The Wildcats’ women’s soccer team played to a scoreless draw in large part due to Thompson earning some of her GLIAC Defensive of the Week honors the league handed out a day later.

NMU might only be an unsatisfying 0-0-2, but it would look a whole lot worse at 0-2-0.

“This is well deserved for Jill!” brand-new Wildcats head coach Erin Egolf said about the award. “Not only did she put in two back-to-back good performances in important regional games for us, but this is also a nod to the performances of our back line and full team defending.

“Individual recognition stems from team performance, and I am pleased with the defensive effort that this group put in throughout our first two matches.”

Northern Michigan University’s Lily Senese, right, makes a move to get the ball away before Minnesota-Duluth's Kailey Tomzak can close in during their college women’s soccer game played at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)

Thompson allowed just one goal over 180 minutes — three full hours — of play over the weekend, which also included a 1-1 home tie against St. Cloud State on Friday afternoon.

These starts were her first in net in almost exactly a year — the last was Sept. 7, 2024 — as she made five saves vs. St. Cloud and three more against Duluth.

This redshirt junior — meaning she’s now in her fourth year in the program — earned her first shutout since Nov. 12, 2023.

In this early stage of the season, Thompson leads GLIAC netminders with her one goal against, 0.50 goals against average, .899 saves percentage, one shutout and eight saves.

On Sunday, she just about went toe to toe with her Duluth counterpart Kaycee Chavez even as they were separated by more than 100 yards on the pitch.

Northern Michigan University’s Madalyn Nissen, center, gets between Minnesota-Duluth’s Madelyn Huynh, left, and Gwendolyn Lilly to block a pass during their college women’s soccer game played at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)

Thompson made three saves while Chavez had four, while the Bulldogs held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks, though the Bulldogs were also whistled for 11 fouls to four for Northern and drew the only yellow card.

Duluth, which defeated Michigan Tech 1-0 on Friday, got off two of its shots on goal at Thompson in the final 15 minutes.

Northern’s Madison Bilbia doubled every other player from either side with her four total shot attempts, two being on goal.

She had a pair of almost identical chances to score, both right-footed attempts from just outside of the box that curled toward the bottom left corner, according to an NMU Sports Information report on the game.

The first attempt narrowly missed the post, while the second was labeled for the bottom corner if not for the outstretched finger of Chavez.

Four Wildcats played all 90 minutes — Hannah Kastamo, Addison Wargo, Irene Kiilunen and Ava Buhlman — while Kenna Alexander had 85 minutes, Gretchen Ellis 83, Alyse Daavettila 82 and Bilbia 75.

A pair of NMU players made their 2025 debut, as Emma Kastamo and Olivia Moreno both came off the bench to play late in the game.

The Wildcats two more matches this week to complete their four-game homestand to open the season at the NMU Soccer Field. Northern hosts former Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference member Northwood at 1 p.m. Thursday, then faces Cedarville (Ohio) at noon Saturday.

After that, the Wildcats opens GLIAC play on Friday, Sept. 19, in Chicago at Roosevelt, with their first conference home game against 17-time GLIAC regular-season champion Grand Valley State at 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the game. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.