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MARQUETTE — Heartbreak and disappointment had to emotions felt by the Northern Michigan University football team and its fans after the Wildcats just missed out on their first win in two seasons on Saturday afternoon at the Superior Dome.

NMU took GLIAC and NCAA Division II newcomer Roosevelt to overtime before falling 16-10 as Northern slipped to 0-7 overall and 0-3 in the conference. The Lakers improved to 1-5 and 1-2.

Though the Wildcats scored the only points of the first quarter on a 35-yard Michael Karlen field goal, NMU eventually had to play catchup and scored the game-tying points early in the fourth quarter when quarterback Aidan Hoard ran in for a touchdown from a yard out and Karlen added the crucial extra point.

Taking the ball first in OT, Northern fumbled the ball away following a botched snap on the third play after the Wildcats opened with a solid 8-yard running play by Vince Martin.

They still had a chance to keep the game going into a second OT when Roosevelt got its possession, but the Lakers scored on Cyrus Zuell’s 11-yard TD run, his second touchdown of the day. It was Zuell’s third straight rush, the three carries totaling the 25 yards the ball is placed away from the goal line to start the first OT period.

Roosevelt could’ve put a different dagger into the Northern fans’ hearts at the end of regulation, but the visitors’ 49-yard field goal try sailed left on the final play of regulation to force extra play.

For the second straight week, the Wildcats didn’t complete a pass, therefore not having any passing yards. The previous week was during a heavy downpour outdoors at national No. 2 Grand Valley State, but this time, it was indoors in the dome where Hoard attempted just two throws.

Roosevelt, a team that leans heavily on the pass, saw QB Carson Budke complete 19 of 30 tosses for 240 yards, no TDs but no interceptions.

NMU fumbled the ball away twice, including at that crucial time in OT, while Roosevelt lost one.

While the Wildcats were outgained in overall yardage, 363-201, Northern had the rushing edge, 201-123. Martin led NMU in yards for the second straight week, this time with 120 yards in 18 carries. Freshman Jahi Wood added 45 yards on 13 tries and Hoard had 24 on nine attempts.

Negaunee High School product Nico Lukkarinen secured seven yards in just two rushes.

Roosevelt’s Zuell was actually the game’s top rusher, though just barely, gaining 121 yards in 24 tries. Budke’s top receiver was Keonta Nixon with four catches for 100 yards, though Zuell had five snags for 35 yards.

Karlen continued to stay perfect with his point-scoring kicks this season, making a field goal and an extra point to bring his season numbers to 6 of 6 field goals and 13 of 13 extra points.

Defensively, Adam Saleh led NMU tacklers with nine, seven of them solo, as he also had a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

Teammate Jason Coulter had two tackles, both for losses, while Chance Bridgers had a QB sack and Jax Hertel, Xavier Martinez and Jhermari Mabry each had a tackle for a loss. Martinez also had a pass breakup, while Mabry and Graycen Shepherd each had a quarterback hurry.

The Wildcats have to regroup this week to prepare for their big Upper Peninsula rivalry game at Michigan Tech for the Miner’s Cup at noon Saturday in Houghton. The game will be televised on WLUC-TV6 in addition to its usual radio broadcast on WUPT 100.3 FM The Point.

The Huskies are 4-3 overall and 1-2 in the GLIAC following a 51-13 loss at No. 5 Ferris State on Saturday.

NMU may have another prized opportunity to get their breakthrough win for second-year head coach Shane Richardson if they haven’t already done it by the final game of the season.

In that last game, the Wildcats travel to Detroit to take on currently winless Wayne State on Nov. 16. The Warriors have identical 0-7 overall and 0-3 GLIAC records as Northern. Wayne State lost a fairly close 27-14 decision at home to Ferris State on Oct. 12, but overall has lost every one of its games by double digits.

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