BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Northern Illinois University women's soccer team fell, 1-0, at Bowling Green on Thursday, October 26, in the regular season finale, as the team went down to ten players after a 31^st minute red card.
 
Despite the result of Thursday's contest, NIU has qualified for its first Mid-American Conference Tournament since 2017 and will be seeded fifth. The Huskies will travel to fourth-seeded Kent State on Sunday, October 29, for the quarterfinals, kickoff will be at 12 p.m. CT.
 
"It's a new season now and a fresh start for everyone that was fortunate enough to earn a spot," NIU head coach Michael O'Neill said. "We're going to take each day on its merits and while we know we beat Kent; we know we can't be complacent. We have to up our levels and our performance to give ourselves a chance. It's an exciting time and I know the girls will be ready for it."
 
The match started back-and-forth between the Huskies and the Falcons but remained scoreless in the early parts of the first half.
 
Redshirt senior goalkeeper Sadie McGill (Fort Worth, Texas / L.D. Bell) made six saves and allowed just one goal on the day.
 
The NIU defense finishes the regular season with the second fewest goals they've ever allowed at just 16. Only the 2007 team, which allowed 15 goals over the course of the regular season, has allowed fewer.
 
"What an effort we've had defensively from the girls this year," O'Neill said. "Sadie's specifically as well as the center defenders and the midfielders in front of the back line, they were great today again.  We will need that defense as we come into postseason play."
 
NIU (8-7-3, 6-4-1 MAC) forced four shots on goal as BGSU (9-5-2, 7-1-2 MAC) played two goalkeepers an even 45 minutes and they both made two saves.
 
"I'm frustrated with the results, but the girls really worked hard to play 10 against 11 for the amount of time that we did against second best team in the conference," O'Neill said. "We did really well you to limit them to very few clear-cut chances and we were quite dangerous going forward."
 
In the 14^th minute, the Falcons had a breakaway opportunity, but McGill was able to step up and make the save.
 
The Huskies countered and in the 19^th minute freshman Tyra King (Naperville, Ill. Matea Valley) got into the box and ripped a curling ball past the Falcon goalkeeper and right off the inside of the goalpost. BGSU was able to get on the ball and clear away the danger.
 
After the red card, Bowling Green got on the board in the 41^st minute with a goal from Emma Stransky.
 
In the second half the Huskies played strong defense and kept the deficit at just one but were unable to even up the match.
 
Sunday's MAC Tournament matchup at Kent State will be the second time NIU has travelled to Kent, Ohio this season. The Huskies topped the Golden Flashes, 2-1, on October 15.

 
2023 Mid-American Conference Women's Soccer Tournament 
Quarterfinals
Sunday, October 29
Game 1 -- No. 4 Kent State vs. No. 5 Northern Illinois, 1PM ET
Game 2 -- No. 3 Ball State vs. No. 6 Ohio, 1PM ET
 
Semifinals
Thursday, November 2 (in Kalamazoo, Mich.)
Game 3 -- No. 2 Bowling Green vs. Game 1 Winner, 11AM ET
Game 4 -- No. 1 Western Michigan vs. Game 2 Winner, 3PM ET 
 
Championship Game
Sunday, November 5 (in Kalamazoo, Mich.)
Game 5 -- Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, 1PM ET
 
- NIU -