Great Lakes Wire

The Northern Michigan University men's soccer team is preparing for a challenging weekend on the road. The Wildcats, who currently hold a 2-5-1 overall record and are 1-3 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), will face off against UW Eau Claire and GLIAC rival St. Cloud State.

The Wildcats' first match is scheduled against Division III opponent UW Eau Claire, boasting a strong 6-1-2 record, on Thursday, September 28 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Following this, they will play against St. Cloud State on Sunday, October 1 at 1 p.m.

Northern Michigan currently sits at the bottom of the GLIAC standings with three points, just behind St. Cloud State's four points. A victory over the weekend could help them climb up in the conference rankings.

Head Coach Alex Fatovic expressed confidence in his team's dedication: "From the outside, it could look like we're falling apart, but we're certainly not… [this group of guys] are so devoted to each other and the mission we are on… I don't think I'm going to have to say much this trip, they're motivated to turn this thing around."

Goalkeeper Florian Palmowski has been a standout player for the Wildcats, leading in several categories including minutes played and shutouts. Jan Hoffman leads in points with one goal and one assist while Fernando Abascal leads in assists with two.

Last week, Northern Michigan faced two narrow defeats against Purdue Northwest and Parkside Rangers, both ending in 0-1 losses.

UW Eau Claire comes into their match with an impressive offensive record averaging four goals per game. Key players include Nathan Donovan with twelve goals and seven assists.

St. Cloud State has struggled this season with only one win so far. Forward Zinedine Kroeten leads their scoring efforts.