The Kent State women’s soccer team’s offensive struggles continued this weekend against its Mid-American Conference opponents.

In two matches, the Kent State offense managed only one goal, courtesy of senior forward Annie Messer, and six shots on goal. Last weekend, the Flashes fell on the losing side of a pair of 1-0 shutouts to open MAC play.

Yesterday at Northern Illinois, Messer scored the Flashes’ lone goal in order to maintain a 1-1 tie.

Messer, who played for 67 minutes off the bench and scored on her only shot of the game, converted a penalty kick early in the second half to give Kent State a 1-0 lead.

It was Messer’s first goal of the season and the first time Kent State has scored first in a game this season.

Five minutes later, Huskies’ forward Shelbi Johnson answered, equalizing the score, 1-1.

In a game where Kent State trailed 19-11 in shots, goalkeeper Kelly Sherwood saved nine goals to keep the Huskies’ offense in check.

“Kelly Sherwood had a fantastic game,” Kent State coach Rob Marinaro said. “She made some really nice saves today.”

Although Sherwood kept the Huskies from taking a lead in yesterday’s game, on Friday, Western Michigan booted in five goals to close out the Flashes, 5-0. The Broncos placed 12 of their 13 shots between the posts in the blowout win.

Western Michigan’s offense scored its first goal in the ninth minute, and the team would follow up with four more before the end of the first half.

The Broncos’ benefitted from an own-goal by freshman defender Katherine Lawrence. Three different players for Western Michigan also scored.

Messer led Kent State with three shots and posted the Flashes’ only two shots on goal.

Sherwood saved seven despite giving up five in the match.

Kent State (1-6-4, 0-3-1 MAC) will look for its first MAC win against Eastern Michigan on Friday in the Flashes’ first home game in more than a month.

Email sports reporter Cody Erbacher at [email protected].