Big matches call for big performances.

Come Saturday NIU has the chance to answer that call.

The Huskies get ready to face their second top ranked team this season when they travel to Ohio to take on No. 1 Akron at 6:30 p.m.

“It would probably on par to North Carolina, but I also think we’re a much better team than we were the first weekend in September,” said NIU head coach Eric Luzzi. “We’re better equipped to deal with whatever test we have. Our biggest tests come when our team doesn’t bring energy. I’m not worried about that on Saturday.”

In the all time series, Akron leads 14-3-1 with the last three matches going to the Zips. NIU has only scored 13 goals in those 18 games and hasn’t beaten Akron since the great season of 2006. The matches in Akron haven’t gone the Huskies way either as they are 1-7-1 with the lone win coming way back in 1990 in the teams’ first ever meeting.

NIU (6-5-1, 1-1-0) has outscored its opponents 19-9 with a shot advantage of 156-129.

“I do think that our team has a balance a killer edge physically and also the ability to play soccer at times too,” Luzzi said. “There’s not a ton of teams that can do both. I’m sure that a lot of teams have defended very well against them, but probably not had great ideas on how to try and score. I’m sure other teams have tried to play them straight up and they may have created a couple of chances, but have lacked it on the defending side. I’d like to think that if our guys come ready to play individually, that we’ll bring both.”

Senior midfielder Luis De La Cerda and sophomore midfielder Brad Horton head the Huskie attack with nine of the team’s total goals.

Freshman keeper Jordan Godsey has only allowed seven goals with a gaa of 0.62, which is second best in school history, and 49 saves.

This season, the Zips (12-0-0, 3-0-0) have allowed a total of two goals and have yet to concede one at home. In 12 games, Akron has out-shot its opponents 200-51 while scoring 35 goals.

The Zip attack is led by sophomore forward Teal Bunbury who has scored 10 of the the teams 35 goals along with three assists.

“They’ll be good on the ball, they’ll throw numbers forward, they’ll play like an attractive, good style of soccer, and they’re not afraid to work hard,” said Luzzi. “They’re a well-organized, well coached team with good players.”

Freshman keeper David Meves has proved to be an animal in net allowing only two goals with a 0.17 goals against average and 17 saves.

A well known fact about Akron home matches is the intensity of their supporters who are very vocal every time their team steps onto the field.

“The expectation is that the guys are going to embrace it,” Luzzi said. “Obviously their fans have the intention to intimidate and get guys out of their rhythm and get in their heads. I would hope our guys would see it as an awesome experience that we’re going to have the chance to play in front of 2,000 plus people. It should be fun.”

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