Friday was a sad day for the Northeastern women’s soccer team, as they played their final game of the 2004 season. The Huskies were shutout by Binghamton University, 3-0, in their America East tournament semi-final match up.
Despite missing out on the chance to play for the AE championship, with an overall record of 12-7-2, the 2004 Huskies won more games than any other women’s soccer team in school history.
“The wins are great but looking back there were some games that we should have won,” said NU head coach Ed Matz. “It’s always disappointing to get that far and not move on. But it wasn’t a heartbreaking 1-0 loss. Binghamton certainly deserved to win on that day.”
The Huskies play all their home games and practice every day on the firm turf of Parsons Field. Friday night’s game took place on a muddy West Gym Field in Vestal, N.Y.
“The conditions of the field didn’t suit our style of play,” Matz said. “If we played them 10 times in those conditions, I’m not sure we’d win two. That number would be reversed on our field.”
Regardless of conditions, the bottom line is Matz’s first recruiting class won’t play a game for Northeastern again. Despite not taking the final step and winning the AE championship, the contributions this senior class made to the program are irreplaceable.
“When they got here four years ago we never had a winning record and we never made the playoffs,” Matz said. “They changed everything around.”
Senior forwards Liz Dyjak and Jenn North were crucial coggs on offense for the Huskies with Dyjak setting the all-time points scored record with 53 and North tying for second in career goals with 20.
“[Dyjak] is going to do a lot in her life,” Matz said. “She went through a lot during her time here and I wasn’t sure she was going to finish here. Now she’s the all-time leading scorer.”
Dyjak lost two of her closest friends during her sophomore year, but bounced back to help the Huskies set a new single season wins mark twice and score the most points in school history.
“It feels pretty good,” said Dyjak of her record. “Hopefully someone can come and break it.”
Fellow senior Andi Matthews was the teams leader on defense and provided leadership and stability in the back field.
“No one has a bigger heart than Andi Matthews,” Matz said. “She fought until the end for us.”
Senior keeper Cynthia Slowik served as a back-up this year after starting the two previous seasons for NU. Matz said she was a team player all year and throughout her career at NU.
Next year the Huskies bring back a dangerous squad. Sophomore forward Kristen Kowalik and junior midfielder Jess Pfeifer were named to the All-Conference Second Team, while junior defender Jackie Spellman earned Honorable Mention. Freshman defender Laura Johnson made the All-Rookie Team.
