The Massachusetts women’s soccer team continues conference play in the Mid-American Conference this week. The upcoming slate includes a visit to Kent State on Thursday before returning to Amherst on Sunday to take on Northern Illinois at Rudd Field.
After advancing to 3-3-2 (1-1-0 MAC) on the season, UMass is coming off its first-ever MAC victory by defeating Akron 1-0 last time out, ending a three-game scoreless drought. Freshman midfielder Kayla Nohasiarisoa scored the lone goal within the first minute of the outing, setting the tone early.
“Today we went into the game making sure we are really on the front foot, and we want to go forward,” head coach Jason Dowiak said after the win.
The win promotes the Minutewomen to No. 5 in the MAC standings, tied with three other teams that share a 1-1-0 conference record, including the 3-3-3 Golden Flashes. After two conference matchups, Dowiak and company are becoming more comfortable in the new setting.
“What I’ve seen with the first two opponents is that there is a player or two that you have to be really focused on,” Dowiak said. “In the [Atlantic 10], there may have been more team organization in the way that they were dangerous or defending.”
UMass continues to produce a high-volume offense that generates pressure on opposing goalkeepers, recording 13 shot attempts last week, which is one higher than its season average of 12 chances. On the other hand, the back end of the Minutewomen defense has been stout and limited the Zips to just three shot attempts throughout the matchup.
Commencing a two-game road trip on Thursday, UMass must maintain that robust defensive play against a high-scoring Kent State attack that averages 1.4 goals per game and is coming off a 1-0 shutout victory over Ball State last week. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Leah Nisenfeld, who is averaging a 0.800 save percentage and the second-most saves per game in the MAC with five, will need to continue her prominent play against an offense that averages 6.22 shots on goal each match.
Additionally, the Golden Flashes concede the most goals per game in the conference, allowing an average of 1.9. A high-volume outing could dictate the result of the matchup for UMass, which also searches for consistent play going forward with a goal in back-to-back games.
Traveling back home on Sunday, the Minutewomen will play a struggling Huskies (2-4-2, 0-1-1) team that is still searching for their first conference win of the 2025 season and the team’s first victory since Aug. 31. Northern Illinois also squares off against Akron on Thursday before landing in Massachusetts.
With just 8.88 shot attempts per game and slightly under half of those attempts being on target (4.13), the Huskies have scored just four goals this season, ranking the team No. 12 out of 13 teams in the MAC in the category. Through the team’s eight games, they have scored in only three of those outings. Nisenfeld, who denies five potential goals per game, gives UMass the statistical advantage in this matchup.
Northern Illinois also allows an average of 1.63 goals per match — tied for the second most in the MAC. Similar to Thursday’s matchup for the Minutewomen, the offense should stack up well against the Huskies if they maintain their high shot volume.
Sophomore forward Amelia Bloom and junior forward Caroline Dickson could be attackers who find the back of the net for UMass in each outing. Both players sit near the top of the MAC in overall shots attempted, as well as on a per-game basis. Graduate defender Sarah DeFreitas can also advance the ball upfield to set up plays on offense, in addition to her tough defensive play.
On the contrary, the play of Kent State’s Kelsey Salopek has the potential to put significant pressure on the Minutewomen’s defense. The senior defender has recorded three goals on the season and has consistently created opportunities for herself with 10 shots on goal through nine games.
Executing that balance of offensive pressure and defensive discipline will be crucial as UMass heads into the double game week. Thursday’s game will kick off at 2 p.m., while Sunday’s outing begins at 1 p.m. Both matches can be watched on ESPN+.
Andrew Guindon can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @NestPgs.
