Forgetting about last week’s loss to No. 6 Akron, the Huskies are looking forward to a fresh start against another tough MAC opponent.

The team will square off against conference heavyweight Buffalo tonight at 6 p.m. in New York.

Senior defender Drew Jeskey said the teams attitude is positive, and he is focused on a conference win.

“The loss was demoralizing, but there’s nothing that we can’t fix,” Jeskey said. “Coming into Akron, we thought we had all the adjustments made, and we lost. But we learned a lot from it, and coming out against Buffalo, I’ve got a good feeling.”

The defender said the Huskies need to play tighter soccer and stay compact as a team. Jeskey also stressed the importance of getting shots on goal against tough opponents, advice also given by NIU head coach Steve Simmons.

So far, NIU has taken note of the advice and leads the MAC in shots per game. The Huskies have tallied 193 shots in 10 games.

On paper, neither team in today’s contest seems to have a clear offensive advantage. Buffalo ranks second in the conference in goals per game with 1.86, but NIU follows closely behind in third with 1.80. And compared to the 193 shots put up by the Huskies, Buffalo has tallied 198 shots in four more games.

“I think no matter what style they end up playing, we just need to have our key principles in order,” said Simmons in his weekly podcast. “Regardless of what they do, we’ve got things in check.”

The Huskies will have to keep their game in check as they take on a team that has gone 7-0 at home so far, and a team who could have an advantage on the defensive end on the field.

Statistically, Buffalo has done a better job at protecting the goal posts and keeping the ball in its attacking zone.

The Bulls have only allowed eight goals in 14 games, whereas the Huskies have allowed 11 goals in only 10 games. Buffalo also leads the MAC in shutouts, blanking seven different opponents.

Simmons said the team will rise to the challenge of playing a confident and physical team on its senior day. The Bulls have yet to lose a game in the conference.

“We need to play with a little bit of a chip on our shoulder,” Simmons said. “There’s a lot on the line as far as how it’s going to shake out in the MAC standings.”

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