Wildcats top Huskies 3-1

MARQUETTE, Mich. – Michigan Tech soccer suffered a 3-1 defeat to rival Northern Michigan Sunday afternoon inside the Superior Dome in Marquette. The Wildcats led 2-0 at halftime and added insurance in the second as the Huskies failed to post a shot attempt in the opening 45 minutes. Haley Ruiter scored the lone Husky goal in the loss, her first of the season.

The Huskies (1-1-1) continue their five-game road swing in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference when they face Ashland on Thursday, April 1 at Fergusen Field. The Wildcats (2-1-0) won their second straight game and hosts Saginaw Valley State on Thursday. 

"We are absolutely disappointed in how we played as well as the result," said head coach Bulut Ozturk. "Credit to Northern Michigan who came out, worked hard, and executed their game plan very well. We definitely did feel flat in the first half and so there are some growing pains as we tried to recover. We have to understand that every opponent we play in the GLIAC is a significant challenge so it's important that we come out ready to play each and every game. Now it's up to us to bounce back as quickly as possible against Ashland."

FIRST HALF: Receiving a pass at the top of the box from Stephanie Trujillo, Isabela Cardosa scored the games first goal in the fourth minute. Erika Gabriel came out to cut off the angle to her right but Cardosa slipped a low shot inside the left post from 10 yards out. Continuing to control most of the possession, Northern Michigan made it 2-0 in the 35^th minute.

Caitlyn Trombley touched a five-foot pass at the top of the box to Evelyn Flor, who buried it.

The Huskies assembled their first sustained pressure in the final five minutes of the half but failed to muster a shot on two corner kick tries. Northern Michigan led 3-0 in shot attempts after 45 minutes.

SECOND HALF: Rachael Ertse headed a shot one foot right of the far post on a corner cross for Northern Michigan in the onset of the second half.

Later, Stephanie Yeager looped a through pass from the center of the field for the Huskies in the 61^st minute. Grace Shaw headed it forward and Haley Ruiter tapped it in with her right foot past goalkeeper Shenae Kreps.

Five minutes later, Caroline Halonen had a clear path to the goal, causing Cassie Bonifas to draw a foul call. Gabriel dove left by could not stop Halonen's low shot on the ensuing penalty kick in the 66^th minute, giving the Wildcats a 3-1 edge. 

The Wildcats attempted 11 shots with eight landing on target. The Huskies managed four shot attempts with one on frame. Gabriel made five saves. Kreps had one save for NMU. Michigan Tech earned three corners. Northern Michigan finished with five.