Northern Michigan University’s Maria Storm, left, heads the ball around a Saginaw Valley State player after a goal kick by the Cardinals’ goalkeeper in the second half of their college soccer game played at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)
By Journal Sports Staff
MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University women’s soccer team advanced to the GLIAC Tournament semifinals after defeating Wisconsin-Parkside 2-0 in the quarterfinals at the NMU Soccer Field on Tuesday afternoon.
The Wildcats (12-2-5) were scheduled to play Saginaw Valley State on Friday afternoon, with the winner advancing to the championship game at 4 pm Sunday.
The semifinals and finals are being played at Grand Valley State’s home field in Allendale. The Lakers earned the right to host the final two rounds as the highest remaining seed in the event.
NMU is No. 2 and knocked off No. 7 UWP on Tuesday with no. 3 SVSU on tap Friday.
The other semifinal pitted no. 1 GVSU and No. 4 Ferris State, also Friday.
The other three teams in the semis advanced with wins in home quarterfinals on Tuesday — the Lakers dumped No. 8 Purdue Northwest 7-0, SVSU beat No. 6 Davenport 2-1 in double overtime and Ferris flew past No. 5 Michigan Tech 3-1.
In NMU’s game Tuesday, Parkside finished with a 20-14 advantage in total shots as the teams deadlocked 7-7 in shots on goal.
But Northern goalkeeper Shenae Kreps proved strong with her eighth shutout of the season as she improved to 12-1-3 this season with a league-leading goals against average of 0.57.
“We got the result we needed and I’m so proud of this team,” Kreps said in an account of the game reported by NMU Sports Information.
Parkside was an upstart late in the season, winning twice and tying in its final three games, which included handing GVSU its only league loss of the season.
Maria Storm got NMU on the scoreboard near the midpoint of the first half in the 24th minute with her fifth goal of the season after corralling a loose ball and knocking it in, according to NMU SI. The play started with a Northern corner kick and Storm taking the initial shot that was blocked by the defense before Storm regained control.
“Going into the game, we all knew that nothing we had previously done mattered and we had to focus on the game we were about to play,” Storm said in the NMU SI account. “It was a great team effort and win.”
The score remained 1-0 until almost 10 minutes into the second half, when the Wildcats’ Brenna Musser knocked in an insurance goal in the 55th minute for her sixth of the season. Teammate Brooke Pietila took the initial shot that was saved as Musser headed in the rebound.
“Very proud of the team for taking care of the first game of the tournament,” Musser said in the NMU SI account. “We played with grit and passion today to get the win.”
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.
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