The No. nine-ranked Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team (7-2-5) battled with two teams for the top spot in their conference. The Lakers started at home with a hard 1-0 loss against the Northern Michigan University Wildcats (10-1-3) on Sunday, Oct. 15, and closed out the week away with a 2-2 tie against Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals (9-2-3) on Friday, Oct. 20.
NMU came into the game at No. 19 in the country and as the top-scoring team in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) with 25 goals in conference play. They were the second top 20-ranked team that GVSU had faced this season. The last time the Lakers and Wildcats met, the game ended in a 0-0 draw on Sept. 29 in Marquette, Michigan.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game, a game of counter-attacks and transitions. We focus on the details in training and sometimes it doesn’t go our way,” said GVSU women’s soccer head coach Katie Hultin about the team’s loss.
This has been the Lakers’ first loss since their season-opening matchup against Ashland University, having won or tied in their previous 11 contests. It was also the team’s first GLIAC conference loss of the season, where they now sit 5-1-4.
Coming off of six straight wins, SVSU looked to continue their recent dominance, allowing just one goal in that six-game stretch. The last time the Cardinals and Lakers met it was at the GVSU Soccer Field in Allendale, Michigan in a game that also ended in a tie, 1-1.
A handball in the box would lead to SVSU striking first on the penalty kick in the 14th minute from senior midfielder Sarah Fredrick. The Cardinals would hold on to this lead for the majority of the match.
Only nine minutes later, at the twenty-third-minute mark, the Cardinals would extend their lead to 2-0 with a header score by redshirt junior defender Tiffani Tores, assisted from a corner kick by freshman midfielder Alex Richardson.
After struggling on both sides of the ball in the first half, the second half was all GVSU. The Lakers’ would quickly get themselves on the scoreboard in the 50th minute with a goal by senior midfielder Mackenzie Jones from a loose ball in front of the net after a corner kick.
Suddenly, they were back in the game at 2-1, as the Lakers rallied and kept SVSU scoreless for the remainder of the match.
“We knew we had 45 minutes to come back and the only way we could do that is by playing our game. We kept the spirits positive and brought the energy,” GVSU sophomore midfielder Sophia Morgan said.
GVSU would not remain scoreless. In minute 75, Morgan would score her first career goal off of a corner kick that would find its way into the net and tie up the game at two.
With roughly 15 minutes left, both teams were on the clock, trying to take the lead in the final moments. To no avail, both squads failed to get on the board and the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Only four games remain on the schedule for the Lakers women’s soccer season, three of which are at home in Allendale, Michigan.
