Northern Michigan University’s Avery Lorinser looks for a shot against the College of St. Benedict during a college lacrosse game played at the Superior Dome in Marquette on Feb. 24. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University women’s lacrosse team needs just two wins to be crowned champions of the GLIAC Tournament being held this weekend at top league team Grand Valley State.

With only four schools in the league, each team is seeded directly into the semifinals to be played today in downstate Allendale, with the winners advancing to Sunday’s noon championship tilt at the GVSU Lacrosse Stadium.

NMU finished second in the conference at 4-2 while compiling an impressive 13-4 overall record.

The Wildcats will face No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul of St. Paul, Minnesota, at 7 p.m. today, with No. 1 Grand Valley facing No. 4 Davenport at 4 p.m.

Northern defeated CSP 21-12 at home in the Superior Dome on April 13, then just finished the regular season with win at CSP 11-5 on Saturday.

CSP compiled modest records of 6-11 and 1-5 in the GLIAC, only getting out of the league basement with Davenport, also 1-5, on the tiebreaker.

The Bears lost their last five matches, though Susie Monson is their top scorer and second only to NMU’s Minnie Bittell in conference scoring with 58 points, including 39 goals, during the regular season.

Bittell led the GLIAC in all three scoring categories with 67 goals, 31 assists and 98 points. Teammate Kaitlyn Bridger was fifth in scoring with 47 points that included 34 goals.

Bittell, who was named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week four times this spring, broke the 300 point barrier for her career earlier this month, while Bridger is just two points away from 100 career points.

Last year, NMU defeated CSP 15-11 in the opening round of the conference tourney.

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