Women's Soccer | September 22
DEKALB, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University women's soccer team will have their Mid-American Conference home opener on Sunday, Sept. 24 when they'll take on Toledo. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and admission to all Huskie soccer games is free of charge.
Due to a cheerleading competition taking place at the Convocation Center on Sunday, fans attending the NIU Soccer game are asked to park in Lot PS (parking map), directly north of the NIU Soccer Complex.
This Sunday's match is taking place during NIU Family Weekend and is also Alumni Day for the NIU women's soccer program. All Huskie women's soccer alums, including the 1998 MAC Championship team, will be honored during the match against Toledo.
"We have to improve off of yesterday's game and come home and defend our own turf," NIU head coach
Michael O'Neill said. "With it being alumni weekend for women's soccer, we want to put on a good performance for the alums in attendance. We're also recognizing the 1998 team, the last ever MAC champion from NIU, 25 years ago."
NIU (2-4-2, 0-1) opened their conference play with a road defeat to Western Michigan on Thursday, Sept. 21. Toledo also dropped their conference opener on Thursday as they fell to Bowling Green 2-0 in Toledo.
"Last year for me was a learning experience in terms of what the MAC is, you hear about what the MAC is, but seeing it live you can see how competitive the conference is," said O'Neill. "The MAC has probably gotten tougher and more competitive this season. We would love to build on the three conference wins from last season and the goal is to find a way to get into the top six and get into the postseason."
The Huskies are led this season in goals by freshman Isabel Strubel with two and in assists by
Lea Gruennagel who has one goal and two assists this season. Redshirt senior goalkeeper
Sadie McGill is allowing just 1.03 goals per match and holds three clean sheets on the year.
Toledo enters the match with an overall record of 3-4-1 and 0-1 in MAC play. The Rockets have scored in seven of their eight matches in 2023 with the 2-0 loss on Thursday to Bowling Green being the lone shutout.
"We have to take care of each match one at a time, and we expect to be the best possible versions of ourselves every time we step on the field," O'Neill said.
NIU will face each of their 11 MAC opponents one time during conference play, with the regular season wrapping up on Oct. 26 at Bowling Green.
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