Northern Michigan University’s Hannah Kastamo, left, gets low with her kicking leg trying to get the ball around Michigan Tech's Anna Syracuse near the sideline during their GLIAC game played at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Sunday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — The women’s soccer team at Northern Michigan University had all the offense it needed to win on Sunday afternoon, but just couldn’t convert its chances into goals of a 1-0 loss to Upper Peninsula rival Michigan Tech.

Playing at the NMU Soccer Field, the Wildcats outshot Tech 23-7 overall, including 5-4 in shots on goal, but couldn’t get the ball past Huskies goalkeeper Bri Barrows.

Northern netminder Carly Sides was nearly as good, but let one get past her as the Wildcats slipped to 3-4-4 overall and 3-3-1 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. MTU has struggled to 2-8-2 and 2-4-1 even with the win.

“I thought we created enough (chances), but we weren’t good enough in front of goal,” Wildcats head coach Erin Egolf said in an NMU Sports Information news release about the game. “We didn’t have anyone take responsibility today for putting the ball in the back of the net.

“We were in their half for most of the game, and we didn’t get it done.”

To add a bit more insult to the injury, Northern took all 10 corner kicks in the game, though it outfouled Tech 12-6 as no yellow cards were issued.

The Wildcats slipped to fifth place in the GLIAC with 10 points, three behind third-place Saginaw Valley State and one point in arrears to fourth-place Ferris State as all those teams have played the same number of games.

One disadvantage for NMU is only having two of its final seven games at home, the first one on Halloween morning against Roosevelt at 11 a.m.

Egolf said it will come down to “individual responsibility” for the Wildcats to score more goals and garner crucial league points before the start of the GLIAC Tournament.

“We’re not talking about freshmen, we’re talking about juniors and seniors who we know can produce, and we are putting them in situations to produce, (but) it’s not happening,” she said. “They have to find a way.”

The game’s only goal came about six minutes before halftime, termed a “wonder goal” by NMU SI. The Huskies’ Olivia Gette used the wind to aid a free kick from 10 yards inside the midline of the field. The ball soared over everyone’s heads and untouched into the upper right corner of the net, marking just the third time MTU has had a lead in a game against Northern in six years.

Northern’s Hannah Kastamo, one of the league’s top scorers, led all players with six overall shots, though just one on goal. Teammate Madison Bilbia, a top shot producer in the GLIAC, had five shots with one on target.

On the other side, Gette was the only Husky with multiple shots, four, and also had three of her team’s four shots on goal.

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.