Offense was a concept the NIU women’s soccer team struggled to grasp during its disappointing season.

“There were a lot of good things but at the end of the day you have to show results,” head coach Carrie Barker said.

The only results the Huskies (5-11-3, 1-7-3 MAC) can look back on are a scant 0.68 goals scored per game that led to them being shut-out 11 times.

Losses of NIU’s 2008 leading scorers Thea Johnson(graduation) and Becca Ford (injury this season), who combined for 28 points, left the Huskies without a stand-out scoring threat.
“At the beginning of the year, I was worried about who we were going to find to step up offensively,” defender Mo Smunt said.

The lack of their presence was immediately felt even after NIU won their first two contests. A pair of own goals against Northwestern, an exhibition game, and Valparaiso, their regular season opener, helped the Huskies escape with 1-0 victories.

“The first couple of games where we won but didn’t score really set off a red flag in my head,” Barker said. “The first four games we just had a hard time scoring.”

Barker isn’t kidding. After their victory over Valparaiso the Huskies went on to lose three straight contests 1-0.

“Like the year before we played great defensively,” Barker said. “The biggest difference was the inability to finish our opportunities.”

After the three-game slide, NIU’s offense sprung to life as the Huskies scored seven goals while winning three of their last four before entering conference play.

With the offense clicking and senior goalie Lindsey Curnock poised to break the MAC career shutout record, the Huskies looked ready to make a push for the MAC championship.

“Before we started MAC play I doubt any of us would have thought this is how we would end up,” junior midfielder Cara Stutler said.

A pair of ties followed by six straight losses effectively ended NIU’s chance of making a third straight conference tournament appearance. In those eight matches the Huskies were shutout five times.

For whatever reason, it seemed NIU just could not catch a break. Last minute losses to Kent State and Eastern Michigan still stand out.

“The ball never seemed to bounced our way,” Barker said.

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