Northern Michigan University lacrosse team ends home season with big 23-4 win over Upper Iowa
Her teammates form a tunnel for Northern Michigan University lacrosse player Jessica Close, center, to be introduced as one of the Wildcats’ four seniors on Senior Day at the Superior Dome on Friday. Close, a defender, would score her first goal of the season during the third quarter of NMU’s 23-4 romp over Upper Iowa in their final home game of the regular season. (Photo courtesy NMU)
Northern Michigan University attacker Taylor Priestley, top, takes a shot on goal while tightly defended by Concordia-St. Paul's Paige Nicklaus as CSP midfielder Hailey Hartlage, right, looks on during their GLIAC lacrosse game played at the Superior Dome in Marquette on Wednesday. (Journal photo by Travis Nelson)
Her teammates form a tunnel for Northern Michigan University lacrosse player Jessica Close, center, to be introduced as one of the Wildcats’ four seniors on Senior Day at the Superior Dome on Friday. Close, a defender, would score her first goal of the season during the third quarter of NMU’s 23-4 romp over Upper Iowa in their final home game of the regular season. (Photo courtesy NMU)
Northern Michigan University attacker Taylor Priestley, top, takes a shot on goal while tightly defended by Concordia-St. Paul's Paige Nicklaus as CSP midfielder Hailey Hartlage, right, looks on during their GLIAC lacrosse game played at the Superior Dome in Marquette on Wednesday. (Journal photo by Travis Nelson)
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MARQUETTE -- Northern Michigan University scored a decisive 23-4 victory over visiting Upper Iowa on Friday afternoon to move within a half-game of second-place Davenport in the GLIAC women's lacrosse standings.
The Wildcats improved to 9-5 overall and 3-3 in league, just behind the Panthers (4-3) and just ahead of Concordia-St. Paul (3-4). The Peacocks fell to 0-9 and 0-7.
NMU set itself up for a shot to finish in second place, though the task will be difficult -- their two remaining games are against Davenport and another nationally ranked team, GLIAC leader Grand Valley State. Both are on the road, Davenport on Friday afternoon and GVSU on Sunday afternoon.
Northern has insured itself a spot in the GLIAC Tournament, with the semifinals taking place on Friday, April 29, and championship game on Sunday, May 1.
At Friday's game in the Superior Dome, the Wildcats honored their four seniors -- Jessica Close, Jessica Daniels, Emily Renfrew and Aleya Speas -- each of whom scored goals in the contest.
Close's case was unusual as she is a defender. But she stepped into the offensive zone in the middle of the third quarter and fired a shot past UI goaltender Izabella Kaczik for her first goal this season.
Speas, Renfrew and Daniels each finished with three-goal hat tricks as Speas also had two assists for a five-point day and Renfrew one assist for four points.
And Daniels also finished the Wildcats' final home game of the regular season in goal, making one save, while regular goalies Aliyah Smukala and Cam Stilson got time on the attack.
But the game's biggest scorer was freshman Maddi Bast, who notched four goals for five points. Joining Bast and Speas in the five-point club was sophomore teammate Madeline Bittell, who had one goal to go with four assists.
Bittell now leads Northern in all three scoring categories with 45 goals, 17 assists and 62 points. Bast has 37 goals, Renfrew 26 and Speas 17.
Adding multiple points to the winning cause was Natalie McGinnis, who had a goal and three assists for four points; Rylee Haug with two goals; Chloe Everson and Katelyn Mongold with a goal and assist for two points; and Olivia Rose with two assists.
Single-goal scorers were Close, Dayna Carlson, Peyton Smith and Gabby Valadez, while single-assist makers were Emily Radke and Taylor Priestley.
In all, 16 of the 23 players who were listed on the NMU roster for the game scored at least one point.
Stilson played a majority of the game and made five saves while earning the win, while Daniels and Smukala each had one save. Despite giving up 23 goals, Kaczik made 11 saves as Northern held a 34-11 shots on goal advantage.
NMU jumped out to a 8-0 lead after Haug scored her first goal with 19 seconds remaining in the first quarter, which was led by Speas and Daniels each getting two goals.
Upper Iowa made a mini-comeback early in the second, pulling within 9-3 when Bailee Fabert scored back-to-back goals about 90 seconds apart.
But the Wildcats scored the final four goals of the first half to take a 13-3 advantage into intermission, then came out with another nine in a row to go up 22-3 before the Peacocks got their last tally with 2:52 left.
Haug got the last word for Northern, though, rounding out the scoring with a goal scored with 55 seconds left.
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.