NMU women run unbeaten streak to 6 games
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MARQUETTE -- The women's soccer team of Northern Michigan University might not have accomplished all of its goals over the weekend, but the Wildcats still earned four of a possible six points in a home weekend against opposition from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
NMU played to a 0-0 tie with Purdue Northwest before dominating in a 4-0 win over Roosevelt, extending its unbeaten streak to six games with a 4-0-2 record in that time.
Though Northern improved to 7-3-3 overall and 4-3-2 in the GLIAC, the Wildcats might've hoped for more, playing at home against two of the bottom three teams in the league.
Nevertheless, NMU is in fifth place alone in the GLIAC with 14 points, one point behind fourth-place Wayne State (4-1-3 GLIAC) and two points in arrears to third-place Davenport (5-3-1 GLIAC). They're even just six points behind league leader Grand Valley State, which is 6-1-2 in the league and 8-2-3 overall.
Coming up in the next week is just one game, but it's the Wildcats' annual home game against Upper Peninsula rival Michigan Tech, which actually has pulled itself out of the bottom of conference at 1-6-2 in the GLIAC at 1-10-2.
When they met in Houghton on Oct. 4, Northern took a rather dominating 4-0 decision.
Here are details from this past weekend:
NMU 0, Purdue NW 0
On Friday afternoon at the NMU Soccer Field, Northern goalkeeper Carly Sides made sure her team would earn at least one point with her second straight shutout, which by the end of the weekend would become her third straight and five for the season. The five shutouts ties for the league high.
She made four saves as the Wildcats held a 16-13 total shots advantage, including 8-4 in shots on goal.
NMU also took three of the game's four corner kicks as the teams were even in fouls, 6-6, as Northern's Riley Hill drew the game's only yellow card in the 62nd minute.
While both teams had several excellent chances to score, two by the Wildcats in particular stood out, according to a game account from NMU Sports Information.
Both in the second half, Northern's Madison Bilbia took a shot that bounced off the crossbar, while a breakaway by teammate Addison Frantti was stopped by Purdue NW netminder Meta Fischer as the latter raced out of her box to challenge the play and just got a toe on the ball to send the ball out of bounds.
Bilbia and Frantti had identical shot numbers that were game highs, five total shots and three on goal. NMU's Marena Maceroni also had two shots and one on goal, while Hill had one shot that was on goal. Teammate Gretchen Ellis also had two total shots and Lily Senese one overall shot.
With the Lions falling to 4-5-3 overall and 2-4-2 in the GLIAC, Fischer had eight saves.
Among all those shots, four Wildcats had at least five shots and another five finished with multiple shots. Izzy Armstrong led the way with seven shots, while Bilbia had six and Sole Corley and Frantti five apiece.
For shots on goal, Corley had four and Senese, Armstrong, Bilbia and Frantti had two each.
NMU 4, Roosevelt 0
On Sunday afternoon at the NMU Soccer Field, Frantti netted the game winner in just the 15th minute, but the Wildcats were unable to find insurance until a three-goal burst in the game's final 12 1/2 minutes put this one away.
Frantti got her goal when Alyse Daavettila began a counterattack up the left side to Bilbia, who centered the ball to Frantti and fired the ball into the upper left corner of the net, according to an NMU SI account of this game.
Though Northern had a big 13-6 advantage in shots, including 5-1 in shots on goal, in the first half alone, they couldn't get a second goal before halftime.
The second half was even more of an avalanche for NMU, outshooting their opposition 23-1 in all shots, including 10-1 in shots on goal, for a final 36-7 edge in all shots and 14-2 in shots on goal.
Sides saved both shots on goal she saw for her third straight shutout.
With 12:05 remaining, Northern got its first insurance marker. A corner kick by
Northern Michigan University's Madison Bilbia, left, heads the ball over Purdue Northwest goaltender Meta Fischer, center in purple, that hits the crossbar and bounces away during their GLIAC women's soccer game played at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Friday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Less than a minute later, the Wildcats took a turnover at midfield and pushed it ahead to Daavettila, who beat the last defender and Sarnicola for a 3-0 advantage.
Corley would get her second for her first multigoal game with 6:31 to go off a free kick just outside the box.
Story contents based on a pair of Northern Michigan University Sports Information press releases reviewing the games. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.