Great Lakes Wire

The Northern Michigan University men's soccer team faced a challenging match against the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, ending in a 1-0 defeat. The decisive moment came late in the game when Eau Claire scored from a penalty kick in the 88th minute.

Throughout the match, the Wildcats struggled to find their form, being outshot by their opponents with a total of 24 attempts to NMU's 12. This loss brings the Wildcats' season record to 2-6-1, while the Blugolds improve to 7-1-2.

Goalkeeper Bryce Beckley made his first start for NMU and delivered seven saves during the match. Keegan Schmidt led NMU with two shots on target, followed by Fernando Abascal and Triston Nelson with one each. Six Wildcats played the full match duration of 90 minutes, while two others played for 88 minutes.

In terms of game statistics, Eau Claire had six corner kicks compared to NMU's two. Both teams committed ten fouls each, but NMU received five yellow cards against Eau Claire's four.

In the first half, NMU had an early chance from a corner kick but failed to convert it into a goal. Beckley was tested several times but managed to keep Eau Claire at bay with some impressive saves. However, in the second half, Ethan Andersen capitalized on a penalty opportunity for Eau Claire just before full-time.

The Wildcats will continue their road trip as they face St. Cloud State on Sunday, October 1st at 1 p.m.