DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's soccer team closes the non-conference portion of its schedule this weekend as the Huskies face Marquette and South Dakota State. NIU travels north to Milwaukee to meet Marquette on Friday, September 20, at 5 p.m., before welcoming South Dakota State to the NIU Soccer Complex on Sunday afternoon, September 22, at 1 p.m. 

Sunday's home game will be Diversity and Inclusion Day and the first 50 fans will also receive a free pair of NIU sunglasses. Admission for all NIU Soccer game is free of charge. 

NIU is coming off a 2-0 setback last Sunday (Sept. 15) against Loyola Chicago, the defending champions of the Missouri Valley Conference. Junior goalkeeper Megan Donnally (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) made her first appearance of the season against the Ramblers, stopping four shots in the contest. 

Marquette comes into Friday's match with a 2-5 overall record after falling at Milwaukee last Sunday (Sept. 15), 1-0 in double overtime. Three different Golden Eagles have scored this season, with Josie Kelderman netting the game-winner against Minnesota and Kylie Sprecher scoring the game-winning goal against Michigan. Maddy Henry has played all seven matches in goal for Marquette, she has a 1.36 goals against average and a .818 save percentage. 

Friday's contest is the first between the Huskies and Golden Eagles since 2000, when Marquette earned a 2-1 victory in DeKalb (Sept. 26, 2000). 

South Dakota State enters the weekend with a 5-3 overall record, the Jackrabbits are on a three-game win streak having toppled Hawaii, Eastern Washington and Minnesota. Leah Manuleleua leads South Dakota State with five goals, including four game-winners. Maggie Smither has appeared in all eight matches in goal for the Jackrabbits, she has a 0.52 goals against average and a .922 save percentage. South Dakota State will visit Northern Iowa on Friday (Sept. 20) before coming to DeKalb on Sunday. 

The Jackrabbits have won all three previous meetings against the Huskies, including a 2-1 win over NIU in the last meeting in Brookings, S.D. (Sept. 8, 2013).  

Sunday's match will begin a three-game homestand for the Huskies as conference play opens at home against Ohio on Friday, September 27 and Kent State on Sunday, September 29.