PREVIEW: Huskies Brace for Second Road GLIAC Weekend
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech women's soccer team goes on their second road weekend of GLIAC play with a tilt against Davenport Friday at 4 p.m. before a Sunday matinee against No. 7 Grand Valley State at noon.
Fans can catch both games on FloSports, as part of the four-year media partnership with the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference beginning this fall.
About the Panthers
Davenport enters week three of GLIAC play with an overall record of 3-3-2 while going 2-1-1 within the loop. The Panthers are winners of two straight, garnering wins against Purdue Northwest 2-1 on Friday (Sept. 16), paired with a 3-0 shutout against Parkside on Sunday (Sept. 18) to convert the home weekend sweep.
In Friday's contest, Davenport had to overcome a 1-0 second-half deficit with goals from Medina Hindic and Citlali Lung, uplifting the Panthers past the Pride, 2-1.
Sunday, Davenport saw Aida Holihan tally two of the Panthers' three goals. Haley Diekevers scored the other goal, while Gabriana Bennecke faced 13 shots, stopping three en route to her first shutout of the season.
Holihan and Lung pace the offense for the Panthers with two goals apiece, with Holihan also accounting for an assist.
About the Lakers
With two wins last weekend, No. 7 Grand Valley State rises to 5-1-2 overall and a GLIAC record of 3-0-1. On Friday, (Sept. 16) the Lakers had an 84th minute game-winner to outlast Parkside 2-1. Sunday (Sept. 18) showcased an 8-0 win against Purdue Northwest on Alumni Day.
Kennedy Metzger made the shot in the 84th minute on Friday night to win the contest. Ryann Fetty also scored a goal for the Lakers in the 18th minute off a corner kick.
Three Lakers scored multiple goals in the Sunday win against Northwest Purdue. Kennedy Bearden, Mackenzie Jones and Taylor Reid all tallied two goals, with Morgan Sophia and Alicia White also scoring goals.
Of note, both Kendall Robertson and Callie Rich spent time in the net for the Lakers over the 90 minutes, with neither facing a shot in their tenure within the goal.
Jones was tabbed GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts over the weekend.
Taylor Reid and Kennedy Bearden lead Grand Valley with four goals apiece. Robertson has played five games in the net for the Lakers, earning two shutouts while holding a save percentage of .824.
About the Huskies
Michigan Tech will look to regroup after tying with Saginaw Valley State on Friday night (Sept. 16) and falling to Ferris State, 1-0 on Sunday (Sept. 18). The Huskies current ledger is 3-4-1 overall with a standing of 1-2-1 in conference play.
The Huskies' backline put on a show under the lights on Friday night, allowing the Cardinals only three shots on target, with Gracie VanLangevelde coming up with stops on all three occasions in the shutout tie. The veterans of the Black & Gold attackers accounted for the majority of the offensive chances, with Stephanie Yeager, Neve Badalow and Haley Ruiter all landing multiple shots on target.
On Sunday, Michigan Tech was on the wrong side of a back-and-fourth contest, with the lone goal by Ferris State in the 40th minute becoming the game-winner. The offensive chances were slim for both teams, only accruing three shots on target apiece. The Black & Gold held the advantage in corner kicks but could not find the back of the net. For the second-straight game, Stephanie Yeager led the Huskies in shots on goal, with two shots finding the Bulldogs' goalkeeper.
Badalow and freshman Alyvia Sanom pace the Huskies' offense with two goals this season, while Yeager leads the squad with two assists.
One Last Thing
Senior goalkeeper Gracie VanLangevelde paces the league with three shutouts, ranking 25th in the nation. The Spring Lake, Michigan, native is also tied for first in the GLIAC in goalie minutes played, logging 720:00 minutes in the net for the Huskies this season.