Great Lakes Wire

The Northern Michigan University (NMU) women's soccer team concluded its regular season with a 1-1 draw against Saginaw Valley State, securing their second consecutive Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Regular Season Championship. This achievement marks the first time in NMU's history that the team has won the regular season title two years in a row.

With a conference record of 9-3-2, NMU earned the top spot in GLIAC. As the number one seed, they will host matches at home as long as they remain in the tournament. The first-round match is scheduled for Tuesday, followed by semi-finals and championship matches on Friday and Sunday at the highest remaining seed school.

During the game against Saginaw Valley State, NMU was initially down 1-0 after a second-half goal from their opponents. However, Maria Storm scored an equalizer just over seven minutes later by heading in a loose ball from a corner kick. This goal marked her third consecutive match with a score.

In terms of statistics, NMU outshot Saginaw Valley State 27 to nine and had more corners, seven compared to SVSU's two. Sally Patton played all 90 minutes and made four saves. Teammates Brooke Pietila, Hannah Kastamo, Kenna Alexander, Irene Kiilunen, and Angelina Perritano also played full-time.

The Cardinals took advantage of an opportunity early on when they found space on the left side during a quick transition. A well-timed pass led to their opening goal with a powerful strike into NMU's net. The Wildcats responded swiftly by drawing a corner kick in the 60th minute which led to Storm’s equalizing header.