NMU soccer rolls to another win
MARQUETTE, Mich. – Northern Michigan University women’s soccer beat the University of Findlay 4-0 for their fourth straight victory. The win puts the Wildcats back at .500 on the season with a 6-6-1 record overall and a 4-4-0 mark Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. The win was also Head Coach Matt Granstrand’s 100th career victory at NMU.
“We’re starting to play some good soccer,” commented Granstrand after the victory. “It was another good team win today. I like the way we’re moving the ball around and our ability to pass the ball all over the field is really opening up things. We can always get better and work on things, but another good win against a good Findlay team.”
Northern Michigan was able to get on the board in the 12th minute when sophomore midfielder Wynona Maravilla took a corner kick that was headed by freshman defender Lindsey Tuggle straight to a wide open senior midfielder Ashley Katers who buried the goal in the open net.
The game from then on was a slow pace with each team struggling to hold possession of the ball. Sophomore forward Paula Hafner was able to take advantage of a Findlay mistake when the Oiler goalkeeper misplayed a ball that Hafner was able to steal and sneak past her to the far post in the 39th minute giving NMU a 2-0 advantage.
The Wildcats would take this lead into halftime, while outshooting the Oilers 7-3 in the opening frame.
Shortly after the start of the second half, Katers was able to find the back of the net for the second time in the game and fourth time this season, when she took a pass from senior defender Kim Rietveld in the middle of the field and went far post to give Northern a 3-0 lead.
Findlay then started to make a push in their offensive zone to try and cut into the Wildcat lead, but sophomore keeper Caroline Glantz was up to the challenge and made six saves before NMU added to the lead in the 77th minute.
Hafner was able to score her second goal of the game, 12th of the season, when freshman defender Hollie Koning chipped the ball to freshman midfielder Tabitha Boze who fed Hafner with a cross. Hafner was able to shake a defender and go far post to beat the goalkeeper to give NMU a 4-0 advantage.
Sophomore Alexandra Simmons would come in to replace Glantz, and made a good save in the final minutes off a Findlay corner to preserve the 4-0 shutout.
Glantz finished the game with eight saves to improve her record to 5-5-1.
Northern Michigan finishes the home portion of their regular season when they host Grand Valley State Friday, Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. and Ferris State Sunday, Oct. 26 at noon.
(Information Courtesy of NMU Athletics)