DEKALB, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team will play its final non-conference game on Tuesday, Oct. 3, when the Huskies host Valparaiso. Kickoff against the Crusaders is set for 7 p.m. 

The Huskies have been off since last Tuesday, Sept. 26, when they suffered a 3-1 defeat at UIC. Sophomore Jan Maertins (Rheinfelden, Germany/Georg-Buechner Gym) scored his team-best fourth goal of the season against the Flames; Maertins is tied for second in the Mid-American Conference in goals scored. 

Sophomore goalkeeper Konrad Dziedzic (Schiller Park, Ill./East Leyden) has played each of the last four matches in goal for NIU (3-6) and has made 18 total saves this season with a .600 save percentage.

Tuesday's match offers a final opportunity for the Huskies to take the field before beginning league play this weekend and head coach Ryan Swan is looking for improvement from his team before opening the five-game MAC slate.

"As we look ahead to conference play, there are a few things we need to clean up from the last few games, as this is our last chance to get out there and try a few things as we prepare for West Virginia," said Swan.

Valparaiso enters Tuesday night with a 4-5-1 record and is coming off a 1-0 defeat at Missouri State this past Saturday (Sept. 30). Rafael Mentzingen leads Valparaiso with three goals while Adan Garcia paces the Crusader attack with seven points (two goals, three assists). Nacho Miras has played nine of 10 matches in goal for Valparaiso, he has a 1.38 goals against average and a .735 save percentage. 

NIU leads the all-time series against Valparaiso, 11-1, but this will be the first meeting between the two teams since Oct. 17, 2012, when the Crusaders earned a 2-1 home victory over the Huskies in a driving rain storm. 

Following Tuesday's contest, the Huskies will open MAC play when they travel to West Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 7. Game time against the Mountaineers is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.