DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's soccer team will host its 2019 home opener on Friday, August 30, as it welcomes Louisiana-Lafayette to the NIU Soccer Complex. Kickoff between the Huskies and Ragin' Cajuns is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Free pizza, courtesy of Vinny's Pizza, will be provided to the first 100 NIU students showing their OneCard and admission to all NIU Soccer matches is free of charge.

NIU opened the season with a 3-1 setback last Sunday (Aug. 25) at Milwaukee, the defending Horizon League champions. Sophomore Trudy Quidzinski (Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy) scored from the penalty spot for the Huskies while sophomore Julia Lentz (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) made three saves in goal. 

Louisiana-Lafayette comes north still searching for its first victory of the season after dropping matches to Texas-San Antonio and Lamar last weekend. Karleen Bedre scored the lone goal last weekend for the Ragin' Cajuns while Mackenzie Lee played both matches in goal, making nine saves. 

Friday's match is the second all-time meeting between the Huskies and Ragin' Cajuns; the two schools met on September 13, 2015 in Waco, Texas, a 2-1 Louisiana-Lafayette victory. 

Following Friday's contest, the Huskies will return to the road for a pair of matches next weekend as they travel to Illinois State on Friday, September 6 and Western Illinois on Sunday, September 8.