In a game that many players were calling the most important of the season, the Falcon men’s soccer team (2-11-3) were beaten 3-0 at home by Northern Illinois in the team’s annual cancer awareness game.

The loss severely hampers the Falcons’ chances of playing in the Mid-American Conference Tournament in two weeks, needing now to win out and hope Western Michigan loses their remaining games.

The Huskies (10-6-1) got a brace from forward Juan Hoyos and a third from Luis Se La Cereda to sweep aside the Falcons and remain in second place in the MAC.

Although the score showed the Huskies’ superiority, NIU goalkeeper Jordan Godsey was forced to make seven saves as the Falcons looked to get back into the game.

The Falcons welcomed leading scorer Cameron Hepple back into the lineup, hoping he and his strike partner Jacob Lawrence could find some much needed goals.

Hepple, who has been in and out of the starting 11 with a reoccurring groin injury, led the Falcons with four shots, with only one on goal.

Unfortunately, as has been a theme all season, it was the Falcons’ defense that let them down, with mental lapses leading to NIU goals.

‘I’m not 100 percent sure we executed our game plan, basically they out-worked us and outplayed us,’ said junior center back Thomas McLean. ‘We didn’t create enough chances, but we have two more games to play and we want to win them.’

The Falcons will rue the fact that they were out-worked on the pitch in such an important game, something that is uncharacteristic of coach Eric Nichols’ squad.

‘I don’t think we matched their intensity as much as we needed to get the result we wanted,’ Lawrence said. ‘It was a disappointing performance, but depending on what happens, we still have a chance to make the playoffs. We just couldn’t string it together enough to make chances.’

Nichols hopes that his squad finishes the season on a positive note, after such a disappointing loss.

‘I’m not 100 percent sure that NIU is necessarily a better team than us,’ Nichols said. ‘But they are better at winning than us.’

Nichols was happy that his team never gave up on the game, outshooting NIU in the second half 9-6, especially the effort of his two senior co-captains.

‘I am proud of the effort of a few guys, especially Jacob [Lawrence] and Hunter [Van Houten], they were inspiring with their performance and effort, they never quit,’ Nichols said.

As for the Falcons’ remaining games, Nichols will make sure his team is up to the challenge.

‘We have two games left, they are very important to us,’ Nichols said. ‘We will treat every game like it’s a championship game.”