The NIU men’s soccer team currently boasts a 5-7-4 season record. It is 1-2-1 in the MAC, with hopes of a regular-season conference championship gone.

Though it would seem like the Huskies have nothing left to play for, the opposite is true.

NIU concludes its MAC schedule today at Bowling Green, with the winner most likely to host a play-in game in the MAC Tournament. Coach Steve Simmons said defeating the Falcons and earning home-field advantage is important.

“It’s a big deal. We have a lot to play for,” Simmons said. “Tomorrow’s game will have a bearing on the conference tourney.”

With a win today, the Huskies would be guaranteed no lower than fourth place in the conference. And a good showing against Bowling Green would be welcome after the team’s 3-0 loss at Hartwick last Sunday.

“That was a very uncharacteristic loss,” Simmons said. “Our first-half performance was okay. In the second half they cranked it up a notch and we didn’t match them.”

The Huskies’ match should be competitive because the Falcons are playing for the same reasons that the Huskies are, meaning the Huskies can’t expect to cakewalk to a win.

“They have a lot to play for, also,” Simmons said. “They’re a very competitive bunch.”

It’s clear now that the only way the Huskies will get into the NCAA Tournament is by winning the MAC Tournament. But with the strong core of last year’s team – the team that won the MAC Tournament – still intact, anything is possible.

“We have the ability,” Simmons said. “A team like us is probably the most dangerous team out there. We’ve gotta move forward and perform well.”

Senior Marcus McCarty thinks the Huskies are talented enough to win the regular season conference championship outright and believes not doing so will put a little bit of a chip on everyone’s shoulders.

“We have to go out there and really focus and apply our experiences,” McCarty said. “We need to fix our areas that we’re struggling in and get ready for the tourney.”

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