Women's Soccer | October 18

DEKALB, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University women's soccer team has won four of their last five matches as only three matches remain, beginning with the final home match of the regular season on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 19, against Ball State. The Huskies are 6-6-3 overall, and 4-3-1 in Mid-American Conference play.
 
Before MAC play started, head coach Michael O'Neill said that the team's goal should be getting a top-six place in the MAC and entry into the conference tournament.
 
"We have put ourselves in a good position I believe," O'Neill said. "We're right in the mix in terms of postseason opportunities, I think this is a deserving position. This is right where we should be. But we have to finish it out and continue to take each game on its merit to give ourselves the best possible chance of achieving this goal and get into get into the MAC playoffs for the first time in a long time."
 
Just six of the conference's 12 teams will play in the conference tournament and the Huskies are currently in fifth place. NIU is currently tied with Toledo for fifth with 13 points, one point ahead of Buffalo who is in seventh place.
 
Following their final home match of the season against Ball State, NIU will head on the road to face Central Michigan and Bowling Green next week.
 
Ball State is in first place in the MAC and Bowling Green is in third, while CMU is in ninth.
 
"All MAC games are tough," O'Neill said. "I've been in the in the conference long enough to know that even Central Michigan in ninth still poses a massive threat to us when we play them next weekend. Bowling Green and Ball State are two of the top teams. We're coming off a good win against one of the top teams in Kent State. That win should let the team know that we are more than capable of getting a result against these two teams. At the end of the day, we need to worry about ourselves and NIU soccer, that will give us the best possible chance at taking points on those teams."
 
NIU are led in scoring in 2023 by Lea Gruennagel, Sahara Zingano, Tyra King and Isabel Struble with two goals each. Six other Huskies have scored one goal so far this season.
 
Sadie McGill has played over 1300 minutes in goal and has allowed just 15 goals while making 50 saves.
McGill has also recorded six clean sheets.  
 
"Our top goal scorer has two goals," O'Neill said. "We have 10 different goal scorers throughout the year. So, it has definitely been by committee in the attacking third. The defense has kept us in games this season and allowed us to win with the shutouts so far. I don't think about any area, it has been a team performance to get us this far and it will remain the same way in order to get us over the line."
 
The Huskies will kick off at 1 p.m. at the NIU Soccer Complex on Thursday, October 19 in the final home match of the 2023 regular season against Ball State. Admission to NIU soccer is free of charge.
 
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