Written by: Sartaj Aujla

After a relieving win over Bowling Green on Sunday, The University of Akron’s women’s soccer team returns home to FirstEnergy Stadium-Cub Cadet Field to host Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan this weekend.

The team is currently 5-10-0 on the season, and is 1-7 in the Mid-American Conference.

Akron was able to get out of its eight-game losing streak this weekend with the 2-0 win over Bowling Green.

“We competed very well,” interim head coach Vernon Croft said. “It was such a great relief for our players and for our morale.”

This coming Friday, the team will face Western Michigan, a team that lost in last year’s MAC championship. Western Michigan is currently 5-7-3, and 1-3-3 against MAC opponents.

“They lost the conference championship game last year, so it’s going to be a tough one,” Croft said.

Western Michigan has not played a regular match since tying with Ball State on Oct. 7. The Broncos’ matches with Kent State and Ohio were both canceled due to field conditions.

Akron looks to capitalize on Western Michigan’s rustiness.

“Keeping ourselves in the game will be the key,” Croft said. “As long as we don’t get to the point where we have to chase ourselves back into the game, we should see the result we want.”

The following Sunday, the team will take on Eastern Michigan, a team who has had better luck than Western Michigan this season. Eastern Michigan is 8-6-1 overall, and 5-3-0 against MAC opponents.

Eastern Michigan is coming off a blowout loss to Akron rival Kent State, to whom they fell 0-3.

The season is coming to a close, with only three games left. The Zips have really dug themselves into a hole, going 1-7 in the conference, but are optimistic that they will be able to end the season on a strong note by securing a place in the MAC tournament.

“Our main goal is to get into the tournament,” Croft said. “We got three games left to put us in position to get into the MAC tournament. Once we get into the conference tournament, it’ll be a different season. We were able to get close against great teams in our conference; that itself is a sign we are ready to compete and close the season on a high note by making it into the tournament.”