Northern Michigan University women’s soccer players take to the field during a Wildcats’ home game earlier this season at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette. Across the front starting second from left are Natalie Stampfly, Stephanie Trujillo, Isabelle Brusilow, Caitlyn Trombley, Brenna Musser and Caroline Halonen. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MARQUETTE — It took a double-overtime tie, but the Northern Michigan University women’s soccer team sits at a level .500 both overall and in the GLIAC after a 1-1 standoff at Wisconsin-Parkside on Sunday.

Now the Wildcats play two of their final three regular-season games at home in their quest to move above “sea level” heading into the GLIAC Tournament.

NMU hosts Saginaw Valley State at noon today at the NMU Soccer Field before leaving town to play in Hammond, Indiana, at Purdue Northwest at noon EDT Sunday.

Then Northern wraps up the regular season with a home game against its main rival, Michigan Tech, at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7.

Last weekend, the Wildcats also blanked Northwood at home 3-0 on Friday at the NMU Soccer Field as they now sit 7-7-1 overall and 5-5-1 in the GLIAC.

In the contest vs. Northwood, the Wildcats took little time getting on the scoreboard when freshman Justina L’Esperance scored her fifth goal of the season just over 12 minutes in. It was unassisted.

Teammate Alexa DeKam made it 2-0 about six minutes before halftime with her second goal of the year that was assisted by Brenna Musser.

Finally, Isabela Cardoso added extra insurance in the 64th minute with her seventh goal that was assisted by Caitlyn Trombley.

NMU held an 18-13 overall shots advantage, which included a closer 8-7 edge in shots on goal.

Northern’s Shenae Kreps stopped all seven shots she faced, while Timberwolves counterpart Andrea Everett made five saves.

At Parkside, the Rangers led for almost 80 of the game’s regulation 90 minutes before the Wildcats’ Brooke Pietila scored her fourth goal of the season unassisted with 7:31 left in regulation.

UWP took the lead less than three minutes into the game, also unassisted, by Alexis Baker, and right around that time, NMU No. 2 scorer Caroline Halonen was assessed a red-card foul, leaving the Wildcats down a player for rest of the game, which proved to be another 107 minutes.

Despite being shorthanded for nearly the whole game, Northern held a big 17-3 advantage in all shots, including 8-1 in shots on goal. Neither team got a shot off in the first 10-minute OT, while NMU had the only two shots in OT No. 2, which also were shots on goal.

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