DEKALB – The NIU women's soccer team (3-3-1) will begin Mid-American Conference play as they take on Akron (1-6-1) Friday at 6:00 p.m. CT and Buffalo (2-4-1) on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. on the road. The Huskies finished their non-conference schedule with a record of 3-3-1, the program's best non-conference record since the 2012 season, Head Coach John Ross' first season with the program.
 
Last season, the Huskies played both the Zips and the Bulls to a 0-0 draw at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex during the 2016 season. Akron's lone win came against Green Bay on Aug. 20 by a score a 3-0, the same score NIU beat Green Bay by, and Buffalo has wins against Youngstown State and St. Bonaventure.
 
The Huskies have both scored and given up eight goals on the season with NIU opponents taking 24 more shots and six more shots on goal. NIU has 12 players who have recorded a point this season, already more than the Huskies had in 2016 (11).
 
NIU goalkeeper Amy Annala (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) has made 28 saves so far in 2017 to put her at 296 career saves. With her 296 saves, Annala is seventh on the NCAA active career saves leader list and she is four saves away from becoming the third NIU keeper to reach 300 saves in program history.
 
Akron has scored six goals so far this year and has given up 15 with the Zips leading goal scorer Ashley Amato scoring two in only three games played. Zips goalkeeper Amani Jiu has played all but 25 minutes this season allowing 14 goals for a 1.72 goals against average and a .720 save percentage.
 
Buffalo's offense has been more efficient scoring 12 goals and allowing 10 to their opponents with Carissima Cutrona leading the way for the Bulls with nine points on three goals and three assists. Laura Dougall has played every minute in net for the Bulls with a 1.36 goals against average and a .796 save percentage.
 
After this weekend, the Huskies will return home for three MAC matches against Toledo on Friday Sept. 29, Bowling Green on Sunday Oct. 1 and Miami (Ohio) on Thursday Oct. 5. NIU women's soccer is looking for an improved MAC season after their tournament run to the Championship game in 2016.