ALLENDALE — The season came to a close on Friday afternoon against one of the best teams in the nation for the women’s soccer team at Northern Michigan University.

The Wildcats lost to national No. 6 Grand Valley State 4-0 in the semifinals of the conference tournament at the Lakers’ field in Allendale. Grand Valley advanced to the tourney title game for the sixth straight year in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

And NMU, which finished at 7-8-5 overall record after compiling a 6-6-2 GLIAC mark, had its three straight appearances in the tourney finale snapped. The Wildcats at No. 5 were the lowest seed to advance to the semifinals, with Nos. 1, 2 and 3 making up the rest of entries.

The No. 1 seeded Lakers were to face No. 3 Saginaw Valley State for the event’s title on Sunday afternoon back in Allendale. SVSU edged No. 2 Wisconsin-Parkside 1-0 in Friday’s other semi.

On Friday, Grand Valley had pretty definitive advantages in just about all team statistics, outshooting Northern 19-4, including an 11-0 whitewash in shots on goal, while also receiving all five of the game’s corner kicks.

The Lakers did commit more fouls, 11-5, but no yellow cards were issued.

NMU’s four shots were taken by Hannah Kastamo, Kenna Alexander, Addison Frantti and Marena Maceroni. Kastamo and Alexander were among a half-dozen Wildcats to play all 90 minutes, joined by Irene Kiilunen, Ava Buhlman, Addison Wargo and netminder Jillian Thompson, who made seven saves.

In its sixth straight appearance in the tourney semifinals, Northern fell behind 2-0 before the game was 15 minutes old. GLIAC First Team pick Alli French scored both those early goals in the 10th and 14th minutes.

On the first, GVSU’s Kendall Aikens drove to the right touchline just outside the box, playing a low cross into the goalkeeper area that French played for a score, according to a game account from NMU Sports Information. The next started with a corner kick sent into the box, bouncing around and being cleared by the Wildcats’ defense. But the ball deflected to the Lakers’ Sonya Mehta, who again found French for the scoring boot.

The score remained that way into the second half before GVSU struck again not quite six minutes after intermission ended. Aikens took a deflected clearing pass by Northern in their box, then on Aikens’ actually scoring try, that kick was also deflected to beat Thompson.

The final goal came with just about 18 minutes remaining, when a corner kick by the Lakers’ Alex Williams found teammate Mackenzie Ford in the box and a well-placed header made it home.

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.