DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team returns home on Saturday, Sept. 18, when it hosts Western Illinois. Kickoff against the Leathernecks is slated for 5 p.m. at the NIU Soccer Complex. The Huskies will then begin a three-match road swing on Tuesday, Sept. 21, when it travels to Bridgeview, Ill., to face Chicago State.

Saturday's home contest is Camper Appreciation Day, all 2021 NIU Soccer Campers are invited to attend the match and be recognized. 

The Huskies have won four-straight games dating back to a 4-0 victory over St. Thomas (Minn.) on Sept. 4, since that match NIU is outscoring its opponents, 16-1. Anthony Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) and Nick Markanich (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) have both scored in each of those four matches. Nick Markanich currently has six goals, which is tied for the national lead, Anthony Markanich is tied for 23rd nationally with four goals. 

Enrique Banuelos (Mexico City, Mexico/Virginia) has tallied assists in each of the last four games and has five for the season, currently tied for tops in the country. Huskie goalkeeper Martin Sanchez (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) has three shutouts in the last four matches and four overall for the season, tied for second-most nationally behind San Diego State's Jacob Castro.  

NIU is tied for fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 2.83 goals per game

"We are pretty early in the season still, we are about a third of the way through and there are a lot of big games coming up, starting with tomorrow but also conference right around the corner," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "There are a lot of guys battling to get in, there is competition for lots of places. We are focusing on that and treating every game and every opponent with respect. Hopefully that is enough for the guys to remain sharp, they certainly seem to be at training."

Western Illinois comes to DeKalb on Saturday in search of its first victory of the season. Last time out, the Leathernecks dropped a 3-0 decision last Saturday (Sept. 11) at Loyola-Chicago. Alex Flowers and Seanan Main have split time in goal for Western Illinois, Flowers has played in three matches with a 1.33 goals against average and a .692 save percentage while Main has a .615 save percentage with a 2.50 goals against average. 

NIU has won six-straight games against Western Illinois, including a 2-1 overtime win the last time the two teams met on Sept. 28, 2019, on a 98th minute goal from Nick Markanich. 

The Cougars of Chicago State have a 2-3-1 overall record with victories over Northwestern and Green Bay earlier this season. Chicago State is coming off a 2-1 setback at Michigan on Monday (Sept. 13). Enrique Zamora is the leading scorer for the Cougars with three goals, Joe Bowles has played all six matches in goal, posting a 0.79 goals against average and a .793 save percentage. 

Chicago State is playing its first full season since the program was reinstated, last spring the Cougars played three matches as the program returned for the first time in 30 years. 

"Whenever you have these intrastate rivalries there is an edge to them," Swan said of NIU's next two games. "You know there is going to be a little extra fight, we know Western and Chicago State really well, those are guys we have seen on the recruiting trail, but it is about staying focused on what we are doing and not being too concerned about the opponent."

Tuesday's match against Chicago State begins a three-match road trip for the Huskies which includes trips to Green Bay (Sept. 25) and Western Michigan (Oct. 2).