Any postseason ambitions the NIU women’s soccer team had evaporated this weekend despite the Huskies picking up their first conference win.

After beating Ball State 2-1 on Friday, the Huskies were unable to carry over their momentum, falling 2-0 to Miami (Ohio) Sunday. NIU (5-11-2, 1-7-2 MAC) needed two victories to make their season finale against Western Michigan meaningful.

“Our record doesn’t show the way we have played,” said NIU defender Mo Smunt. “It has been like this all year.”

The Huskies came out strong against the Cardinals (4-12-0, 2-7-0) to break their six game losing streak on a rainy and cold afternoon.

“The field was really wet,” said NIU head coach Carrie Barker. “There were puddles, major wind and we were battling darkness but we found a way to win.”

Just five minutes into action, NIU midfielder Lisa Maier got behind the Ball State defense and beat goalie Nicole Wood to give the Huskies a quick 1-0 advantage.

NIU sophomore Kelsey Passaglia would give her team all the offense they would need when she nailed her third goal of the season at the 20:51 mark.

The Cardinals were out-shot in the first half but battled back in the second half. Ball State forward Paige Stroinski knocked in a shot from 15 yards out but the two-goal deficit was too much for the Cardinals to over come.

Sunday went much differently for the Huskies as they found themselves out-shot 13 to seven by Miami (9-7-1, 5-4-1.)

NIU was able to hold the game scoreless until the RedHawks Kersta Carlson nailed a penalty kick two minutes into the second half.

The Huskies continued to battle until the RedHawks Allison Berkey found the net in the 78th minute for her fifth goal of the year.

“It was another game where we played really well,” Barker said. “We don’t have any results to show how we have played this season.”

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