“If we (had) won three straight at the beginning of the season we would be in the (national) top 25 with our heads up in the clouds, but instead it happened in the middle of the season,” NMU head men’s soccer coach David Poggi said in an NMU Sports Information news release. “It is still three straight wins, but our feet are firmly are in the ground.”

NMU (3-2) got both its goal in the final 5 1/2 minutes of the first half. Ryan Palmbaum took advantage of a free kick following a foul by the Peacocks, kicking the ball left of a diving Upper Iowa goalkeeper Reighly Schultz with 5:06 before halftime.

The game’s other goal, scored just two seconds before intermission, was an UIU own goal credited to Northern’s Cole Walgren.

The Wildcats had a corner kick that went to NMU’s Kaffie Kurz, who sent the ball in front of the net, where it bounced of a Peacock player and in.

Kaffie Kurz

Upper Iowa had a chance to pull within a goal in the 75th minute, but Northern goalkeeper Alex Weaver made a big diving save for the second straight game to preserve his shutout. Weaver had played every minute of all five NMU games this season.

NMU held an 11-8 advantage in total shots, while Weaver made five saves and Schultz had two.

Palmbaum led Northern with four shots and two on goal, while Kurz had three shots and Walgren and Brady Kronenburg each had a shot on goal.

The Wildcats return home for their final two games of the regular season, starting with a game against Northwood at noon Sunday set for the Superior Dome.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.