Wildcats denied by tough Timberwolves’ defense
MARQUETTE, Mich. – The NMU women’s soccer team dropped its first match of 2025, a 1-0 decision to the Northwood Timberwolves.
With the loss, the Wildcats move to 0-1-2 overall to start the Egolf era, with one more regional match looming on the horizon this Saturday. The Timberwolves move to 2-0-0 on the early campaign, and look to move up the regional rankings from their current ranking of fifth in the Midwest. Both of the Timberwolves wins came as 1-0 decisions.
A relatively balanced first half, both teams registered four shot attempts, with the Wildcat netminder Jillian Thompson making two saves. After forcing a turnover in the Wildcat third, the Mari Jackson finished off a slick passing play for the Timberwolves, scoring what would be the game winning goal 12 minutes into the second half.
Six Wildcats played the full ninety minutes today, those being Thompson, Hannah Kastamo, Kenna Alexander, Addison Wargo, Ava Buhlman, and Irene Kiilunen. Madison Bilbia (85), Gretchen Ellis (79), and Alyse Daavettila (75) all recorded sizable minutes from the starting eleven, and Lily Senese (58) paced all student-athletes in minutes among substitutes.
The ‘Cats had ten shots to nine, but the ‘Wolves had double the amount on target, 4-2.
How It Happened
The ‘Cats got one of the best chances of the game early into the second frame, as Kastamo played a ball into the box. On a second touch after the ball bounced around in the box, Senese turned and hit a ball from eight yards out that just went high of the crossbar.
The Timberwolves broke through first, taking advantage of a Wildcat turnover. Off a goal-kick, the Wildcat defender’s pass was intercepted, sending the Timberwolves on a close counterattack. A crossing ball was just out of the reach of a sprawling Thompson and landed on the foot of Ashtyn Lange on the back post. Lange played it back to Kendall Buchman on the top of the goal area, and, uncontested, she beat the keeper to give her team the lead.
The ‘Cats had a great chance to equalize around the ten-minute mark, as Ellis played a ball into the box that found the foot of Roberts. Roberts began to shoot, but was dispossessed, and the ball rolled into the arms of Jacob. A few minutes later, Bilbia played a wonderful cross that went untouched through the box, and another great chance went by the wayside.
Up Next
The Wildcats round out the non conference schedule with a meeting against the Cedarville Yellow Jackets, welcoming the sixth-ranked team in the Midwest on Saturday, September 13, at noon.
