This was an uncommon single-game weekend for the Wildcats, who are now 1-1-3 overall. Next up for NMU is a game at 2 p.m. EDT Friday at Hammond, Indiana, against Purdue Northwest.

In the Parkside game, Northern opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Luca Rosen converted a penalty kick for his first collegiate goal after he had an assist earlier this season.

NMU’s Teun van Gansewinkel had driven into the Parkside box, playing a cross that deflected off a Ranger defender’s hand and led to the penalty kick being awarded. Rosen hit a right-foot strike he powered past Parkside goalkeeper Daniyal Rana.

The Wildcats had two more quality chances to up their lead — van Gansewinkel had a header that Rana had to fully stretch to stop, then Rosen hit the right goal post — but Parkside (1-2-1) then converted its own penalty kick to tie the score in the 31st minute. That goal was scored by Eduardo Aguilera-Guillen on his own right-foot kick after the Rangers’ penalty kick was called after an NMU handball in the box.

Northern Michigan University’s Luca Rosen, front left, takes a shot contested by Wisconsin-Parkside's Lucas Ahonen, right, during a GLIAC men’s soccer game played at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Friday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

In the final second of the first half, NMU conceded an own goal, credited to the Rangers’ Nicolas De Andres, that made it 2-1 in favor of the home team at intermission.

Parkside made a last-ditch effort toward the net from 10 yards outside the box as time was running out. Northern’s Quint van Roij attempted to head the ball away, but his deflection instead bounced back and into the upper right corner of the Wildcats’ net.

In the second half, despite taking nine shots, six of them in the final 10 minutes, NMU couldn’t dent the net again with Parkside adding an insurance goal.

Northern had a great chance two minutes into the second half when Alessandro Scialanga had a corner kick that found the head of reigning GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week Owen Rutledge just outside the goalkeeper’s box. Rutledge beat the keeper, but the fall hit a Parkside defender along the goal line.

The Rangers’ goal came a little over nine minutes after play restarted when Jamie LeComte fired a shot that hit the right post and landed at the feet of Yeison Santos, who knocked it in.

Despite the score, the Wildcats held a 16-10 edge in total shot, including 8-5 in shots on goal. Northern also took four of the game’s five corner kicks and were whistled for fewer fouls, 14-12. Northern was flagged with two yellow cards and Parkside one, all in the six-minute stretch in the middle of the second half.

Van Roij’s yellow card was initially a “straight” red card but was downgraded to yellow after a video review, which was also used to confirm that Parkside’s goal at the end of the first half was scored before time ran out.

Rosen’s converted penalty kick was NMU’s first attempt this season after it failed on all three tries in 2024. Northern’s previous penalty kick goal came from Cian Tunney on Oct. 13, 2023, at Saginaw Valley State.

The Wildcats go back to a more typical week, remaining on the road in Hammond, Indiana, at 2 p.m. EDT Friday to face Purdue Northwest, then heading around the south end of Lake Michigan and into Chicago to play Roosevelt at 3:30 p.m. EDT Sunday.

NMU’s next home game is at noon on Friday, Oct. 10, against SVSU.

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.