wanted to do, which opened up some other things for us."
 
NIU added a third goal before the half as freshman Abby Gregg (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East) took a long, high bouncing pass between two defenders and chipped it over Knutsen in the 37th minute.
 
Central Michigan took five shots in the first half and had three corner kicks but only forced NIU keeper Amy Annala (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) to make one save as she registered her fourth shutout of the season.
 
The Huskies fourth goal came during the second half in the 52nd as Sammy O'Brien (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) used a flip throw-in to send the ball into the box, where Natalie Yass (Waukesha Wis./Waukesha West) flicked with her head to Allie Ingham (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove), who finished the ball in the net.
 
CMU outshot NIU, 11-8, but all eight of the Huskies' shots were on goal compared to three from the Chippewas as the NIU defense limited scoring opportunities.
 
"We were just very organized," Ross said. "Our players defended really well one-on-one, they were willing to sacrifice their bodies to block shots, to win headers and to get back quickly to have numbers."
 
NIU's next match will be Sunday as they host the Eastern Michigan at 2 p.m. Central.