Northern Illinois University issued the following announcement on Aug. 18
The Northern Illinois University women's soccer team officially opens the 2021 season this week as the Huskies play a pair of matches. NIU will visit Milwaukee on Thursday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. in the season opener before hosting Indiana State on Sunday, Aug. 22 at 5 p.m. in the home opener.
"It has been a good preseason," said NIU head coach Julie Colhoff. "It has been good to see us building each day. Even when things have dropped off in a drill or a session, we have bounced back and shown resiliency rebounding from our mistakes. I am excited to see us put it all together against an outside opponent and have it be real (as opposed it an exhibition). Milwaukee is always a great challenge, but also a good test to see where we are at as we begin the season."
This week's start represents a quick turnaround from the 2020-21 season, which was delayed until the spring, when the Mid-American Conference played a 10-match, conference-only schedule. Colhoff and her team are looking at the positives of getting right back on the field this fall.
"I think the biggest carryover for us is mental in a positive way," said Colhoff. "The excitement to come back out and right some wrongs type of thing, we are chomping at the bit to get back on the field and have it count."
NIU returns 14 players who appeared in seven or more matches a season ago, including MAC All-Freshman Team honoree Kierah Meier (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore). Other returnees including Haley Hoppe (Austin, Texas/Rouse), who has scored six goals during her Huskie career, Amanda Czerniak (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North), who has played 54 collegiate games, including 34 starts, and Kylee Hermeyer (Dixon, Ill./Dixon), who has appeared in 41 matches in her first three seasons at NIU.
Jenna Lewey (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) has started 18 matches over the past two seasons while Julia Lentz (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) has seen time in 23 games in goal during her time as a Huskie. That veteran presence, coupled with 10 newcomers, has helped raise the level of competition during the preseason.
"We have been talking a lot throughout preseason about recognizing that this is probably the most talented depth we have had in a long time," said Colhoff. "Even being able to play 11 v. 11 (in practice) and have both sides at a high-level, we haven't been able to do that most years for an extended period of time, so I think that helps for our game preparation.
"The biggest advantage it gives us is that everyone has to be on their game because if you are off, somebody else is going to step in and take your spot, so that has made our practice environment every competitive."
Milwaukee comes into the 2021 season as the preseason favorite in the Horizon League after winning the league's conference tournament for the third consecutive year a season ago. The Panthers went 9-2-1 in the 2020-21 season and reached the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to top-seeded Florida State.
Indiana State was picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2021 and will visit Eastern Illinois on Thursday (Aug. 19) before traveling to NIU on Sunday. The Sycamores posted a 6-4 record during the 2020-21 season.
Sunday's contest is the first of a three-game homestand for the Huskies, who will also host Chicago State on Thursday, Aug. 26 and Eastern Kentucky on Sunday, Aug. 29.
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