DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team brings its seven-match win streak into conference play on Saturday, Oct. 2, when the Huskies open their league slate at Western Michigan. Kickoff in Kalamazoo is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT.

NIU wrapped a perfect month of September with a 1-0 win at Green Bay last time out (Sept. 25). Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) scored the lone goal in the victory over the Phoenix, his seventh consecutive game with a goal, setting a new school record. Markanich is tied for the national lead with 11 goals and is second nationally with 23 points. 

The shutout against Green Bay was NIU's seventh of the season, the sixth by goalkeeper Martin Sanchez (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) who is tied for second in the country in shutouts. Sanchez also has a 0.38 goals against average and .842 save percentage. The Huskies have not conceded a goal in their last 501:33 of game time. 

NIU is averaging 3.00 goals per game, tied with UCF for the national lead, the Huskies also have the largest goal differential in the country at +24. It's current seven-match win streak is the longest for NIU since the late 1960's, when the Huskies won 10-straight between 1968 and 1969. It is also tied for the fourth-longest in the country with Georgetown and Loyola Marymount, trailing only New Hampshire (10), Tulsa (8) and Washington (8). 

For the second consecutive week, the Huskies have received votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll, NIU is also ranked seventh in the United Soccer Coaches North Region rankings. 

Western Michigan brings a 2-3-4 overall mark into Saturday's conference opener, with three of its last four games resulting in 1-1 draws. Dylan Sing has a team-high four goals for the Broncos while Max Keenan has added three goals. Isaac Walker leads Western Michigan in goal, having played in seven matches with a 0.51 goals against average and a .871 save percentage. 

Last season, the MAC played a double round-robin in league play and the Huskies and Broncos split their two meetings. NIU won in DeKalb, 3-2, on March 17, while Western Michigan won in Kalamazoo, 3-1, on March 28. 

Following Saturday's game, NIU will get set for its conference home opener on Saturday, Oct. 9 when the Huskies host third-ranked West Virginia.