That rare hat trick: Frantti’s 3 goals power NMU women to 4-1 win at SVSU
Frantti’s 3 goals power NMU women to 4-1 win at SVSU
Northern Michigan University’s Addison Frantti, left, advances the ball past Wisconsin-Parkside’s Victoria Moran during their game played in Kenosha, Wis., on Sept. 20. (Photo courtesy NMU)
Northern Michigan University’s Taylor Hon, left, congratulates Emma Kastamo on her second goal of the day during an exhibition college women’s soccer game played against Wisconsin-Stevens Point at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Aug. 24. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Northern Michigan University’s Addison Frantti, left, advances the ball past Wisconsin-Parkside’s Victoria Moran during their game played in Kenosha, Wis., on Sept. 20. (Photo courtesy NMU)
Northern Michigan University’s Taylor Hon, left, congratulates Emma Kastamo on her second goal of the day during an exhibition college women’s soccer game played against Wisconsin-Stevens Point at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Aug. 24. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
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UNIVERSITY CENTER -- Thanks to sophomore forward Addison Frantti, the women's soccer team at Northern Michigan University is making real inroads in the standings while playing away from home in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
The Wildcats ran their unbeaten streak to three games -- all on the road -- with a convincing 4-1 victory at Saginaw Valley State on Sunday afternoon.
Thank Frantti for that as she scored what appears to be the eighth three-goal hat trick in program history, according to a look at the NMU record book found at nmuathletics.com.
Northern, which improved to 5-3-2 overall and 2-3-1 in the GLIAC, prevented the Cardinals from taking over the league's top spot from Grand Valley State. A tie would've pulled SVSU even with GVSU with 13 points, while a win would've given the Cards a two-point lead.
Instead, the Wildcats boosted themselves into a three-way tie for fifth place after being mired in eighth to start the weekend.
NMU's momentum could prove important for one of its big rivalry games this weekend, at Michigan Tech in Houghton at noon Sunday. The Huskies are last in the GLIAC at 0-5-1, plus 0-9-1 overall, but these kind of rivalries often make records mean little.
Frantti spread her goals throughout the game, scoring in the first 15 minutes, then later in the first half, and finishing her feat with less than two minutes remaining.
She more than offset SVSU's advantage on offense, with the Cardinals holding a 16-11 total shots advantage, plus 9-5 in shots on goal. Saginaw Valley also took five of the game's seven corner kicks even while being called for a lot more fouls, 12-3.
But in the NMU net, goalkeeper Carly Sides made six saves while Cardinals counterpart Ava Wilberding had just one.
Each team had some offensive pressure even before anyone scored, with Marena Maceroni getting Northern's first shot on target.
Frantti, who scored her three goals on four total shots and just three that were on goal, opened the scoring in the 15th minute. The Wildcats forced a turnover near midfield, using a through ball from Madison Bilbia that got to Frantti, who worked around a defender and fired the ball to the right of Wilberding.
Barely more than three minutes later, NMU took a corner kick as Gretchen Ellis fired the ball into the box as Bilbia headed it in to make it 2-0.
Frantti got her team's third goal before the game was 26 minutes old. Keeping the ball deep in SVSU's end, Frantti intercepted a Cardinals' pass inside their own box and quickly knocked the ball home.
Though Saginaw answered less than five minutes later on goal by Isla MacGregor, the Wildcats still had a two-goal lead at halftime.
They needed it as SVSU upped its offensive pressure in the second half, taking a dozen shots, including seven on goal.
But no one got another goal until Frantti came up big with 1:57 to go, beating her defender in the box.
Story contents based on a Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the game. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.