By Journal Sports Staff

MARQUETTE — Senior Sam Popp scored twice to lead the Northern Michigan University men to a tie, while the women lost by a single goal in soccer action held at the NMU Soccer Field on Friday afternoon.

The NMU men played GLIAC leader Saginaw Valley State to a 2-2 deadlock, the second tie between the teams in as many weeks.

In the women’s match, Wisconsin-Parkside scored a 2-1 victory to hand the Wildcats their fifth straight loss, all five coming by one goal.

The teams return to the NMU Soccer Field on Sunday for their final home matches of the regular season. The women host Purdue Northwest at noon, while the men take on Ashland at 2:30 p.m. Both are GLIAC matches and will be their teams’ respective Senior Day.

NMU men 2, SVSU 2

The Wildcats’ chances for winning the GLIAC all but ended as they trail SVSU by eight points and second-place Wisconsin-Parkside by seven with four games to go.

Northern (6-3-3, 3-2-3 GLIAC) is 0-2-2 in its last four games, all conference contests.

Against the Cardinals, NMU took a quick lead as at the start of the sixth minute. A corner kick from junior midfielder Callum Olpin went to freshman midfielder Kaffie Kurz, who headed it to senior forward Sam Popp as he knocked it in. Popp got his sixth goal of the season, while it was Kurz’s second assists and Olpin’s fourth.

SVSU (8-1-4, 6-1-2) tied it about 11 1/2 minutes later with a free kick by Michael Shaikly going off the crossbar and falling into the goal.

Still tied entering the second half, the Cards took a 2-1 lead in the 70th minute when NMU freshman goalkeeper Valentin Kliebe stopped an initial shot by Azaad Liadi but the SVSU player knocked in his rebound.

Then just over four minutes later, Popp recorded his third multi-goal game of the season and tied for goal-scoring lead in the GLIAC with seven when he bent a free kick from just outside the box into the near side of the net. Popp is also second in the league with 16 assists.

Parkside 2, NMU women 1

With NMU (4-7-1, 1-4) holding a close 8-7 shots advantage in the first half, the score was 1-1 at intermission. Parkside (4-8-2, 3-4) scored first in the 38th minute on goal by Kaylee Siegel, while Northern answered about 7 1/2 minutes later on junior defender Gaelin Hirabayashi’s first goal of the season.

She gathered the ball on a corner kick from freshman midfielder Caroline Halonen, who got her sixth assist of the season.

The Wildcats controlled possession for much of the second half, attempting five shots, but it was the visitors that scored the game winner in the 82nd minute by Chloe Couves off an intercepted pass.

Senior goalkeeper Emma Vermette of Sault Ste. Marie made seven saves, including five in the first half.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.