Not Done Yet: Women’s Soccer Advancing to GLIAC Semifinals

Courtesy: NMU

MARQUETTE, Mich – The Northern Michigan University Women’s Soccer team picked up a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament win, their first since 2010, with a 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Northwood University on Tuesday afternoon inside the Superior Dome.

ALL TIED UP

The first half of action was a defensive battle for both teams.

Neither team was able to get off more than five shots in the opening half and the Wildcats were the only team to get corner kicks as they were able to tally two.

The teams went into the locker room gridlocked at 0-0.

PICKING UP THE PACE

The second half saw the NMU offense come alive.

Caroline Halonen was the first Wildcat to score in the match. The junior lined up for a free kick six yards above the box on the right side of the field. Her shot went to the right side of the net, hit the hands of the Timberwolves keeper, and bounced into the goal in the 57th minute.

Another goal for NMU came a little over four minutes later. Brooke Pietila took a free kick near midfield. The freshman’s kick went to the left side of the goal area where Rachael Erste took control of the ball and, with a leaping kick, sent the ball into the goal to put the Wildcats up 2-0.

Northwood kept things interesting as they were able to pull within one in the 88th minute. Fortunately for the Wildcats, the goal was the only one the visiting team could net as NMU moved on to the semifinal round 2-1

STAT LEADERS

The Wildcats had 14 shots in the game to the Timberwolves 12. NMU also had two more shots on goal than Northwood with the margin sitting at 8-6 at the end of the match.

Total possession was also in favor of the Wildcats as the team controlled the ball for 58-percent of the GLIAC Tournament match.

On offense, Halonen had a team-high four shots and added a goal. Stephanie Trujillo tallied two shots as did Caitlyn Trombley and Isabelle Brusilow.

Maggie Kastamo, Andrea Sekloch, Natalie Stampfly, and Erste each added one shot. Erste’s shot was on her game-winning goal.

Goalkeeper Shenae Kreps played all 90 minutes in the net for NMU and nabbed five saves.

UP NEXT

The Wildcats move on to face the winner of the Ashland University and Davenport University quarterfinal contest. The semifinal round takes place Friday, April 30 at the site of the highest remaining seed after quarterfinal action.